Early Risers.

[Happy Hippo]

not if they were beef.

Don

Or donkey

[Happy Hippo]

I bought some Linda McCartney sausages once..................

 

and was most disappointed to find they contained no trace of LM, pig, mutton, beef, donkey, or any other form of meat..

 

I shall have to consult Capt Kernow on this matter as he is the  man when it comes to sausage.

[BlackRat]

Ahhhhhh no such thing as a vegetarian sossie.........

 

It's just a fried vegetable roll.

[Ian Abel]

<bah> <yawn> <groan>

Morning

 

Commiserations/congratulations as needed/required, I'll look back at the weekend posts when I can, but note;

Sorry to hear about the job situation Dutch_Master

Sounds like you need some TLC and a sharp word or two with that donkey OD!

 

Weekend taken up with various activities, none of which included modeling

Good news - resolved to start some exercising as of April 1 (NO, not an April Fools gag), which went well with two good long fast paced walks both Saturday and Sunday, tired though.

Meh news - most of the rest of the weekend taken up with (as planned but doesn't reduce the "annoyance" factor) TAXES. Since the Mrs is the MiL power-of-attorney we (meaning ME) get to do the MiL taxes as well as our own. They are essentially "simple" but fraught with another year where some documentation/forms supposed to be issued appear to have been sent to wrong addresses in spite of our correcting them time and again <grrr>

 

Another day in paradise sodding Long Island - this time arriving slightly after TWO AM!!! We pushed back a few minutes early, all looking good, then as we approached the runway, had to turn back due to a fault with one of the fuel switches. Two plus hours before it could be repaired and we were able to depart again - we were deplaned whilst the repair was undertaken.

 

What is it with the travelling areswipes public?!?!?!

 

We were ALL inconvenienced, and I for sure wasn't rejoicing at the thought/plan to be more than two hours late especially that late at night to begin with. However, it's no-ones fault that equipment goes t!ts up occasionally, right?

Apparently it IS someones fault, the gate agents... at least FOUR different people berated the agents with all kinds of expletive laced complaints and whining - I wanted to go over and ask them if they'd rather arrive DEAD  somewhere half way across the country, or wait for the plane to be fixed and be late but alive, I know what I prefer!

 

So there we go, I DID manage to win a Bachmann BR Conflat with Container on eBay while we were waiting, had it on my watch list and wouldn't have even seen it coming up to end if we'd been airborne - might as well spend money while I waited

 

Not sure I'll last the day without nodding off, but hope we all get through the day somehow, heads up...

[BSW01]

We get all our sausages, pies, bacon etc from here;

 

www.pjhowarthbutcher.com

 

 

They have won several awards for their sausages, (including supreme champion) and from the ones we've tasted, I'm not surprised either!

[Gwiwer]

Like I said, the instructor thinks I need more then 28 hrs. to get a C-licence. But what exactly went wrong, I have no idea. She didn't tell me. And I have the impression she didn't know herself either. Well, their loss

 

They can - and should - be picky.  Drivers of large vehicles need a greater level of skill and awareness than the average car driver simply because of the larger mass they are in control of.  If there was a test fault they should tell you so you can re-train and be aware of it.  If it is more that the tester feels more practice and experience is necessary rather than having made any specific error that too should be made clear.

 

When I trained for my D-licence (also known as PSV, PCV or bus and coach licence) I was out on test for the first time and failed.  Why?  Not because I had crossed a white line but because one tyre had touched a white line which meant I was no longer within my lane when I reasonably should or could have been.  I hadn't even noticed it, and thought I was just within the lane, never mind made mention of it to the tester.  Go back another day.  

 

On the second attempt I was in a slight spot of difficulty within minutes.  The test route passes through Camborne and takes a very sharp left turn in the town centre.  Quite deliberately because that is the way out of town and is the bus route.  You have to go that way.  The only way round in a 12-metre coach is to approach wide, show yourself and wait for a gap (or a generous giving of way) in the oncoming traffic around the corner, then swing wide taking the whole road.  I took it a tad early and was about to kerb the back wheel.  I had the presence of mind to stop, tell the tester I was going to borrow the footpath, check mirrors, wait for a moment with no pedestrians and then went - gingerly edging up onto the kerb and down as we took the corner.  I had a Minor Fault recorded on the test sheet.  Not a fail.  Why?  Because I had stopped, told the tester, waited and checked again before moving off.  Poor chap must have had a bumpy ride around that corner as many times as I've had a hot dinner!  

[AndrewC]

Being an accountant of sorts, I thought I'd quantify Andrew's figures.  So 4000 people earing £50,000 average and paying 40% tax (direct and indirect).  That is eighty million pounds of lost income to HMRC.  Then another calculation:  2000 Brexited, how many ancillary jobs to they require?  Hairdressers, Ocado drivers etc; say 1% so another 20 jobs gone.  Food for thought.

 

Bill

Pretty accurate. About half the jobs going are lower end so the average salary I'd say is closer to £40k so its about £64m in lost total tax. This is one medium sized company. 

[AndrewC]

I couldn't agree more about Gordon Lightfoot, a very under-rated musician.  My personal favourite if his has always been

 

 

Combines two of my loves - railways and decent music

Only underrated outside of Canada. He is a legend in the Great White North. 

I was listening to the original version of that yesterday while working in the shed. 

 

Canada has a long history of keeping its best artists to themselves and exporting the turd. (see also Bieber, Justin) 

[laurenceb]

Morning.  Dull here, similar outside.

 

Off to hospital later for the next chapter in the 'foot chronicles'.  Not exactly looking forward to it.

 

Jamie, yes, it hurts every time I see something like that - that's a seriously big one, too.  Iron Ore is a nasty cargo, very susceptible to moving about as the holds are generally only a third full, in alternate holds.

Hope all is healing to plan Neil. Did I read somewhere that there is a ship lost every week?

Hope you get your back sorted soonest Ian. Sounds nasty!

[Horsetan]

.....Canada has a long history of keeping its best artists to themselves and exporting the turd. (see also Bieber, Justin) 

 

Bryan Adams?

[AndrewC]

Bryan Adams?

He's been going downhill ever since he left Sweeney Todd.   

[lightengine]

There is a prog on Radio4 either tonight or tomorrow night around eightish, about a guy in Bristol who makes  nightly forays either removing or inserting aposrophes to correct the grammar on shop and street sighns as the incorrect usage drives him to distraction - must admit I feel the same about split infinitives!  There was a "trail on" Today" this morning.I think it is called "The Apostrophizer"!

EDIT just found this  https://www.facebook.com/bbcradiobristol/videos/1359545534102549/

twas on the BBC1 lunch time news

[The Stationmaster]

Oak tree partially tackled - successfully.

[lightengine]

Dutch_Master what about jobs on the canals of your low country? There must be a few of them.

 

ODD hope your back is improving and you stop taking the Tramadol.

 

Weather here today in sunny Teignmouth is mostly sunny with a little associated sea mist at times.

 

Grandkids due here Monday until Friday next week from Belgium. Hopefully we will have good weather so they can sightsee but somehow I am fearing the worst.

[AndyID]

Shouldn't that be Pigman's?

Only if he drives one of those Harold, Dave & Son motor bicycles.

[chrisf]

 

 

Canada has a long history of keeping its best artists to themselves and exporting the turd. (see also Bieber, Justin) 

 

Erm.  Joni Mitchell, La Bottine Souriante, Finest Kind, Genticorum, Le Vent Du Nord ...

 

I agree about Justin Beeblebrox though.

 

Chris

[andyram]

Evening all. A very sunny and pleasant day in this part of the middle England. Looks like a nice evening too. Firstly I would like to pass on my best wishes to Dutch Master and Ian (OD). I hope work and health issues improve soon.

Today I have safely negotiated another Monday. There are now just four days to go until the school's Easter holidays, I can't wait! The day was full of timetable changes to incorporate meetings with the boss about the progress of pupils. My meeting got moved to the end of the day but went much better than I expected. The difficult conversation about job plans also went ok. Strangely he almost seemed to want to convince me to stay. Of course that may change if I get shortlisted for interview at one of the schools I have applied to. One in particular would certainly cause some ill feeling.

I did find today difficult in other ways. The worries about the upcoming week resulted in another sleepless night last night. I felt exhausted by mid afternoon. Friday night's "episode" has left me feeling a little shaky.

Tonight I have another pile of books to mark, a couple of lessons to prepare and an Easter event to plan. That will have to wait until after I have gone out to do a final trawl for missing Avon books. I volunteered to do it for Sarah, feeling that a nice walk in the fresh air may pick me up for the evening's jobs. The weather is pleasant and I may detour along the footpath that leads around our local duck pond in order to take in some much needed peace and tranquility.

 

Good evening all.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening All.

 

Survived.  One K-Wire came out quite easily with not really much pain.  The other...ah.  They use the biggest set of chrome plated mole grips you have seen in your life, and the wire started coming out OK, and stuck.  So it was a big twist and heave job, which smarted a bit, as they say.  Eeeyyyoohhh.  They had a big set staff nurse on hand to hold me down, she was needed for that one!

 

Progress is good though, I am 2 weeks ahead of the expected position and as I have been a good lad have been allowed not to have a pot on the leg, provided I promise not to touch the ground with it as I'm still no weight bearing for another 4 weeks, which is a reduction of 2 weeks.  Then on to toe-touching to slowly bring things back into use over 2 weeks, with physiotorture of course.

 

Pain is much reduced though, the place where the wires poked out of the side of the foot was getting very sore indeed over the last week so their removal has helped a lot.  I hope Ian's pain can be helped as quickly!  Donkeys though  - always trouble....

 

Edited April 3, 2017 by New Haven Neil

[Ozexpatriate]

In the Big red and white headlines this morning across the screen,   GIBRALTER.

I am already finalizing plans for a US Marine landing at “Lloret del Mar” (with a hook around to Marbella) at the request of P. Trump in support of his new “girlfriend”.....

Sounds more like the tactical plan for the secret service than the USMC.

 

Of course the siege of Gibraltar (1779 - 1783) was the largest engagement (in terms of the numbers involved) in the American War of Independence - not that it factors much in the US mind of course.

[Purley Oaks]

Yes, it was very similar to Italians “queueing" for an Alitalia flight at DaVinci Airport.......

 

 

 

And crazed Brits catching a Jet2.com flight from Toulouse to Edinburgh three summers ago; as my mum was being taken up the steps to the aircraft first (as a wheelchair user), the airport opened the gate and everyone rushed across the tarmac and pushed up passed us to get to their seats before anyone else. Bananas!

Well, in truth it all started on Wednesday, when Martin almost made a bid for freedom, and I literally had to push him back through a narrow gateway, so I think that was what started the rot. The nature of life here often means a bit of lifting heavy stuff, so the back had scant time to recover. Then yesterday morning he had indeed got out, was roaming the lawn, so I had to institute repairs, sawing wood, hammering long nails, squatting, bending etc etc.

 

The medication includes some Tramadol, which Sherry found gave her nightmares. Perhaps I'll dream about escaped donkeys!

Hope you feel better soon, Ian, and that the Tramadol goes well. Let us know!

 

Only underrated outside of Canada. He is a legend in the Great White North. 

I was listening to the original version of that yesterday while working in the shed. 

 

Canada has a long history of keeping its best artists to themselves and exporting the turd. (see also Bieber, Justin) 

 

And to those already mentioned may I add Sarah McLachlan

Evening All.

 

Survived.  One K-Wire came out quite easily with not really much pain.  The other...ah.  They use the biggest set of chrome plated mole grips you have seen in your life, and the wire started coming out OK, and stuck.  So it was a big twist and heave job, which smarted a bit, as they say.  Eeeyyyoohhh.  They had a big set staff nurse on hand to hold me down, she was needed for that one!

 

Progress is good though, I am 2 weeks ahead of the expected position and as I have been a good lad have been allowed not to have a pot on the leg, provided I promise not to touch the ground with it as I'm still no weight bearing for another 4 weeks, which is a reduction of 2 weeks.  Then on to toe-touching to slowly bring things back into use over 2 weeks, with physiotorture of course.

 

Pain is much reduced though, the place where the wires poked out of the side of the foot was getting very sore indeed over the last week so their removal has helped a lot.  I hope Ian's pain can be helped as quickly!  Donkeys though  - always trouble....

 

P1100711s.jpg

Neil, glad to hear that things are going well - better than expected, in fact - keep it up!

 

Did anyone see Michael Howard on tv news yesterday? He seemed to be almost foaming at the mouth in anticipation of Royal Navy gunboats blocking the Mediterranean, or maybe he's just a little over-excited for an 80-year old because a female PM is in charge.

 

Beautiful weekend here, delightfully sunny, but a bit overcast and windy today.

 

Mal

[Donw]

I bought some Linda McCartney sausages once..................

 

and was most disappointed to find they contained no trace of LM, pig, mutton, beef, donkey, or any other form of meat..

 

I shall have to consult Capt Kernow on this matter as he is the  man when it comes to sausage.

 

When I was still a carnivore I remember sausages which didn't seem to contain much meat. The school dinner ones especially.

Don 

[Donw]

Erm.  Joni Mitchell, La Bottine Souriante, Finest Kind, Genticorum, Le Vent Du Nord ...

 

I agree about Justin Beeblebrox though.

 

Chris

 

I was fortunate to see Joni Mitchell at the Royal Festival Hall - spellbinding. The Album Song to A Seagull I have played more often than any other.

Don

[emt_911]

A very easy day and a lot achieved. I even managed to finish early which meant that I've had an extended eyelid inspection. It's more than possible that I'm catching up on the lack of sleep from the last couple of weeks.

 

Ian - Not good news. I hope that the problem isn't long term.

 

Dutch_Master - Disheartening I know but keep going. Something will turn up

 

NHN - Good to hear that the foot is repairing quickly.

 

Time for a coffee and to find out what the RMweb world has been up to.

 

Back later

[PhilJ W]

Evening All.

 

Survived.  One K-Wire came out quite easily with not really much pain.  The other...ah.  They use the biggest set of chrome plated mole grips you have seen in your life, and the wire started coming out OK, and stuck.  So it was a big twist and heave job, which smarted a bit, as they say.  Eeeyyyoohhh.  They had a big set staff nurse on hand to hold me down, she was needed for that one!

 

Progress is good though, I am 2 weeks ahead of the expected position and as I have been a good lad have been allowed not to have a pot on the leg, provided I promise not to touch the ground with it as I'm still no weight bearing for another 4 weeks, which is a reduction of 2 weeks.  Then on to toe-touching to slowly bring things back into use over 2 weeks, with physiotorture of course.

 

Pain is much reduced though, the place where the wires poked out of the side of the foot was getting very sore indeed over the last week so their removal has helped a lot.  I hope Ian's pain can be helped as quickly!  Donkeys though  - always trouble....

 

P1100711s.jpg

Neil, I saw a lady in Tesco's today with her foot in one of those boot things which I imagine you have to wear on your ankle. She was getting around on what looked like a childs scooter with a raised pad on which her injured leg was kneeling, the 'scooter' had 5 wheels so was very stable. I asked the lady where they came from and she told me that they can be hired. They will even deliver one to your door, the only problem that I can see is that they might not include the Isle of Man

http://www.kneescooterrentals.co.uk

[Horsetan]

And crazed Brits catching a Jet2.com flight from Toulouse to Edinburgh three summers ago; as my mum was being taken up the steps to the aircraft first (as a wheelchair user), the airport opened the gate and everyone rushed across the tarmac and pushed up passed us to get to their seats before anyone else. Bananas!...

I blame the classless society myself. Now everyone thinks they are entitled.