Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Hatfield my be your nearest M&S Outlet store. Apologies if I am teaching egg sucking Chris but Outlet stores are a different animal to M&S stores in general.

 

No prbblem.  I got something suitable in my local M&S this morning.

 

Chris

[TheQ]

I guess it's a FLUKE if you understand that, and I don't mean 'An unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck.'

 

Looking at where you are based it must be very windy - you don't want too many Hurricanes on the Broads

 

I must admit to being one of your Effing Clowns last year - luckily I found Roy's DIY whilst SWMBO went in the main store(s) . . . . . 

 

.

I know the winds are very Flukey when I go out sailing and with the light airs we've been having over the last few weeks it's been worse than normal. We often do get Hurricanes and Spitfires, occasionally the Lancaster along with those jets with their tails on fire producing red white and blue smoke. They stop across the fence for fuel when on tour..

 

Ah, Roys DIY down towards Barnes BrinkCraft...I'm surprised you didn't escape the other way, to the Kings Head.

 

 Just so others may know what we are on about, Hoveton is top right, Wroxham is the other side of the river Bottom left. the School at the top is the old Secondary Modern now Broadland High School.

 

 

However the unit for Germany has gone back to repair, it's still not fixed, I hope the company have lent the owners the demonstation unit, I calibrated that a couple of weeks back for loaning out..

 

Meanwhile on the desk next to me on a semi automatic test station I don't operate, a unit just in for cal, the label on the back says.... Working NASA standard...

Edited July 20, 2018 by TheQ

[shortliner]

 

 

 

 

Oh

P.S. Effin Clown town is Hoveton as In "Wroxham and Hoveton" Station. Most of the tourists think they are in Wroxham, and wander across the "A" road without a care in the world hence "Effin Clowns". They think they are in Wroxham because they are surrounded by shops saying " Roys of Wroxham", only Roys is in Hoveton.. Wroxham is the other side of the river..

 

 

TheQ - must be honest and say that the only place I could think of that might be called "Effing Clown Town" was Fakenham, where I had the pleasure? of a short period of education whilst my Dad was stationed at RAF West Raynham, having previously been at the village school in East Rudham - That was a VERY long time ago, when as a very small lad I drove an old grey Fergie tractor round a field collecting 'taters near Great Massingham - never been back but I'm sure it has changed

[roundhouse]

Afternoon form a cloudy and cooler Surrey. Awaiting another two deliveries before heading out to collect one form Argos and another trip to the recycling centre.

 

I finally found out why a PC wouldnt work through the TV. The HDMI ports on the TV have failed. Apparently its a common problem with LG Tvs of its age. Many online forums and Youtube videos say take the board out and bake it in the oven as its the soldered joints that fail. I am not so keen to try that though.

[AndrewC]

Afternoon form a cloudy and cooler Surrey. Awaiting another two deliveries before heading out to collect one form Argos and another trip to the recycling centre.

 

I finally found out why a PC wouldnt work through the TV. The HDMI ports on the TV have failed. Apparently its a common problem with LG Tvs of its age. Many online forums and Youtube videos say take the board out and bake it in the oven as its the soldered joints that fail. I am not so keen to try that though.

Just don't use the microwave. 

There used to be a similar problem with Packard Bell motherboards and the serial ports. 5 mins with a soldering iron would bring them back to life. 

[Gwiwer]

Afternoon all.  The Hill of Strawberries has contributed its parts to an obnoxium sabbati.

 

Every day something has brought chaos and disruption to the rails.  Lineside fires, signal failures, broken down trains, trespassers (human and otherwise) and more.  This morning I set out for my train noting the depot, normally empty at the time, was full.  A quick check soon revealed that many trains were not running because nothing was able to get out of the depot.  The morning peak was in tatters before the first train had even left.  

 

On Tuesday we had enjoyed a fire on the level crossing.  On Wednesday I had not long been home when the phone rang asking if I could return to work adding that no trains were running.  The reason (for both) was that a person had been struck by a train in full view of everyone on platform 9, the Down Main South Western line, bringing everything to a stop.  Staff involved needed relieving for debriefing and counselling.  Trains not stopping can run through at 50mph.  Here is not the place to go into more detail.  Suffice to say that coming so soon after one of our own passed away on duty this has been a very hard week for us all.  I have made a point of letting the team know I am more than happy to talk with anyone any time about events as I know only too well that shock and grief can often arise weeks or even months after the event.  We all deal with trauma differently.

 

The weathering roadshow is ready to go for the morning.  SWMBO is also ready to go and is working at Wakehurst Place through the weekend.  She is staying down there tomorrow night as they assure her there is some overnight accommodation provided.  Hopefully something more comfortable than flower beds!

 

Neighbour(s) Upstairs have returned from Morocco and gone their separate ways for summer having only spent the night here.  I am told that one who chose to travel with a £300 toothbrush and upwards of £10,000-worth of jewellery has been relieved of all the above.  My question is "Why would you even consider travelling with that lot?"  

 

In other news it appears our little trip to Amsterdam has been squeezed out of the budget which means we don't get to catch up with the Former Australian Neighbours over there.  

 

Please accept generic greetings and my best wishes to all.  I doubt I shall be back online until Sunday now.  

[Horsetan]

 

Happily, I am in the position of being Schrodinger's EU Citizen, with both an EU and a soon-to-be-non-EU passport at the ready. As for NI, there is much I could say that would probably fall foul of RMWeb's rules on political discussion, so I shall merely report without opinion that my observations suggest that the whole country, my glorious homeland, is - and I admit no exception for anyone of any particular political stripe, I say this without fear or favour - a complete basket case. A hard border on the island horrifies everyone, a theoretical border between Northern Ireland and Scotland horrifies the Unionists (who maintain that Ulster-Scots is a language all of its own - it isn't, and since I have a postgraduate degree in Irish & Scottish Studies [incorporating linguistics] I can argue as much with considerable confidence), and a soft border anywhere horrifies the Brexiters.

 

Like I say: basket case.

Would this be an Irish problem requiring an Irish solution?

[TheQ]

Fakenham I've only driven round the bypass..you can always visit the gas museum of you go back...http://fakenhamgasmuseum.com/events/opening-times-2017/

 

As for Effin clown town it was fully up to expectations, people wandering through the traffic, walking across the traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing with the lights at green for the cars.

This was not helped by 8 fire engines, on the northern edge of Hoveton fighting a cornfield fire. On the radio they report another fire just a couple of miles away at Neatishead..and yesterday much nearer me one in the reed beds at Horsey.

 

Just had a phone call, Ben the Border Collie is banned from his Appreciation Society... They've looked up their insurance and are not covered if he trips someone up....

Luckily for the summer SWMBOs Friday art group has finished so we are OK till September, so she can look after him till then, what we will do after I don't know...

[New Haven Neil]

Funny you should mention NPL, Q.  My friend's father was the gaffer there 64-77, he just died last year.

 

http://www.npl.co.uk/about/history/directors/dr-john-vernon-dunworth

[shortliner]

Fakenham I've only driven round the bypass..you can always visit the gas museum of you go back...http://fakenhamgasmuseum.com/events/opening-times-2017/

 

I think it is so long since I lived there that I don't think it ever had enough traffic (an occasional horse and cart, and possibly a couple of chickens and a possible passing pesant) that it would have justified them building a by-pass ! in those days Raynham was flying meteors and Vampires - you almost expected to see a Fokker tri-plane on finals!  Some of us is gettin' on a bit, you know

[lightengine]

£300 toothbrush?

I am sure the belongings were insured but if not I hope a lesson is learnt.

Of course, I may be wrong and a £300 toothbrush may well be an all singing and dancing £300 worth.

[Black Marlin]

Would this be an Irish problem requiring an Irish solution?

 

One of the really terrifying things about the way this problem has been assessed is that it is only now dawning on people that this is an Irish problem the solution of which requires the agreement of the Irish, the British, the EU and the Northern Irish (including the Nationalists, the Unionists and the Republicans). 

 

Regardless of my personal feelings on the subject of Brexit, it seems to me that the entire population of the UK (including me!) has had no idea as to what leaving the EU actually means. In part this is not the electorate's fault: there was very little hard data to obtain in the first place, and the soft data or suspicions that formed most of the substance of the debate were so susceptible to distortion or misrepresentation as to be virtually useless. 

 

Many of my family, nuclear and extended, are medics, and they venerate the concept of informed consent. On the basis that no one in the UK gave their informed consent the first time round - because it wasn't possible to be informed - I reckon the only way out of this debacle with a clear conscience is a second, binding referendum. If the will of the electorate is of overriding importance, then surely no one - on any side of the argument - should object to it being sought.

 

Perilously close to breaking the 'no politics' rule, I know, but I'm hoping that my scrupulous avoidance of expressing my opinion as to whether leave or remain is the better option renders it sufficiently non-confrontational as to be acceptable. I extend welcoming and amiable arms to all, regardless of political opinion!

 

Gavin

[Ozexpatriate]

Perilously close to breaking the 'no politics' rule, I know, but I'm hoping that my scrupulous avoidance of expressing my opinion as to whether leave or remain is the better option renders it sufficiently non-confrontational as to be acceptable. I extend welcoming and amiable arms to all, regardless of political opinion!

Gavin, I sympathize. Having said that, it's such a galvanizing and polarizing topic that it will inevitably put someone off in this genteel corner of RMweb.

 

My own observations of the trajectory of US politics int the last decade or so beggars belief. The erosion of traditional journalism in the wake of the disrupting influence of the internet created a vacuum filled by hyper-partisan multimedia "news" outlets that play on emotional rather than rational reasoning that is amplifying traditional partisan divisions into 'in' and 'out' groups that are almost sectarian in nature.

 

Meanwhile we have reality television politics on both sides of the Atlantic that plays to this sentiment. Politics is always tumultuous, but it feels different and somehow more intense these days. I suspect that you would love to be able to unburden yourself to people who you can count on to be reasonable - like the ER community here.. I know I would but we have our self-imposed guidelines for a good reason and I respect that.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Ozexpatriate

[tractionman]

 

 

 

 

 

Oh

P.S. Effin Clown town is Hoveton as In "Wroxham and Hoveton" Station. Most of the tourists think they are in Wroxham, and wander across the "A" road without a care in the world hence "Effin Clowns". They think they are in Wroxham because they are surrounded by shops saying " Roys of Wroxham", only Roys is in Hoveton.. Wroxham is the other side of the river..

 

 

 

 

 

I too had been pondering the "Effin Clown" town's true identity--and its reveal coincides with the end of a two-week long stay on holiday here, just outside Hoveton--my first proper visit to Norfolk. What a lovely county it is. Had a great trip on the BVR to Aylsham from Wroxham, and a visit to the model shop there, and a trip on the canoes twice, very relaxing. I reckon we'll be coming back next year, clowns or no clowns!

 

cheers,

 

Keith

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. No sign of the promised thunder storms today though the sky did look a bit threatening lunch time. According to this evenings forecast they did come close though, it looks as if Southend received a bit of dampness. The dry weather has one advantage from my point of view. When I visit the bus rally on Sunday, which is held in a grass field, it should be easy to use the stroller as the grass will be short and dry. I looked up my nearest M&S Outlet, its in Grays, not in Lakeside but just outside. There's a few things that I need so I might pop down there next week some time.

[Barry O]

Chuckeditdarn this afternoon. Garden needed it .. hopefully the pitches tomorrow for our cricket matches will have benefited..some are getting positively dangerous..

 

watching Yorkshire ..fielding..dreadful....

 

Baz

[JohnDMJ]

The endoscopy/colonoscopy procedure itself was uneventful. Much better than last time due to the presence of an experienced nurse anesthetist. I'm glad it is over and am looking forward to relaxing on the weekend.

 

Hope they used different gear for each end!

 

When I visited our twin town in France (Meux) with a layout I was surprised when come lunch time the doors were closed and out came the tables laden with food and wine for a couple of hours, very civilised. From speaking to others including here on RMweb this is apparently quite usual in France. Not having visited exhibitions in any other country but the UK and France I wonder if in other countries they have their own way of doing things?

 

Do you mean Meaux? Been there many times; one of my former employers had an office near there!

 

Re lunch, the rural French tend to be very civilised in this respect!

[Ozexpatriate]

Hope they used different gear for each end!

I honestly couldn't tell you - I was out. (In a previous procedure it was staged on a big hose reel in the procedure room.)

 

After the 'prep' is done with your insides, there's not much difference above or below so I suspect the same kit would be employed fore and aft, It's pretty much 'clean as a whistle' from one end of the tube to the other.

 

I do have photographs.

 

Fear not, I shan't be sharing them.

[Simon G]

A pretty carp day in nearly every respect today. United Utilities were scheduled to continue the never ending saga of the leaking water supply this morning. By 12, they hadn’t arrived, so I call UU, who promised to call back within 2 hrs. 1 hr 58minutes later they call back saying they don’t know yet why the team hadn’t arrived. Another 30 minutes later they call again to explain that the team had been delayed on their firs job, then called to an emergency. By this time, I was very angry with them, it still managed to be polite and asked why no-one had the courtesy to call and tell me that they wouldn’t be coming. The person apologised and offered me £25 compensation for the inconvenience. While I accepted that, it is nothing compared to what I will be demanding for all the inconvenience for the last 5 weeks. They are now due to arrive next Wednesday, but without even a rough time slot. I have no confidence in them finding the leak next week, let alone fixing it.

 

It has also rained just about all day, so we haven’t managed to get out at all. SWMBO hates not being able to get out, so got irritable and all of a sudden it is my fault that she hasn’t done her tax return or applied for a new passport yet!

 

To try to relax in all this stress, I try to fault find an HO Bachmann Gas Electric “Doodlebug”,which was running very lumpily. The fault was found to be a split gear and it appears that Bachmann US no longer supply spares for this loco. It might therefore be tricky to repair!

[Ozexpatriate]

...

It has also rained just about all day, ...

I wonder if that was connected to the 'no show' by the utilities crew?

 

I am also frustrated by a service 'no show' today. I purchased an adjustable table, which included assembly.. Someone was scheduled to arrive between 9:00am and 1:00pm. No one arrived. No one telephoned. Calling the central number, I was promised a return call. None so far.

 

I will say that today's weather is thoroughly delightful. I turned off the A/C last night. With the windows open the house is cool, even in the mid-afternoon, despite the bright sunny, cloudless day.  This too shall pass.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Ozexpatriate

[Tony_S]

We had about 3:drops of rain. The radar showed clouds to the NW and SE of us. I didn’t even hear any thunder even though I was watching Thor Ragnarok on the television

I won’t be up late tonight as I need to set off early so we can get to Kettering for lunch. The weather should be fine for the barbecue. I don’t have to get involved with “man make fire, man burn meat” ritual. Brother in Law Raj and his FiL Dave take care of such things! This is technically Maya’s 6th birthday party but she had various celebrations with schoolfriends today so I am sure she won’t mind the old people having a nice time.

I have been sorting out lightbulbs. The bedside light in the spare room at MiLs failed so Aditi sent me photos of the lamp and its bulb. I found some so I don’t have to go shopping tomorrow. Not sure why MiL no longer has spare light bulbs.

Tony

[TheQ]

I too had been pondering the "Effin Clown" town's true identity--and its reveal coincides with the end of a two-week long stay on holiday here, just outside Hoveton--my first proper visit to Norfolk. What a lovely county it is. Had a great trip on the BVR to Aylsham from Wroxham, and a visit to the model shop there, and a trip on the canoes twice, very relaxing. I reckon we'll be coming back next year, clowns or no clowns!

 

cheers,

 

Keith

Being picky, you had a lovely trip from HOVETON to Aylsham, possibly also with a guard on the train who is a member of Broadland Model Railway Club that I was speaking to half an hour ago.

I think you were able to see why I've settled here after 40 years of moving around (including NI) with my parents or in my own right..

 

If you are here again at the right time you could also try http://www.bartonhouserailway.org.uk which is in WROXHAM.

There is also in HOVETON the

https://wroxhamminiatureworlds.co.uk

If you go on the poppy line to Cromer there is "Bouys toys and models" which is about 50% railways.

 

Or even PM me for a visit to our club...

 

So tonight I've been to the MRC without Ben the Border Collie, he was much missed by the other members. Only one bit of fencing was done the rest was spent discussing a tablet computer...( Not mine).

[Horsetan]

We had about 3:drops of rain. ...

As many as that?

[Horsetan]

We had about 3:drops of rain. ...

As many as that?

[bbishop]

Back from the Real Ale festival on the Epping Ongar Railway.  Seven half pints drunk in seven hours - a wheat beer, a pale, a light and four milds!  Plus a couple of trips from North Weald to Ongar.

 

Tomorrow I'm going to the CMRA Members' Day near Watford, then an evening with HJ.  Thanks for reminding me to wrap her birthday present.

 

Gavin, thanks for your comments about Brexit.  I may put in my tuppence worth, but at the moment I'm too tired and maybe just a tad emotional.

 

Good night all, Bill