New Haven Neil

Polly, as it happens I AM bound by the official secrets act. At work, anyway! I work with the boys and girls in blue. I'll still be on here 'out of hours' for sure, I'm comfortable here, although I seem to have contracted an incurable 'thrid rail' disease of some kind whilst being around. Still a few weeks to go anyway, more of those exercises I'm afraid, sick and tired of them but it has to be done. I'm struggling with weight too, always been a bit spare tyred in the last 15 years, but the enforced inactivity has taken me from 85 to 90 kilos, despite trying hard to eat well. So the increasing exercise is no bad thing! I just wish it didn't feel like my leg was going to fall off afterwards. The daily chat on here has made the last three months much more bearable, and for that I thank you all.

Aw shucks,Gruff!

Ah, Tom Sharpe, Andy - superbly funny. The climax in 'The Throwback' is perhaps my favourite. Physiotheraping completed, GP poking and prodding all done, different anti-owch pills prescribed, return to work date agreed with proviso of phased return over two weeks minimum. So I leave you all (hooray they say!) on the 25th March, except for sneaky lunchtime peeks in. I'll miss you.....

Indeed Barry, I stand corrected - I did mean it had gone as an 'entertainment' but i did actually think it had been demolished. North of the river you see - almost Scotland.... Collies always look so happy, Debs!

Good morning all, bright but 2c here. Off for more physio beasting soon, then to see my GP to be prodded and pulled in sore places to earn more pills. #sigh# Did I mention I hate middle age?

Yup, ocean beach alive and well. Spanish City long gone, shame on them. ex-South Shields Neil

We bought an original oil of a sidecar racer, from the famous motorsport artist Rod Organ (honest!) a few years ago. Not long afterwards the poor bloke died, but the insured value of the painting has increased four fold as a result. Not that Mrs NHN would sell it (for it is hers) but if we ever HAD to, it would buy a decent used car now. A decent investment, but only if you know the artist is about to pop their clogs...

Are there books other than railway books? Sheesh..... Ashers, our snowdrops are going over now, crocii are out, and in the sheltered, sunny lane by the church the daffs are out! Spring is here almost....officially (meteorology wise, anyway) it is here tomorrow.

Morning. -3C here this morning, coldest this winter I think. A heavy frost, and Manxmen wondering where their three sets of accroutrements have gone. A sunny day in prospect again though, sorry Ian, and a walk to the village shop is on the cards, it's great to be getting mobile again despite still being very limited in range. Great photos Tony! As for the ladies and their hair etc, I'm not sure why that happens, but change is good? Mrs NHN varies between natural light mousey, (used to be a lot darker) a hint of red, blonde streaks, long, short, curly, straight, to the point where I sometimes have to check it is my wife under it. As it happens, a friend is a hairdresser.....all is revealed! Me? I'm a silver fox with a number 3!

Here's your hat....

I'm almost frightened to say it's sunny again on Fraggle Rock today - but it would be preferable than to admit to CSE grade 4 in French! It's fair to say my flair isn't languages, you may have noticed this in my English! I always had an inkling to learn some Manx, but past good morning and afternoon it's impenetrable to me. Almost time for my three legged (well, two and a crutch) amble to the village shop, wish me luck.

All in all the heat/ice thing is a mystery. I have had infra red and Long Wave radio treatment for back muscle issues - which warm things inside. It's fair to say it didn't really work, but as i said that's because it was the hip causing the pain! Icing was recommended for swelling after my hip surgery, although I didn't need to use it much. I do use a heated oat bag now though, which eases the pain that appears to be associated with muscle damage from the surgery. Speak as you find!

Good morning ER's Any odd creaking sounds will be due to the physio theraping I got yesterday - the 'rising' part took some effort this morning. No pain no gain and all that.

Physiotherapists give the exact opposite advice, Mike. Increase heat, to increase blood flow to promote healing of torn muscles. If the opposite works for you, then fine!

Debs Thermidore? It was hip hip hip hooray when physio ended today, I can tell you!

Debs, DD is correct - heat for muscles, cold for bones!! Hope you're improving. Back pain is no joke, I suffered lower back issues for years, but it turned out it was referred pain from the impingement in the hip all along....#sigh#. On the mend now though, at last.

Oddly, a beautiful sunny morning here, early frost quickly dispersed. Just back from being theraped to within an inch of my life, or so it would feel. Doing 'bridges' (physical torture type, not modelled arches!) with one's legs up on a large soft ball and locking the knees for 20 seconds certainly revealed the weakened muscles! Hold it until it burns, he said. Burns! Hell yes, it burns! Bleah. Coffee, shower, then more coffee I think. Edit for spelling as usual. twice.

Rather disappointingly, given Martin's post above, the forum still seems to be lethargo-net driven for me this evening? No visible difference to yesterday, test just gave 12mbs so it's not Manx traditional 'rushing'

Nah, they made it that high to support the copper clad strip to solder the rails to......

Morning. Happy Birthday Robert - my mid life crisis happened at 43, so you have a little while to prepare! Heavy frost here this morning, but sunny now.

Morning, a chilly 3c out, rather dull but...DRY! That is about the excitement for the day I'm afraid, special K and croissants devoured, trying to keep out of the way of the ironing fairy. Well it must be a fairy that does it, as I never do. My guilty secret - I do everything else around the house, but ironing skills escaped my training somewhere (cue comments from the ladies - sorry girls!). The best day in my Merchant Navy time was when I ceased to be a cadet officer and got my first stripe up, it came with a steward who....did my uniform ironing!

Oh Oh, P5B's again.....want one!

I loved his writing too - the Lanky Flamme (sp?) rings a bell.

Indeed - had lunch today with friends, the lady of the house is almost blind, and it really reminds you. we were trying to arrange social outings that she can cope with and join in, and it is amazingly hard when she can see so little. Humbling really, as she manages so well and doesn't complain of her lot.

I should have mentioned young Katie is a cracking swimmer - with those flippers she should be! I finally watched Gordon and his family on Eggheads, great effort. You and your family came over very well, nice to see how much you all appeared to enjoy the quiz. School Houses, wow that takes me back - Fenwick (red), in my case. I'm no sportsman, but earned house points with good marks in sciences instead. It all counted in those days, apparently now they don't have Houses as competition is seen as a bad thing? Words fail me.