Early Risers.

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[Dave Hunt]

9 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

Individually, sea snakes although highly venomous, have a very docile disposition.

 

As it swam between my legs I completely forgot to check on its state of mind. Silly of me I know....

 

9 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

Wonder if that would work with the local vultures crows and sea gulls?

 

According to a mate of mine who was seconded to the old Ark Royal for her last voyage the answer to that is yes, with gulls anyway. He told me that someone on the ship would wrap a piece of bread round a pellet of bicarbonate of soda and toss it to the gulls then watch the result, until the captain banned it.

 

Thinks, wonder how I can pass the time on the ferry to Fraggle Rock tomorrow?

 

Dave

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well thankfully the predicted rain held off, although as I spent the day in the workshop, I suppose it didn’t really matter if it did or didn’t rain. Some more progress has been made on the old L class and I’ve blackened all the brass detail, such as handrails and handrail knobs, footsteps, doors etc, which was all done before dinner.

 

As I am now at the stage where I can start adding the small detail parts which are best left until near the end, so I thought I make a start adding them. So this afternoon I concentrated on the front end, fitting the smokebox handles and lamp irons.

 

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Kingzance]

34 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

He told me that someone on the ship would wrap a piece of bread round a pellet of bicarbonate of soda and toss it to the gulls then watch the result, until the captain banned it.

Calcium carbide releases more acetylene per gram that Sodium Bicarbonate so is more efficient. How do I know? Well, we used to have carbide lamps when I was a lad (queue bit of Monty Python...) involved in potholing around The Mendips and some people would feed the gulls that ventured inland with carbide sarnies. The birds sometimes seemed to require a quick slurp from the local pond so the result was, borrowing from the golf channel’s adverts for the PXG driver, “kaboom baby” at a later stage. Naturally, I can no longer remember the names of the people involved.

As for snakes swimming between one’s legs, is that the “one-eyed trouser snake”? And for NHN, Brunei and Borneo were well known for gatherings of water snakes, the collective name for which I never waited to discover.

Good night and a good night’s sleep to those who are currently suffering interrupted sleep patterns.

Edited August 4, 2019 by Kingzance
Typos

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[AndyID]

2 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Thinks, wonder how I can pass the time on the ferry to Fraggle Rock tomorrow?

 

 

Perhaps a waffer thin mint?

[AndyID]

4 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Unlike Cleopatra, who brought the asp to her breast - Fangs for the mammaries.

 

Here we go again. What this topic needs is a sense of decorum. Cleopatra was, for good reason, the Queen of Denial.

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, AndyID said:

Given recent events in the US it might seem callous that I'm joking around. It's something of a defense mechanism on my part.

 

If I were to post stuff about how I really feel I'm pretty sure I'd be banned from here and quite possibly picked up by the FBI for interrogation.

I believe I know just how you feel.

 

I was sorely tempted the other day to make some observations about the governance of the English speaking world at large last week but somehow found sufficient restraint.

 

That notwithstanding, this needs the groan button.

3 hours ago, AndyID said:

What this topic needs is a sense of decorum. Cleopatra was, for good reason, the Queen of Denial.

Edited August 5, 2019 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

Despite the bad news of the weekend, I enjoyed my Sunday with my son and daughter-in-law. First breakfast, then a tour of six (>$1M), show homes - just for something to do. Many of them had very impressive indoor/outdoor spaces, where large 'great rooms' opened  (via large floor-to-ceiling folding doors) onto outdoor entertainment areas. How one will keep the furnishings free from damp and mold in those spaces during the winter would be interesting.

 

It was hot (it reached 34°C) so we looked for air-conditioned options in the mid-afternoon. Bowling (not involving lawns) was suggested. I found my ball from Harry Potter's bunk space* and despite not having bowled in years broke 100 and then 150 in the two games I bowled. Not being in the least bit athletic, I confess to be pleased with myself.

 

* The cupboard under the stairs.

 

After that we strolled around the mall, which despite a handful of shuttered shops (including of course the Sears anchor end) and unlike many US malls, this one seems to be doing pretty well. After that we all had dinner at a pub (ish) establishment and they dropped me at home with time to watch a soccer match recorded from early in the afternoon, which concluded, somewhat unsatisfactorily with a penalty in the 91st minute.

 

Edited August 5, 2019 by Ozexpatriate

[TheQ]

Mooring all,  yesterday's days picture was around 06:00 today's about 14:00

Yesterday,  church service at the sailing club,  then up to the broad for sailing, minor adjustments to buoys. 

35 competitors  many more will turn up today.

Uneventful  first race, 

Second race,  after the preparation signal is given, the sea breeze kicked in and the wind shifted 90 degrees. Postponement while I charge around the broads moving marks. 

Once the race is going slight windshifts meant the windward mark becomes very tricky as the wind alternates round a headland,  causing interesting traffic jams.. 

Otherwise no incidents in that race or the next,  

The final race is for single-handed enterprise dinghies,  two minutes to the start one capsizes on the line,  he recovers but spent the rest of the race a long way back bailing when he could. 

Black at the club,  rescue boat handling competition for those not qualified to drive the rescue boat, 

Take boat out from mooring cleanly

Drive round first buoy forward 

Approach bank bow first to within 6 inches without  touching and hold during count down. 

Reverse round other buoy 

Back to mooring cleanly. 

At some random point I or my crew  threw in a fender and shouted man over board and they had to break off from above and rescue it. 

Had to shout at a private very posh day boat coming through  at excessive speed , I doubt the old man driving it has walked at 4mph for many years.. 

After that cream teas at the club house. 

Up 05:00 this morning,  SSS,  get my rescue boat ready,  get keep right sign / buoy  from the back of the landrover,  go put that in down river of the club,  and buoy one as I had that on board.

 

Time to go get the other rescue boats out. 

And a picture from yesterday

[TheQ]

A friend during a race in saudi threw his mainsheet in the water,  when he pulled it back in,  it had a, snake wrapped round it...  It was quickly thrown back in

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The overnight rain has stopped and the sun is shining, but rain is again forecast. Sheila is getting ready for her Zumba class and is going to take her brolly with her just in case. Once she’s set off, work will recommence in the cellar, more sanding to be done on the stairs and no doubt more filler when I find more holes that are currently unseen, as the staircase is currently a very dark brown.

 

Enjoy the day, back later. 

[AndrewC]

Greetings all from the boring borough. Quiet weekend completed with a few chores off the honey-do list. All is quiet as the cats (office managers) are asleep. 

Snakes don't really bother me. Southern Alberta has rattlers but until recently they'd not been seen within 100km of Calgary. All much further south. Garter snakes along the railway lines were common. One of our family friends (Tom Baines) was Calgary's first zookeeper. He'd often visit schools with his slithery friends and lizards, so I'd become used to handling them at an early age. The neighbour next door was a geologist who had a rather large pet boa. I had a basement bedroom opposite the room where he was kept. No fence and only about 2 metres apart. More than once he escaped and I woke with him coiled up on the end of the bed to keep warm. First time was a bit "eeek" but after it happened 3 or 4 more times it became rather routine. 

 

Little else going on so I'll just say, enjoy the day. 

[81C]

Morning All 

Hissing down here, it's the turn of the man cave today for a clear out, books to be boxed everything to be packed away.

At least the slapped #rse is not here I can get on peacefully the poor little thing had her world turned upside down by one

of my daughters much to my delight.

 

must get on enjoy your day H. Appyman  

[45156]

Morning All

 

As usual, generic greetings, and I'm pleased that Rick had an enjoyable trip to Corfe Castle -  where there is a very good teddy bear shop, which 30747 has frequented more than once (and spent considerable sums therein).  I also was interested in Mike's response to the "unusual" operation of the services.  There is probably nobody better qualified to comment - but in that regard, we do seem to be blessed here with the presence of railway persons both current and retired who can comment on so many real railway related matters.

 

I was expecting a visit from a gas engineer this morning, as our meter is now very old and corroded, and may have a small leak - however, he is coming from Warrington, and there has been a "police incident" on the M6, and all the roads round Preston are very congested, with the M6 closed - or just re-opened in the last few minutes - so he's not risking it today, and will call me tomorrow morning.

 

As a result,  I will be able to give LASAR a few hours this morning, and my task will probably be the scanning of books and packing them for We Buy Books, as we just get more donated than we can ever sell - it's quite surprising what they will buy, and the prices that they will fetch - however, as a general charity shop, we don't have the resources to research them the way I did at Oxfam.  So if We Buy Books will offer anything, then we sell. 

 

So now to walk Lily (again)  and then get on my way to LASAR.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited August 5, 2019 by 45156

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is rather overcast here. I have been informed that should I wish to cut the grass I should do it soon. I wasn’t wishing but I can take a hint. Then we need to go to Basildon. Aditi clicked on the wrong click and collect location for some dresses she had ordered from Next so instead of the out of town branch we need the town centre branch. Actually even the town centre branch isn’t really  the town centre, as PhilJW has mentioned the town centre of Basildon seems to have a lot of closed shops nowadays. 

Tony

 

[tigerburnie]

Morning all, we began with sunshine, then a shower, then sun and I think you can guess the pattern for the rest of the day. SWMBO is in Perth with the daughter and grandkids, so the day is mine, I could do some jobs or I could just doss about, do I need help in making my mind up I ask myself...……………………..have a nice dayyyyyyyy.

[BoD]

Good morning all and one.

 

It is sunny and (relatively) warm here so I will head out for a walk.  I have been feeling rather lethargic over the last few days but it’s probably self inflicted.  After the recent hols and various other excursions I seem to have put on some of the weight I took off  My blood pressure has gone up too, and that after I got it down to near normal.  I guess therefore my blood sugar will be up too.  A reboot is in order as I started so well after last years diagnosis. I have always found starting easy but maintaining difficult. 

 

I’m expecting my annual checkup call any time now so may be in for a lecture.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a sunny Charente, though it was misty when I breakfasted.   Here we have various reptiles, whip snakes and vipers and lots of friendly lizards that live by the doors and gateways.   They like it when we sit outside swatting flies.   The collected carcasses are a sort of lizard equivalent of McD's.  Yesterday was survived and the silent T*rd was instructed by his other half to watch the football with his earphones on so that we didn't have to listen.   Beth, Rachel (the T*rd's long suffering wife,) and I went for a nice walk round the fields and saw how the various crops are coming on.  We also startled a deer that was dozing in a hedge.   A good Sunday dinner was then had with Yorkshire puddings and Plum Crumble made from home grown plums, among the delights. 

 

Today we may not do a lot as Rachel isn't feeling well.   the T*rd is still alive, just, after putting the sound on his phone to listen to something inane about Leeds United, whilst Beth was watching something on catch up.  Various domestic tasks will be performed and I need to go to the Marie to book our places at the Moules et Frites later this month.  

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited August 5, 2019 by jamie92208

[Tony_S]

The rain arrived earlier than forecast by Aditi so no grass cutting. I think we will be off to Basildon soon. 

Tony

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Awoken this morning by some banging and crashing over the road. It turned out to be a mini digger being delivered to the large house across the way. I was under the impression that the building work was complete but apparently not so.

11 hours ago, Kingzance said:

Calcium carbide releases more acetylene per gram that Sodium Bicarbonate so is more efficient. How do I know? Well, we used to have carbide lamps when I was a lad (queue bit of Monty Python...) involved in potholing around The Mendips and some people would feed the gulls that ventured inland with carbide sarnies.

That reminded me of what my dad told me about when he was a young lad about 1930. My dads cousins lived in an old terraced house in South London with one outside loo for about four houses. One of the neighbours was the local 'hard man' and every Sunday morning he would occupy the loo with his pack of five Capstan full strength and his copy of sporting life. If the loo was occupied he would turf them out irrespective of age or sex. My dads cousins decided to do something about this and someone suggested putting a carbide tablet down the pan shortly before the hard man entered the loo. So early one Sunday morning one of them sneaked into the loo and dropped not one but three or four carbide tablets down the pan. They waited about five minutes and then there was an almighty bang that demolished the brick built loo and smashed all the windows in the rear of the houses. The hard man was taken away face down on a stretcher with a red raw backside. 

[AndyB]

Morning all. Currently in the Dave Hunt and HH locality and spotted a home made road sign to "Model railway exhibition". Further investigation revealed the following. ....

https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/19228-CravenArmsandDistrictModelRailwayCircleLudlowModelRailwayExhibition

Next stop is proper "up north", with a virtual wave to Tigerburnie en route. 

[81C]

Nice one Phil when I was young I worked on a building site as a chippies mate this thug would come into the canteen every day and just take food and drink off anyone he done it to a new Sparks who was a big lad 

and he snatch the food back, Sparks said watch to toilet tomorrow when thug goes for a dump, in goes thug and the sparks started to wind his Mega thug comes out of the loo covered in carp sparks had wired the mega to the scaffold 

tube that you sat on for a number 2, with 500 volts up the jacksie thug had fell in the ditch full of it, he went home to change Gaffer sacked him for leaving site without permission 

[jamie92208]

My late uncle was a doctor in the RAF in India during the war. He said that his busiest day was when some wag sent an empty Fray Bentos tin with paraffin and a lighted rag, sailing  down the stream that went under the row of loos. Apparently he had a ward full of patients  who had to lie on their fronts.

 

Jamie