New Haven Neil

Some what ironic, as IoM Banks etc actually provide more information to IR than UK ones!

All the lump sum is tax free, subject to a total of something just over a £million (we wish...). The pension itself is taxed as per normal. Same applies in the UK I believe, as per UK Civil Service Pensions website, given similar 'constraints'.

No Claims Bonus.

Seeing the result of putting a plastic electric jug kettle put on an electric cooker ring because the element had gone and nursey wanted her midnight brew was also quite spectacular. Full ward evacuation etc, ward manager was not impressed. Lot of smoke damage, mostly because a towel had been draped over the top of the door to stop the closer slamming it shut and waking up the night staff patients. The clean patch it left was a give away, Fire Brigade spotted it in seconds. I did the disciplinary back in my HR days!

Pensions are causing grief here too, Mrs NHN being told yesterday by the tax office that her tax free lump sum wasn't tax free. But it is, according to their own publications. Mrs Tax Person wasn't having it, so steps are being stepped to day to correct her professional standards. An annoyed Mrs NHN is not something to be trifled with. I wonder why a grill has to be called a Salamander, when it's just a very hot grill. As for Grizz's Tuesdays - NHS Outpatients was like that every day. Every. Frickin. Day. Hence not being the manager of one anymore. Once I found the door I ran. Far.

Neighbour has chosen today to repair the garden fence - it's kind he's doing it (we'll pay our share but I'm not really able to help him), but it had to be a day when I have a guest coming. That we will want to be past getting to the garage without his labourer seeing the toys IN the garage. Not really a problem on Fraggle Rock as a rule but this guy is an unknown.

Morning, from a chilly rock at 4c, dry despite the seaweed twirlers predictions here too. Mate H due around at 10 so we can observe the actions of some twisted bits of metal join and release items that run on parallel strips of other metal. He is keep to also adopt such a scheme if proven to his satisfaction, for his puzzle of nookie (oops) ingles. OK, off to feed. Spelt flakes, if you must.

They go off and get all dirty and smelly if you're not careful.

Running joke - that you appear not to be aware of.

Someone say Paneer?

Morning, chucking it down here too, and a mere 6c. Not windy though, a bonus after the last few days. It got pretty dodgy again yesterday afternoon, the garden fence is now just about dead. Next door says he will fix it, but as he's a farm boy and works to Manx time I'm not holding my breath. A free day looks possible, so just maybe some time in the garage to play with a pile of coupling devices two generous folk have sent me. Thanks guys.

Morning, not sure how it's not windy at Brian's as it is in tornado mode here once again. Wild. Nice meal out last night with good friends to celebrate Mrs NHN's 60th, really tasty curry at Vellikas, which had gone downhill a bit but has pulled it's socks up really well. There is strong competition in the shape of Chingans down the other end of town, but both are ultimately owned by the same guy although Chingans is sort of run at arms length. Our super new ferry continues to have teething problems, it put to sea last week on the really bad day as it's proper berth is under modification, and the seaward side one isn't safe in high winds, only for it to take some structural damage. It missed a full round trip as a crack somewhere around the bow thrusters was attended to. A little worrying, it seems to have had more than its fair share of niggles although JJB thought the shipyard that built it had a good reputation. The Facebook naval architects are having a field day of course, with a lot of ill thought criticism.

Having worked in several hospitals (both 'general' and psychiatric) and then becoming an outpatients service manager, I no longer notice the smell. Fortunately. Never liked it much when I did. Now, the waft of warm oil that meets you on opening the engineroom door of a ship....bliss.

What lube are you using on these? I recall some oils cause absolute chaos with soft plastics, 3-in-1 in particular killed old Triang-Hornby wheels. This was an issue with Proto 2000 Yank-o-diesels too, but not sure it was a specific oil problem. I only use synthetic oils, er, now.

threads. Jay I started a thread years ago about 'older inspirational layouts', which still pops up now and then, and proved quite popular. I think allowing new posts would be positive as new material keeps appearing. I'm all for a sub-forum of remembrance of articles, photos etc of our departed friends layouts and thoughts.

A'noon, was out early doors so no earlier report. Mrs NHN has a significant birthday today, the way things were planned Monday would have been her first day of retirement - however someone &^%$ed that up for many women. Another 6 or 7 years of servitude left for her. A trip to the Celtic Gold shop for a prezzie unusually was not successful, nothing took her fancy. Cost me a fortune to get out of there last time. Then went to a sale in a pop up community shop - got a certain loco for £20 as the chassis was damaged although new - I have two in the loft with damaged bodies left over from work days. Result. I'm with iD about Annie Halsam, we have a good friend who is 'family', Annie has a superb voice. Time to get the Renaissance albums out for a spin.

Dry. Sunny. 6c. Bleah.

The brakes on the older bikes are sometimes the cause of close calls! Ask Puppers....

My 56xx Papers have been having a good scrutinise - the large balance weights I find really add to the brutishness of the loco, so will have to fashion some!

Well the dryness didn't last, it mizzled all the time I was in the Bright Lights of Royal Ramsey doing the shopping. Pah. Met an old employee who I think a lot of (Ex-car-plod ARV sergeant, the original series of Police Interceptors was his team) so had a good chat, he's been quite unwell but is improving thankfully. Nice bloke, but a crack shot apparently! Well I don't suppose you want them to be a crap shot if they do have to shoot discharge their firearm. Then unspecified pottering became specified organising some custom decals for my latest purchase, then some playing testing took place. Interrupted by my kerosene fan heater running out of fuel, so had to siphon some out of a big drum I have for it. Smelly. Reminds me of being at sea, the constant odour of hot diesel oil. Readied a bike for a possible potter out tomorrow with the old farts, weather fore-guess is dry but a bit cooler. I can handle cool, the bike has heated handlebar grips, but I don't do wet any more.

Morning, forgot to post earlier. Hunger - doing 18/6 fasting. Dry-ish dans le rock today, strong breeze only and 10 whole C. Almost sub-tropical, we'll be getting those Southern Fighting Whelks migrating up here before you know it. Duties for the day will mostly involve shopping and topping up firewood, with the possibility of a visit down to the garage/workshop/layout room. Or not. An enjoyable chat with friends yesterday afternoon passed the time nicely, despite being banished to the kitchen as SWMBO was working from home i.e. the lounge. Took a call from another friend, asked me to call back - I remembered about 3am this morning. Oops off now to apologise!

Yes we had to pay, both in the NHS and the Fraggle Civil Service in my case and in SWMBO's case pay a lot to buy extra years as she had other employment before becoming a Civil Serpent across and subsequently here. No different to any other occupational scheme.

I just love that view. I have said before it reminds me of a view I got as a kid walking to skool of the local colliery line, very 'Each a Glimpse and Gone Forever' Colin Gifford stuff. I looked on Gurgle Maps for it but alas even the street has gone, never mind the houses and the railway!

Hopefully. Many of them had patches on the tanks but they didn't look like that!

Morning, from a rock that once again suffered a very windy night. 8c and dry now with just a 'good wind' after yet more 70mph stuff overnight, UK cut off again etc etc. Once of the garden fences is struggling to remain upright, thankfully the neighbour on that side is handy with such things so he's going to put some new posts in (all fences here are 'shared') so we'll just cross his palm with Manx pound notes. Yes we still have them, although rare in open circulation. Some scintillating chat with friends later, while I avoid SWMBO who is working from home on Wetkneesdays prior to not working that day at all from April. A small pension from across (ie the UK) she accrued years ago is making up the shortfall in income, she's 60 on Saturday so will be getting it from then. She tells me she wants to work for another 5 or 6 years while work is enjoyable, but if that changes again (she had to change roles somewhat against her will last year) she may just pack in. Her Civil Serpent pension is just about topped off anyway.