Dave Hunt

A guard's ticket and money satchel?

Certainly. Here is the wagon doing its job. Dave

The mood in Hunt Towers has taken a bit of a nosedive this morning with the news that SiL has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer plus secondaries. Jill is understandably very concerned and may well be going down to Devon in the not too distant future to see her. SiL is being very positive about it, though, and is urging all her nearest and dearest not to get morose about it but to get on with their lives. ❤️ Dave

Commiserations on the back trouble HH from one who knows only too well how excruciating it can be. As one doctor said to me, the trouble with the ‘bad back’ is that it isn't something that can be seen from outside, it has the reputation of being used as an excuse by malingerers for not working, many people think of it as merely a bit of backache, and it is often seen as something amusing by those who have never experienced it. Dave

Swiss Tony wasn't as polished as Polish Andy. Dave

That was quite common with locomotive drawings. I've seen drawings for Compounds and 4Fs, for instance, that were produced in 1910 and were still being updated in the 1950s. Dave

The match wagon from the breakdown train got me the S7 group trophy last weekend. Dave

Today was really exciting for me too. We spent most of it putting stuff back into the new kitchen cupboards and getting things ready for the flooring chaps coming tomorrow ☹️. Then comes the plumber on Monday, the quartz worktop people on Wednesday and a final visit from the fitter a week today. That just leaves the decorating to do (thinks- since it’s mainly painting I wonder if Polish Andy is busy?) then it’ all quiet on the Hipposhire front until Jill gets the next bright idea. Maybe I’ll even get some modelling in??? Dave

Have you been to the French railway museum in Mulhouse? If not, I strongly recommend it for a day out for the three of you. I’ve been twice on days out from UK flying to Basel and thence to Mulhouse and have been thoroughly impressed - and there are some of A C’s finest on display. Dave (a great fan of Chapelon)

In the 70s we used to do quite a few fondue dinner parties, mainly meat ones. The fondue pot was filled with hot cooking oil and each guest given a bowl with chunks of raw steak in it. The pieces of steak were speared on the fondue fork and placed in the oil until cooked to individual taste. There were side dishes of different dips and salads as well as garlic and herb breads. Dave

Sorry NYH, that's the wrong way round. There is actually nothing faster than a hippo chasing cake. Dave

What a good idea, it may take some of the strain off the denizens of Hipposhire. Dave

When I did the RAF jungle survival course in Malaya in 1968 we spent nearly a week in the jungle and frequently had leeches latch on to us. The way to remove them was to touch them with a lighted cigarette (nearly all of us smoked in those days) but also we used the cigarette butts by putting them in a bottle of water and then dribbling the liquid onto the leeches' heads whereupon they dropped off. The first time we found leeches on us we were all horrified and shuddered as we removed them but after a day or so we became inured to them and it was just a routine event to have a de-leeching session a couple of times a day. Dave

I made a mistake in my count; including States in which I just landed and then took off again after a while on the ground it's eighteen. Dave

It looks like between us we could write a reasonable travelogue for the States, both from thr viewpoint of residents and visitors. Dave

Does flying over them count? If so I’ve been to lots but on the ground it’s just about twelve. I too like the west. Dave

Oh, dear, we’re getting dangerously close to the great shed debate over on TNM. Dave

Not been on ERs for a while so there are too many posts to catch up on. A week ago we had the start of a large kitchen refurb that probably won't finish for another three weeks or so and the house is in a state of chaos with no kitchen water supply. As a result we are mainly eating out, getting takeaways or throwing ourselves on the mercy of friends. So when today was the occasion of a church BBQ we were all for it, even to the extent of me volunteering to be one of the cooks. The downside was that being the good old British climate it rained. The general attendees were all right as there was a large marquee with tables and seating for all but us cooks just had a couple of large parasols that could effectively protect either us or the food so we got wet. Still, it was an enjoyable day and Jill won a bottle of malt in the raffle so drying out whilst sipping a glass or two was quite pleasant. Dave

So, we had the church BBQ today and sho'nuff it rained. Most attendees were OK as there was a large marquee where the food was laid out and there were tables and chairs enough for all; but despite being equipped with large parasols the cooks got wet. Guess which category I was in? Ah, well, Jill won a bottle of Ardmore in the raffle so there was some consolation. Dave

The Station Commander's Mini at RAF Valley was discovered more than once on the flat roof of the single storey part of the Officers' Mess, quite often at about the time a training course was graduating. It's amazing what can be done with some loading ramps and lots of alcohol fuelled personnel. Dave

When the road near my parents' place was being relaid about ten years ago the highways agency put large, unmissable notices up weeks beforehand stating that during the several days' resurfacing a certain layby would be closed and plant and machinery left there overnight. When the work started further notices as well as cones at the layby entrance were posted but despite that, and the fact that large amounts of gravel were deposited in the layby, some people with the IQs of sausages moved the cones and left their car in the layby and went off somewhere. When they got back in the evening their car was in the middle of a large collection of road mending and surfacing machines with no way of getting out. Apparently they tried to get the police involved to no effect and it wasn't until the next morning that they were able to get the car out. According to local knowledge the dimwits complained bitterly to the council. the highways agency and anyone else they could think of as well as threatening to take legal action, again to no effect. Dave

I think I've got some bad news for you; I've been parenting for nearly 53 years now and it hasn't stopped. Added to which grandparenting kicks in after a while. Dave

Just about to go and get started on setting up for our church BBQ being held this afternoon. And of course, after all the lovely weather we’ve been having, this afternoon it is forecast to....... .... rain. Turdycurses. Dave

Yellow by any chance? Dave

Had an excellent day today with bacon butties for breakfast, six hours at the S7 AGM, fish 'n chips for dinner, not too much aggro from the back and sciatica, and presently getting outside a generous measure of Caol Isla. DH is a happy bunny. Dave