Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

On the 9th of every month, I pay Pocketmags £1.99 for the on line subscription to BRM.

 

Today they've billed me a further £30.99!

 

I have questioned their accounting.

 

If this is a new subscription that I must take up, then they can shove it, not because I am mean, but because it was done without any prior communication with me.  I don't like companies who deal in sharp practice.

 

And at that rate it will now be cheaper to opt for the RMW gold membership: Something I had already been considering. 

 

 

 

I had an annual subscription to the paper version of BRM with Warners.  When RMweb Gold was announced I rapidly worked out the apart from saving storage space I would in fact be in profit by joining Gold because of the free show ticket every year.  It depends where you're starting from but it can be financially beneficial plus the days out (well one day out to date - but very good) and a freebie show visit.  Only problem is that I was having a free  ticket for a Ally Pally, ooops

[Ozexpatriate]

40 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

unfortunately by 4pm Mc Donalds had shut so no last Big mac for me

Is staying open for take away not an option in the UK now, or is this a decision by McDonalds in the UK?

 

Most chain restaurants in the US (in states where dining rooms are closed) remain open for take away / delivery / drive through business.

[Ian Abel]

Moaning, expected to check in "as usual" at early morning here.

Wasn't to be, the auditors at the client, even though now working remotely, are doing double-time with the requirements they've handed down. Needing a whole new raft of changes/breakouts for accounts, so yours truly running around like a maniac on the keyboard effecting changes

 

Other than that, nothing happening here of note.

We DID have someone stop by this morning who'd been scheduled for weeks, to discuss some back garden/yard landscaping etc. All stayed safely 20+ fett apart and shouted at each other  Looks like he'll be able to work up something that will suit us (especially the Mrs!!).

 

As Minnesota is another locale that gets different weather than most of the UK experiences, we managed a dusting of snow overnight. Everything covered, all gone already.

 

1 first thing and overcast, 9 the expected high and clearing rapidly.

 

Keep calm - even if the chavs aren't

 

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each.

Acting Head Nurse here as The Boss is still under the weather. Most strange as she never usually does "ill"-  that's for other lesser mortals, especially men. She is currently laying on the settee watching  Wensleydale or something similar so all is not lost yet. 

Various domestic tasks undertaken by yours truly and food prepared although she ate very little but is at least keeping hydrated.  I'm now on second glass of Shiraz and  wondering when I can get the TV back from her and watch something resembling sensible.

Could be a while yet.

Edited March 23, 2020 by grandadbob

[polybear]

Spent the morning on the G word, including the first cut of the year - all a bit lot tidier.

Have just heard that a friend over the road, who's family have been in the (council) house for 42 years, has received an eviction notice for 14th April.  She's been the live-in carer for her 78 year old mum, who sadly died on 10th Feb this year, for quite some years now.  She's not in the best way health-wise herself, and is to be placed on the waiting list for a place to live... B'stards.

Bad enough at the best of times, even more so given current events.  I've a feeling she'll not roll over quietly

[newbryford]

21 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Is staying open for take away not an option in the UK now, or is this a decision by McDonalds in the UK?

 

Most chain restaurants in the US (in states where dining rooms are closed) remain open for take away / delivery / drive through business.

 

McDs and others in the UK have been takeaway only since Friday anyway.

This is a full shutdown as of 7pm GMT.

 

At lunchtime, I did my bit for a work colleague [*] and collected his lunch from a KFC that was next door to McDs.

There were a few cars in the drive-through queue for MCD. It took 20 minutes or more to get through teh KFC and it that time, McD closed - full stop. 

 

[*] I delivered it to him at the company warehouse where there were a few jobs that needed two pairs of hands. Obviously tried to be as far apart as possible, but not easy when some of the things we were carrying were only 4 feet long....... We held our breath.

 

On the car parks for these and other fast food outlets (Greggs/Subway/Starbucks), there were reasonable groupings of boy-racers. Quite happily milling about each other's cars. 

If I had my way, I would puncture their tyres as it's activity like this, that is going to bring on further measures.

 

I await the 8.30pm announcement with some anticipation that further stricter measures will be implemented.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[81C]

GDB woes

Bob Knowing Chris quiet well I'd say no chance mate.

[newbryford]

Mrs NB is currently hosting her weekly Guides meeting via Zoom from the conservatory new home office

I have been banished to a quiet room.

 

Shed time beckons.

 

Stay safe folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[brianusa]

20 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Did you ever see any in your present neck of the woods?

 

I don't see many proselytizers. Next door adjoins property where the local Latter Day Saints' ward meeting house is situated. Many people in the neighbourhood are members of the LDS* congregation. I think this is a deterrent to local door knocking.

 

* Formerly known as Mormons, but they don't like being called that anymore.

 

Mike, like you there is a LDS church just up on the main road.  Don't come by very often but when they do they are most polite and I treat them with respect so they don't push their agenda.  Most times its two younger men but what intrigues me is sometimes two girls are out wandering around this rather rural area sometimes in the dark.  They must have faith in their Lord!

      Brian.

[grandadbob]

I'm anticipating that the TV will be mine at about 9.30ish as that is when she went to bed last night. I won't bet on it though! 

[BoD]

1 hour ago, roundhouse said:

 

crust earning dropped off at the door  then to Mums to drop bread and potatoes at her door. probably the last time that I will see her for some time if the lockdown happens in the next few days so quite emotional.

When I take the mutt for a walk I pass my mum’s flat. I give her a ring so she can come to the window and wave.

 

Its all quite sad.

[petethemole]

12 minutes ago, brianusa said:

 

Mike, like you there is a LDS church just up on the main road.  Don't come by very often but when they do they are most polite and I treat them with respect so they don't push their agenda.  Most times its two younger men but what intrigues me is sometimes two girls are out wandering around this rather rural area sometimes in the dark.  They must have faith in their Lord!

      Brian.

That, and armour-plated underwear, I believe.

[Ozexpatriate]

11 minutes ago, brianusa said:

... sometimes two girls are out wandering around this rather rural area sometimes in the dark.  They must have faith in their Lord!

I am quite sure they do! Though I can't imagine that the wilds of Gig Harbor are all *that* dangerous (other than motorists not seeing pedestrians in the dark and wet, which has become a big problem in Portland). Unless of course you have a marauding Sasquatch problem?

[The Stationmaster]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 

Indeed not.  But operating as management contracts or - if they choose - continuing as they are but risking all with almost zero revenue.  However it might prove to be an exit-strategy from the broken franchising system even if not in the manner anyone had intended.  

 

What is does is assure those who need the service that the railways will keep moving.  And it reassures some of us to some extent who work for them that there will be another pay day in the future.  

The only thing that's really broken in the franchising system is the inhabitants of Horseferry Road making a mess of letting franchises.  Chiltern don't exactly come over as an indication that franchising doesn't work whereas the ECML has seen a trail of over ambitious bids accepted by DfT with no real questioning beyond the promised £ signs. This arrangement will keep trains, albeit in reduced numbers, running although it might not make much difference in respect of incomes with the 80%  in the event of lay-off etc already safeguarded by the Chancellor's earlier announcement.  Don't forget that in the management contract situation the percentage rate paid is linked to targets so it can change if, say, punctuality and reliability decline and they're set at 2% max of the cost base of the franchise so if the contractor reduces costs, which they will have done by cancellations, they make more money.   The man aim I'm sure is basically to keep things running at minimum cost to Govt and provided franchisees goyt their cost right they'll avoid packing in because they're now guaranteed an income.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/rail-emergency-measures-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

 

56 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Is staying open for take away not an option in the UK now, or is this a decision by McDonalds in the UK?

 

Most chain restaurants in the US (in states where dining rooms are closed) remain open for take away / delivery / drive through business.

Closed completely - they'd already shut seating areas.  Presumably while they say they're doing it for safety reasons I wouldn't be surprised if they've also found that the takeaway business wasn't particularly viable at some (most?) of their outlets.

 

[Tony_S]

People were queuing for the pre shut down burgers at McDonalds on Canvey Island. My neighbour who works at Morrison’s nearby told me (from more than two metres away). Other information was that fruit and veg supplies were quite normal now. 
Tony

[tetsudofan]

Heard from my brother this evening that his son-in-laws father was taken into hospital on Thursday evening with breathing problems, died early Friday morning and was buried today. Covid is being blamed but understand that he had not been well for some time.

 

This afternoon my next-door neighbour passed away. Not being blamed on Covid, he had been suffering from MS for many years and started going down hill last year when he went into hospital and returned home with bed sores which turned nasty.

 

Spent an hour with him last Friday, he could hardly talk but he knew that I was there (sitting some distance from his chair)  and smiled when I reminisced about the past. Good memories, nice guy.

 

Keith

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Is staying open for take away not an option in the UK now, or is this a decision by McDonalds in the UK?

 

Most chain restaurants in the US (in states where dining rooms are closed) remain open for take away / delivery / drive through business.

They had been take away only for the past week but now completely closed my their decision.

[Ozexpatriate]

21 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

I wouldn't be surprised if they've also found that the takeaway business wasn't particularly viable at some (most?) of their outlets.

For many suburban fast food outlets in the US, the drive-through (more commonly "thru"  ) is a very large share of the total business. Even in "normal" times, they are often almost deserted inside while a queue of cars waits.

 

"In-grocery store" Starbucks outlets are open, but (I believe*) the only freestanding Starbucks that remain open are the ones with a drive through. Drive-through coffee is a very big thing in the northwest. There are chains, like Dutch Bros, who specialize in this and in every small town locals will set up drive through kiosks on the side of the highway.

 

* I'm not driving around to find out.

 

Edited March 23, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[BoD]

5 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

People were queuing for the pre shut down burgers at McDonalds on Canvey Island.

 

Many other places too (allegedly).

 

I wonder how many events like this a factored into the planning and modelling?  
 

We want to shut the pubs on Monday, tell them we’ll close them in a Friday night, they will all go bananas on Friday and everything will be closed on Monday as we wanted.

 

Lets close the schools at Easter, no, close two weeks earlier, let everyone pretend it’s a bank holiday and get it out of their system....

 

I’m sure the psychologists will have a term for it.

[Erichill16]

Evening all,

Was murder at work today. Only two patients allowed in pharmacy at a time, rest forming a queue outside. First thing  this morning had a substance misuser ‘ kicking off’ about it being ridiculous. I agreed with him in my anger saying ‘yes the Cov-19 virus is ridiculous’. At least it shut him up. After he’d gone the next patients said ‘ If he hadn’t  shut up I’d  have decked him myself’. Wonder what frame of mind he’ll be in tomorrow as no one is allowed inside. Anyway a member of my local MRC is bringing  me some trestle tables from the club to help free up  a  bit of bench space. He’s a big lad and ex-copper so may ask him to stay on for a bit!

Manager rang in to say he would be late as van wouldn’t start, battery flat. Its got an electrical fault but main dealer can’t get replacement part so having to make due. Somehow the battery is discharging slowly and is noticeable when left over weekend. Will have to ring dealer up tomorrow to see what can be done. We’ve got enough on with deliveries as it is without having to worry about whether the van will start, especially as people are self isolating and demand is increasing.

 

Will listen to what Boris and his team have decided and then bed. 
sorry haven’t had time to read up what everyone’s been upto but I hope you’re all keeping well

Regards Robert

[newbryford]

11 minutes ago, BoD said:

 

Many other places too (allegedly).

 

I wonder how many events like this a factored into the planning and modelling?  
 

We want to shut the pubs on Monday, tell them we’ll close them in a Friday night, they will all go bananas on Friday and everything will be closed on Monday as we wanted.

 

 

 

 A friend who owns a pub told me that they had their busiest Monday in many months last week anticipating a shutdown the following day. But it didn't happen.

This was followed by their busiest Friday in months, a few days ago, when it was announced.

 

 

[brianusa]

11 hours ago, Barry O said:

Anyone heard from GDB?

 And other "missing" ERs? 

 

Dudders,  ashers are infrequent visitors now along with 6oh6oh8.

 

Longer term absentees include Trisonic...

 

Any news would be welcome ..we are also missing Debs.

 

Baz

 

Baz

 

I don't visit every day so hopefully I shall not be presumed dead!

     Brian

[Ozexpatriate]

Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" has developed a life of its own as a stadium sing-a-long song. (Strange but true.)

 

In light of the current emergency, he has tweeted out some new lyrics to the refrain.

 

Quote

Hands, washing hands,

Reaching out,

Don't touch me,

I won't touch you.

Sweet Caroline ...

I thought it amusing.

[Barry O]

well Boris has finally got the message.. Lockdown it is.....

 

Good job I have a big pile of things to do...

 

Stay fit and well everyone

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

Well I guess that I wont be able to get the car MOT done. The DVLA website suggests only lorries buses etc will have a 3 month extension to the MOT certificate. I might not require to use the vehicle but what happens when the road tax and does the insurance still cover it.

 

Oh well will have to just see if they update the DVLA website.

 

At least like Baz I have plenty to do at home. Not forgetting all that beer I have accumulated - shame that non of you can join me to drink it

Edited March 23, 2020 by roundhouse