Dave Hunt

Acclimatisation can be a bit strange at times. When I was posted out to Singapore I was a bit concerned that being a fair skinned individual who didn’t really go in for sunbathing I would have trouble acclimatising so it came as a relief that I did so quite quickly and within a couple of weeks was OK. Then when I came back to UK from Singapore to get married I felt quite cold, even though it was August and the weather, for UK, quite pleasant. I was in UK for ten days and still hadn’t become fully acclimatised when we set off for Singapore. Jill has always been a bit of a sun lover and I didn’t expect her to have any trouble acclimatising but when we arrived at Changi she paused at the top of the aircraft steps and said, “Good grief, is it always like this?” I had another six months of my tour to do and in all that time she never did acclimatise properly although she did get suntanned fairly quickly whereas I remained almost white but much happier with the climate. Dave

The outlook in North Hipposhire today is sunny and warm, which is just as well as Jill and some friends are off to lunch and an afternoon visiting some stately gardens hereabouts. For my part I am going to see a railway modelling friend who has a 5 inch gauge garden line and we are going to play trains. More accurately we are going to run one of his live steamers and try to run another one. The latter is currently in the naughty corner as it won’t steam properly so we are going to see if we can find out why. Because of my back issues I have been promised a comfy stool and am excused heavy lifting. There is also talk of cake featuring in the proceedings so the outlook is good. Dave

Employing a financial advisor can be something of a minefield. I used to manage all our finances myself but after my Dad died and I had all his legacies to deal with as well as some other investments that were maturing I realised that I was getting out of my depth. One of my railway orientated friends is a banking consultant so I asked him for advice and he put me in touch with an IFA with whom he deals. In this way I was fairly confident that the chap in question was honest and reliable and so far he has proved to be just that. We are in the investment category that he describes as cautious, i.e., averse to taking heavy risks with investments although willing to have a small part of a portfolio in the more volatile financial markets with the aim of minimising the effects of inflation and giving a relatively small income. So far this seems to be working and we are happy with the service we are getting but without the guidance my banking friend gave us I really don’t know how we would have gone about things. Dave

Back home now from our day out. It was actually mostly a nice sunny day at the beach - the clouds in the photograph were out over the water and broke up as soon as they reached the coast. Thanks for all the good wishes. So starts the 55th orbit. Dave

I've never taken the trouble to try to check on it but the late David Tee once said to me that the diagonal fencing was not very common in pre-grouping days. Dave

Currently at the beach in Formby where it is quite warm but not so much for me to bother taking off my jacket and carrying it. Anyway, with my walking pole and stoop I’m obviously a worn out old git so it goes with the image. Just to prove I actually made it as far as dipping my toes in the Irish Sea, here’s the evidence. Well, I only said I was going for a paddle, not wading or anything strenuous like that. Right, time for an ice cream. It’s only about 200 yards to the ice cream van so I should be there by nightfall. Dave

I’ve just had an email allegedly from a bank asking me to verify certain details. It began, “ Helo.” Obviously genuine then 😅 Dave

Our first date was on Jill’s 16th birthday. Dave

On a lighter note than my previous few posts, today is one of celebration at Hunt Towers as Jill and I have just completed 54years of married bliss and once I have finished a celebratory bacon butty we will be going to the seaside, stopping off on the way for lunch. Pastoral dancing has been put on hold due to the state of my creaking back but dipping my toes in the briny is a distinct possibility. Dave

As far as I have been able to establish that was the case but it was decided that the principle of ignorance of the law is no defence was applied. Dave

First of all, congrats to the Gwiwers and fingers crossed for Mrs. Baz. Today marks completion of the 54th trip round the solar system since Jill and I tied the knot so there will be quaffing and celebrations including a trip to the seaside. The dancing is on hold in due deference to my back but a spot of paddling may be indulged in. First of all, though, is coffee and a bacon butty so I’ll be off now. Dave

Since first seeking the doctor's help with sciatica last year and asking to be referred to a consultant on March 17, all that has happened is that just over three weeks ago I had an MRI scan at a few days notice. I hadn't heard anything since and the sciatic pain has been getting worse and more extensive, being so bad this morning that I decided to wait no longer and rang the GP practice. Much to my amazement spoke to a receptionist within a few minutes and got an appointment to see what they call an urgent case practitioner within the hour. He told me that my MRI scan showed what I suspected, i.e., degradation of the lower spine leading to irritation of the nerves and that as a result the practice wrote last week to the spinal unit of the hospital I had given as my choice. I did say that it would have been nice to be told about this but he made no comment. He then said that all they (the GP practice) could now do was to help me with pain control, which is fair enough, and gave me a prescription for a cocktail of analgaesics that I picked up from the pharmacy later. It has taken me nearly five months to get this far but at least things do seem to be happening. Worst of all, of course, is that I haven't been able recently to get down to the shed for over a week now and do some modelling! Dave

Although Phil Parker has reinstated br2975 to TNM, he is still on indefinite 'moderation' and so feels uncomfortable posting. He will, however, still look in from time to time and if anyone has any queries that he could help with he will PM them. It's a great shame but there doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it. Happy Hippo is adamant that unless Brian was to receive a public apology for the way that he was treated, which seems highly unlikely, he will not be renewing his membership of RM Web, which is also a great shame. If anyone wants to contact HH let me know and I will pass on his email address (for which I have his permission). The events of the last 24 hours distress me, especially since I feel that they were quite unnecessary, but in deference to others I will not say any more. Dave

OK John. I don't want to get into any acrimonious exchanges so I'll leave it at that and hope that things settle down. Dave

I have been in contact with our moderator, Phil Parker, and br2975 is no longer banned from TNM. I will let HH know. Dave

This morning my sciatic pain was so bad that I rang the GP practice and much to my amazement spoke to a receptionist within a few minutes and got an appointment to see what they call an urgent case practitioner within the hour. He told me that my MRI scan of 3 weeks ago showed what I suspected, i.e., degradation of the lower spine leading to irritation of the nerves and that as a result the practice wrote last week to the spinal unit of the hospital I had given as my choice. I did say that it would have been nice to be told about this but he made no comment. He then said that all they (the GP practice) could now do was to help me with pain control, which is fair enough, and has given me a prescription for a cocktail of analgaesics that I hope to pick up from the pharmacy later today. It has taken me nearly five months to get this far but at least things do seem to be happening. Dave

John, I'm sorry but I would have thought that the author of this thread leaving RM Web because of another contributor being censured, punished, call it what you will would be of interest and/or relevance to several people who post here. All I am trying to do is get to the bottom of what has happened and why. If this offends you I am sorry but I intend trying to establish the facts and unless a large number of TNMers object I will carry on posting my findings. Regarding pen names, whilst I see no reason to use one myself, I'm sure that others have good reasons for so doing. In fact, don't you use one yourself? Dave

See my latest post. Dave

I’ve just had an email from HH saying that a friend of his has been banned from TNM by Phil Parker because of something posted here last night and as a result he (HH) has left RM Web. HH is currently unavailable on the phone for clarification of what has gone on so I have PM’d Phil Parker for more information. Dave

What is this about? Dave

Being a Welsh hippo he has to go back to the land of red rugby shirts at frequent intervals to get reacquainted with sheep, bara brith and leeks so North Hipposhire becomes free and clear. Those occasions are advertised by the local tourist information centres so you could visit then. Dave

Our local bakery does some fine Portuguese custard tarts Bear, so if you ever visit North Hipposhire........ Dave

I was told by a marine biologist at Sea World in San Diego that many years ago orcas, which are actually a species of dolphin, were called 'whale killers' by some seafarers because they had been observed doing just that - pods working together killing whales - but for some reason that became corrupted to 'killer whales', which then caught on in the wider world. Dave

Wouldn't a turning Y become a Lambda? Dave

Still having a lot of back trouble but it does seem to be easing a bit so I may do a bit of gentle pottering about today. My troubles pale inti insignificance when compared with SiL, though, who having recently started chemotherapy for ovarian cancer and secondaries has now contracted covid and has been in hospital as a result. Apparently the strain of covid now doing the rounds is quite a nasty one and on top of the side effects of her chemotherapy made her very ill indeed. Dave