Oldddudders

The Great Arrival - Sergio Mendes

take that to the bank

Quite so. It is the first vehicle behind the slowcoach that makes the queue. Many drive too close, so if the offending leading vehicle is large they cannot see to overtake anyway. And the A21 to Hastings would be good at that.

And did he agree that she has, especially for her age?

Not amazing. Derek Lawrence was a collaborator with Larry Goddard, so the workmanship will be exceptional. A specialist market item for all but the very well heeled, it's true. Few people only want one of these!

Not everyone who knows how to park a trailer knows the tow vehicle in question. Deb had our 109" Landie 2A and a rather awkward Rice 3-horse trailer, and was struggling to simply get it through the narrow-ish entry to a horse-show. Gateman said he'd show her, only to then find it wasn't at all like his Volvo. No power steering, a rather poor turning circle etc. Ya, boo, sucks. Sheffield? Not sure, but there is a park named after it in Sussex, I think.

Well said, Glenn. It is my belief that if the great railway photographers of the past had had affordable and practicable colour film - meaning a film speed that was usable - they would have used it every time. The world is in colour. We see in colour. Rob's railway is in glorious colour.

Evening all Been a bit patchy on reading in recent days, but hope I've seen most things. Horrid news about Is. Those 16 years will seem to have whizzed by, I'm afraid. My 39 with Deb certainly did. I managed to pass my driving test at the third attempt in July 1972. I'd first taken lessons 6 years earlier! The car was a Viva HC, FPJ444J. A skoolmate had had FPJ944C, on a Cortina GT - great car. I have a feeling Sherry may have travelled in it on at least one occasion, many years before we were an item. I share the Stationmaster's puzzlement at being on board with 6000 others. Mind you, I would also be worried about being on board with just 4 others, who might well all read the wrong newspaper etc. I would be at risk of going overboard without the lifejacket. I am on night and morning duties at Alison's place this weekend. She and the boys are back in the Vendee for what is a Bank Holiday weekend here. I hope her car starts for the return trip on Monday afternoon. It was short of water before they set off today, second time in a few weeks. Dropped into the circuit at Le Mans to get my tickets for the race and the Classic. Personable young man on the till spoke fine English, said he'd lived in Oxford. Hope your weekend goes well.

And BR until 1956?

You And I - Lulu

S3/6?

Morning all Thursday is dull and potentially rainy. Alison is due for her cleaning duties. An enormous change is about to happen in her life, we hope. As a result of her visit to the Vendée last weekend, her man now has an appointment with his accountant - to discuss retiring immediately so he can up sticks and live with Alison. Since Sherry and I gave up a day together so I could come back a day early, enabling the Vendée visit to be longer, we are dead chuffed. The chap is a farmer, in a co-operative with 5 others. If he is able to pull out, he will release substantial capital, which Alison's 17 acre place desperately needs if it is to become the green - in all senses of modern usage - paradise she envisages. The boys will get a new father - he has 5 grown-up kids, so has that tee-shirt. Meanwhile their natural father shows his true colours. He sent a box of goodies. Each of the three received a Crunchie bar. The two elder boys received gaming stuff - daddy's passion in life - while the youngest received nothing else at all. Dad believes- wrongly - the youngest isn't his. A 7-y-o surely deserves better? If all goes well his life may be improved, we hope. Sherry's Facebook page a few days ago included a lovely thankyou from a former pupil, who is planning a trip to help out in third world places and needs certain funds to do it. Sherry had chipped in more generously than most. A 13-y-o boy in Torbay will shortly be getting a violin - he already plays really well. She is currently enjoying 'putting something back' in a number of areas of her life - and it makes me so proud. Hope Thursday finds you progressing comfortably.

Afternoon all Belated Happy Birthday to Don. Very mild weather but with occasional rain. Crossroads? Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, writers, I think. Her adopted daughters used to catch the bus to skool, not the one Sherry and I attended, from outside my house. Alison having doubts and dramas with the new boyfriend. Can't live without each other, living 3 hours apart by car is awful, he could move in in October - then they find stumbling blocks, possibly not unrelated to imperfect translation between two languages. Doing my Marge Proops bit. Alison has spent a lot of online effort finding this chap. If he's a duffer she faces a restart and may fall back into the clutches of her neighbouring romancer. Not to be recommended. Hope your week going as planned.

Penicillin can help.

Don't Make Me Over - Dionne Warwick

Gaps where nothing appears are a feature of the railway scene, particularly in recent years when rationalisation of infrastructure has taken place. As such there is nothing wrong with your preferred location for the bridge. And the gate into the Civils' compound looks authentic. Do it and rejoice.

Cracking response from people who are in the depths of misery.

Some things leave me breathless. Yes, but apart from that.... On Friday I ordered an iPhone, at about 1950 hrs. The seller is quoted as being in the UK - Milton Keynes. This morning, just before midday, it was delivered by UPS - from Houston, Texas!

headin' down that turnpike

I think it was the jump-jockey Mick Fitzgerald who told the world on live tv that his successful ride in (I think) the Grand National was better than sex. His fiancee was less than impressed, but I believe she married him anyway.

Ebony Eyes - Everly Brothers (a real weepie!)

BBC News this morning had an item about some sort of performing arts festival for people on the spectrum. The item focussed upon a 12-y-o lad who plays the drums to reduce stress, but there was clearly a great deal of talent of all sorts being demonstrated. In an era when disability is no longer a dirty word, this looks promising for these people to fulfill themselves in sympathetic company, which may enable them to gain more confidence in life generally.

Morning all Tea in bed at 6.30, away to Alison's by 7.30, meeting the same neighbour in the lane, which is an unmade single track, so he kindly gave way - right outside his house! A glorious morning then, but restless and threatening rain now, as forecast. Fed my horses after breakfast, and then managed nearly an hour on the lawntractor giving the paddock another top. Just as I put it in the barn the drizzle started. This cold still hasn't really developed. The occasional sneeze, a few tissues used, but nothing dramatic, even by cold standards. Suspect it will all suddenly happen! Hope your week goes well.

Sometimes it's a bore being right. Alison's trip to the Vendée in her car was always going to be risky, I thought. The car is 2005, sure, and being a 2.2 litre Laguna, has the legs for long journeys, as well as leather etc, but gets no maintenance except when needed. She had topped up levels, though. Sure enough, instead of getting away tonight she and the boys have to spend another night, as a bolt has sheared on the exhaust, and her beau can't fix it. So I set off the 11km to her place to shut the poultry in, arriving at 2100 - to find her neighbour, realising she wasn't home, had kindly done the job for me! Sensing this might happen, I had abstained from alcohol this evening - a rare event, as Sherry will surely attest! - but am now sitting on my terrasse sipping Chardonnay. [it's Seth Efrican, from Lidl, at rather less than £2 a bottle. Beat that.] So I now get my wish of doing another round of morning feeds tomorrow! And Alison gets another night with her beau. It really does take an ill wind...... Sleep well, all.

Living Time - Bill Evans & George Russell