New Haven Neil

It's been a hard few days for many on here - our sincere condolences.

Morning, I generally find I sleep until I awake too......sorry! It's the time I wake that is the issue After yesterday's physio, I feel as if I have walked twenty miles this morning, very stiff joints. I'm sure it's helping rebuild things but it feels like hell. I only did one mile on the exercise bike with no resistance! Bah. No snow lying here now, a whole 90 feet above sea level, plenty up on the mountain though, road is still closed together with several other high roads. Not sure where the birds are, we are normally mobbed by now, but have only seen the odd blackbird so far. We have quite a range usually, I love the goldfinches.

yeah, but the ferry's a bit expensive for a day trip!!

Ah, Rover P6. Easy to spot if it's a 2000, 2200 or 3500 - if it's moving, it's a 3500. If it's broken down, it'll be a little one! I love P5B's personally, but as the garage is full of bikes it would have to live outside, and that wouldn't really be a good idea nowadays. I keep being tempted though....

As an ex-pat Geordie.....you're right Debs! I predict a hint of chilliness over there, although no doubt the toon army will have their shirts off still, tomorrow.

Mm, I have physio at 1pm, and it's snowing fit to bust now. Not sure if my lift will turn up.

Yup..... I'm sticking with the RNLI and the hospice that cared for my dad.

Morning. BBC Brekky managed to say toy trains, but seemed to quickly recover themselves and for Louise Minchin to declare she loved them - Charlie Inastate just smirked. #sigh# Howling gale here, no snaa, looks like we'll miss the worst of it. Lot of wind chill I suspect, it's only 2c and the wind is force 9 going on to 10. Eeeuww.

Only got as far as Fourth, motor second's ticket, LPG Tankers. The life intruded.... redundancy....got the chance of another job (edit - as a Third too!) the day I was moving house and subsequently getting married so turned it down, and started the process describer earlier! I just bought a Hornby 35020 from a fellow member, as a memory of those days....Bibby Line! My HR degree has been more useful than the engineering one as it turned out.

As for careers advice - you never know where life's twists and turns take you.....as in.... Merchant Navy engineer cadet then officer, degree course, redundancy, NHS Estates officer, redundancy threat so retrain into HR, HR Clerk, NHS HR adviser, outpatients service manager, stressed out move to IoM, Sub-postmaster, HR officer in Soc. Services, Office Manager Youth Justice (Young Offenders) Team. And I'm not quite 54. So career planning didn't do much for me, did it! I would still be at sea if my initial plan went through, or maybe lecturing in Marine Engineeriing. Ho hum. After all that , only the first and last jobs provide job satisfaction.

Our condolences too, Don. Don't get me started on fuel prices - as it all comes here by ship, it is very much more expensive, and a monopoly of course. Just as well we don't pay too much tax, the extra goes on living expenses. Charities, my ol Dad used to go bananas about one particular large and well known overseas aid outfit, on the amount he used to see spent on offices etc, he was involved in a lot of fundraising activities himself. We support the RNLI as a family of seafarers, although it's been a good while since I did it for a living. Just think what a mess the lifeboats would be if they were Government funded......they'd be cut back to Grace Darling's rowing boat.

Oh how old I feel. I have never seen a 60.... I rather like the look of them, even though diesels are pre-TOPS blue things to me ;-) My point....the font/typeface of the numbers on the DBS locos, is that the same as the early blue diesel era? Certainly looks as if it is, makes I smile. Next time I'm in the UK I will have to look out for a 60 if I'm in a suitable area, I need to see one!

BoD, as a long time resident of South Shields, that is a common occurrence. The onshore breeze of the 'warm' sea keeps the first few miles warmer, as Pete says. The same thing keeps our little island warmer than most of the UK at this time of year - and cooler in the summer!

Morning, a chilly and windy 2c here. Bus strike today too, at 1pm. Too political to get into. The thing about the horse burgers that I am surprised hasn't been aired more, is the pork content also discovered in these 'beefburgers'. Not only is the eating of said meat abhorrent to some religions, but Mrs NHN is actually allergic to it, which could cause quite serious issues for her. Others must surely suffer from similar allergies. She of course is very careful, and we only have home made burgers anyway, but still......

Morning. You're not supposed to turn around if going for an emergency landing, DD, it loses height. So the spot they asked for would have been in the expected direction of travel. I hate the things too, awful. As for pensions in the Empire - I understand the Channel Islands do a roaring trade in accomodation addresses......allegedly.

He said eightieth, not eighth.....

edit - in reply to 28XX - Debs post wasnt there before! I'm with you there. I transferred my NHS pension into the Manx civil service one as it offered a lot more at the time - not any more it doesn't. Robbed. Lump sum disappeared into the ether basically. No, I tell a lie - into govt. coffers! In any other place these acts would be offering something under false pretences, or frustration of contract I'm sure. Ooops there goes my blood pressure again!

It's about that yes, Martin! As it is just under 50% increase on the basic pension it would reflect our national tendency to use old cats tails to grow a 50% increase in legs.

Morning, late on parade, physio appointment. I survived. Just. Unfortunately our pensions have to mirror the UK. We do have a Manx pension supplement, but that will be vapourised by the time I get to pension age I'm sure. I don't understand pensions, but Mrs NHN who used to work for DWP in the UK certainly does, and she says we're stuffed.....great. Those who put in less from their own choice get more, and we who were encouraged to opt out or something to 'plan ahead for retirement', get some of ours taken off us. Will say no more as it transcends into politics. I need a train fix, but at the moment that will just have to de a DVD. Oh, and a transfusion of coffee.

You're on the ball tonight! I had forgotten that episode, I suppose it has been on the 're-mastered over bright coloured re-runs' recently? We prefer TNG and Voyager.....and Hairy Dieting Bikers.

I had a feeling that would be the case, but that has confirmed it. oh how things have changed! Cheaper too, I suspect, than my day.....

A legs secretary sounds like a Manx role! After reading about the assignments above, I was wondering if it is actually possible to go onto further or higher education now without the internet. A bar to some mature students?

Pre-painting? Is that where you look at it, and think....maybe tomorrow???

DD, that's what consultation means! Soap box job, sorry....... 5c this morning on the little rock, and little else of note.

Putting a little more thought into my reply now... ... I like the style of that shot, it looks as if it was snatched by a VERY surprised enthusiast who was not expecting such a combination when he saw the old girl approaching, and fumbled with his/her Box Brownie to fire off a snap..... Nice one Gilbert, and thank you.