SM42

I'm sure it would appreciate the food. We are back, full of vodka ( well, once the bottle is opened...) and cake of various varieties. I might need a bit of nap Andy

Not sure why you would want to juice a frog. Can't imagine it would taste good, even with vodka. Andy

I have a birthday party to attend this afternoon. The nephew is now a teenager ( much harumphing is anticipated) and regardless I am expecting cake and alcohol to be a rather substantial part of my afternoon and evening. We are also expecting to meet the new pet frog It doesn't do much apparently I would offer it a book to read but it has probably read it Andy

In the interest of the watching trains part of my signature, Monday after the dentists and Good Friday have been allocated as me time. Yay! I'm looking to head off to Krzyz area on Friday. A small town with a lot of railways. The railway is probably bigger than the town in square yardage terms. Andy

Indeed, the modernisation is still going on with new EMUs replacing loco hauled services and many of the diesel locos being consigned to scrap. Findng an SP45 or SU46 on a train is rare. A lot of lines have closed in quite recent years too. Looking back it's a shame I didn't record some of the more mundane that has now gone. The Jelcz buses are a gem. Even the trucks are rare now. Star trucks are still to be seen occasionally. Looking forward to the later trip to see what I just missed Andy

Thanks for that fascinating tour of Poland. If only I'd met Mrs SM42 sooner. I didn't really get out and about here till about 3 or 4 years ago All other PKP related experiences were getting from A to B so the railways and their goings on were secondary to the main purpose of the trip. The problem with having family out here is that they come first, obviously, the trains etc second and as we were reliant on them or the local trams and buses for transport, if I was lucky I might see a train at a level crossing or bridge. Now I am more mobile and book a day for mooching about before we leave the UK. Andy

Wibble ! Andy

It was indeed wet. It took nearly nearly 3 hours to travel the last 2 miles to junction 9 of the M25 ( Leatherhead) due to most of it being underwater Barely passable on the hard shoulder with nearside wheels as far over as you could get. It was lapping at the cills. I was starting to think I would be better off with a boat. Needless to say the 90 minute contingency I built in to the trip was used up and some. Not helped by Mrs SM42 reducing it to 7 minutes before we had even left. The Channel Tunnel auto check in rather helpfully said I had arrived late ( No! Really?) and rebooked us on the 02.22 departure. Luckily the car park stewards said just go straight through as it was all over the place due the floods and we made the 01 20. The Autobahn wasn't much drier, but at least the drains work. The day hasn't been all bad though Dinner followed by copious amounts of doughnuts and other goodies at the in laws I'm a very tired and full SM42 this evening. Andy

I dreamt last night that I woke up to make one of those nocturnal visits that men of a certain age require, looked out of the window and there was snow on the ground. Or maybe it really happened. I'm not sure Andy

I can't work out if all these Hippos are angry, tired or bored Andy

It's car leasing now. https://www.hippoleasing.co.uk/car-leasing/ Is there no end to the reach of a Hippo? Maybe the indicators work on these cars. Andy

Bill Stickers is innocent Andy

Isn't predictive text wonderful? Andy

These are still bimbling around the back roads of Poland providing bus services to rural area and small towns. Curtains, anti macassers, string luggage racks and could the last to get on please close the door. Andy

The last bit ( sewer inspection cover) of the new patio has been delivered. Laying of slabs can therefore commence. But not today. Andy

What a trip? Certainly a lot of miles covered and so many towns I've driven through Interesting that the first station you arrived in in Poland was the scene 40 odd years earlier, of several POWs entering the railway system to put some distance in after breaking out of Stalag Luft III as part of the great escape. Today, still a very large station with lots of railway but rather small trains that seem lost in the vastness. Poiignant non the less. Andy

Earlier today, around 6, whilst I was tidying the front garden, the neighbour's cat came round. I was expecting this as I saw it leaving another neighbour's house about an hour earlier. It loitered by the closed front door and then disappeared down the side entry. Now I knew the back door was open and Mrs SM42 was on the kitchen. It was inevitable that the phrase " ah sweet man" would be uttered very soon. About 10 minutes later Mrs SM42 appeared at the front door. " Have you seen the cat?" I asked. "No" "Oh" Anyway Mrs SM42 has turned in and I've just walked out of the kitchen with a beer to find a cat in the lounge. 😯 It has now been let out. Where it has been for the last 4 hours, who knows. Likely asleep somewhere no doubt and awoken by Mrs SM42 clumping about upstairs. Andy

The door frame didn't get done. Everything else did. The weather was so good that other outdoor jobs got run in instead. As the forecast is wet tomorrow, indoor stuff is on the cards. Cake therapy has been completed I now need some beer therapy. Andy

Yes a ghost licence is set up in their name, so if they ever apply for one the points go on it and it could in some casesI suppose be issued and revoked straight away Andy

I think the prospect of losing a driving licence is a pretty good incentive not to ride your bike whilst drunk, putting yourself and others at risk. Granted the non licence holder has an advantage in punishment terms, but the extra disincentive (for what I suspect is the majority that also have a licence) may have a greater overall impact on reducing the drink drive numbers. Just leaves the general road craft craziness to sort out Andy

In the motherland it is also an offence to be under the influence on a bicycle. If you are caught you could lose your driving licence, if you have one. Andy

IIRC also includes things occasionally used by the BTP. Something along the lines ( sorry) of obstructing a locomotive, or endangering persons upon the railway. Andy

It's just after 9. Still waiting for some enthusiasm to build up for today's tasks. Andy

The speed limit on UK roads applies to mechanically propelled vehicles. Exceeding the limit on a bike might constitute furious riding or some other lesser known statute of a similar nature. Andy

How odd that both of Scotland's arguably most (in)famous clans should both end up in the food industry. Probably why you don't see much soup on the menu at McD's Andy