grandadbob

Good morning all,

Lots of rain overnight from 18.30 yesterday evening but it's dry at the moment and very dull.   Should stay dry today with some bright spells possible but more heavy rain is due tonight.   It's a bit cooler at 4°C and might reach 8°C.

After yesterday's dental clean up I went for a short walk, only a mile managed as the Hip came out to play.  Got home and we have decided to book a short break in the early summer.  The kids and grandkids gave us the funds for our 75th birthday last year and we've been dithering over where to go.  We've decided that we'd quite like another trip to Beamish as new additions have been made there since our first visit five years ago so a hotel has now been booked. 

After that I muddled for a while and will probably do a bit more today after a walk....Hip permitting.

It doesn't look like The Boss is in a hurry for me to gettamoveon but I will anyway.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Good morning all,

Still dark,  it's somewhat breezy and has been all night.  A mainly cloudy and windy day forecast with rain moving in this evening.  11°C rising to 14°C.

A visit to the dental hygienist is scheduled this morning and after that I'll muddle along in my usual fashion.

Have a good one,
Bob.

Good morning all,

Dull here yet again.  A mainly overcast, dry and breezy day forecast with a small chance of some light rain or drizzle.  8°C rising to 11°C.

A splendid time was had at Steve's and an excellent lunch was enjoyed.  He is a good cook and yesterday was no exception.  I even had a couple of beers and and a couple of glasses of wine after a very dry week.

Usual sort of day planned here starting with the daily walk after breakfast and maybe some muddling.

Parking:  Our road is not too bad as nearly everybody has off road parking for 1, 2 and in a couple of cases 3 cars.  On street parking is not bad either although a couple of families have 3 or 4 cars.  However at the other end of town near the railway station there is a large B & Q site that is going to be redeveloped.  Plans have been submitted for 8 blocks of flats (including a 21 storey tower block) with 1015 flats and the grand total of 126 parking spaces.  This is in an area where parking is difficult to say the least.  Local residents are not happy fearing an overspill into their roads.  Never mind though as the plans include 1750 cycle parking spaces so that's all right then.  Get on yer bike!  Sutton Council has already approved plans for four other tall buildings close to the proposed new development which are between 18 and 22-storeys tall.  Glad I live a couple of miles away.

The call has come, "timetogettamoveon!"

Have a good one,

Bob.

Good morning all,

Dull here....again.  It should stay mainly dry with the odd bright spell and the chance of the odd spot of rain.  No real change there then.  11°C rising to 13°C.

Rugby watched yesterday and both matches were, shall we say, interesting with both England and Scotland nearly coming a cropper.  I won't say any more about what I really think about England at the moment, let's just say that The Boss had to reprimand me for certain comments I made yesterday afternoon.

I had a phone call from my "little" sister last night.  She's just returned from a month's holiday in Goa, been going there for about 6 years and really loves the place.  She and BiL go with the same friends each year but there was a major mishap this time as one of the ladies was attacked while walking on a beach by a bull that had been spooked by a dog.  Quite badly hurt and spent several days in hospital and needs further surgery on her leg now she's home.  Sis now seriously having a think about any further visits.

I muddled for another couple of hours yesterday and am quite pleased with the way the layout is progressing. 

@DaveF  I quite like Ladyva as well Dave, there are a couple (or more) videos on YouTube with her duetting with Brendan Kavanagh (aka Dr K), that may have been who you saw with her as he regularly plays at St. Pancras.  He made the news a few days ago due to an altercation with some flag waving Chinese tourists who demanded he stopped filming and showing their faces during his live stream.

My weekly "treat" of egg and bacon etc has been offered and will be enjoyed shortly.  After that I may muddle a bit  and then we're off out to Steve's for lunch.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Good morning all,

Dull here again.  A mainly cloudy but mild and breezy day is forecast with the chance of a few sunny breaks.  Turning overcast later with the odd spot of light rain. 11°C already and may reach 14°C.

Rugby watched and really enjoyed last night with Ireland hammering France in their own back yard.  Ireland were excellent and France poor by their own standards and not helped by having one player red carded for two high tackles.

More today with England up first in Italy at 14.15 followed by Scotland at 16.45.  That's my afternoon sorted them and I'm happy,  The Boss not so much.

I had a phone call from the surgery late yesterday afternoon, it seems that I'm overdue for various tests etc. (my fault for not responding to previous messages in December) so I'm expecting a phone call from the doctor today between 09.00 -10.00  to review medication and have an appointment at the surgery in a few days to sort out bloods etc. They've been rebuilding the place for the past year and added another floor so that they can offer more appointments etc and do tests in house.  Much better from my point of view as the surgery is only an 8 minute walk away instead of driving to the local hospital and possibly having to pay for parking if you're not done in 20 minutes.

Usual walk scheduled after the doctor's call  and then a bit more muddling and/or playing with toys before lunch.

The Boss is gettingamovenonasshehaslotstodotoday apparently.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Evenin' each,

Oh me and my big mouth!  In my post this morning I made the mistake of mentioning that The Hip and The Knee had been behaving lately.   We went for walk, about a mile and a half and on the way home The Hip decided to give me a nudge and remind me that he was still there and the b#gger is still niggling me several hours later.  Only resorted to parrotseatemall for now but if it carries on something stronger may be required.

However there are two lots of  good news:

Firstly, after a good once over with the doctor The Boss's problem with her calf seems to be a muscle strain and nothing more sinister although we'll be keeping an eye on it.

Secondly, I have found my lost ring.  I'd given up searching but when I went to put my trainers on in the hallway prior to our walk I found it sitting on top of one of them.  How the hell it got there I haven't a clue, it's a tight fit on my finger and can't fall off or even be shaken off, it takes a firm pull.  I do remove it when I'm doing certain tasks but cannot for the life of me think why I would have taken it off in the hallway.  One of life's little mysteries I suppose.  Really pleased though as it has great sentimental value and I was quite upset that I might have lost it.

Also spent a couple of hours in The Shed and apart from watching things go round and round planted about a dozen trees (4mm to the ft type, The Shed's not big enough for the real thing!)

Soon be time to settle down and watch some rugby so farewell and enjoy the rest of evening.

Good morning all,

Dull here.  It will be  a mainly dry, grey, cloudy mild and breezy day with the chance of a few spots of rain.  8°C rising to 13°C.

Multiple TCs abound at the moment as I appear to have lost a gold ring that my mother bought me for my 17th birthday.  The search is ongoing.

Yesterday's walking reached 2 miles in total for me and The Knee and The Hip have been behaving quite well lately. OTOH The Boss is having a problem with her right calf and a visit to the doctor is scheduled for today.

The last locos were tested yesterday and out of a total of 73 there is one scrap and 5 that need attention, three of which need traction tyres, bloody things, wish I'd never bought them.  Two others are still a bit stuttery despite umpteen laps so further investigations will be needed.

6 Nations rugby starts tonight with France v Ireland, England are visiting Italy and Wales are hosting Scotland tomorrow.  No prizes for guessing what I'll be doing.  France are favourites to win the title followed by Ireland and then England.  Not sure about the latter as the England team is much changed with 5 uncapped players in the squad due to injuries, international retirements and some players now barred because they're playing for foreign clubs . (Stupid rule IMHO)  Mind you the new blood could be A Good Thing!

Apparently The Boss thinks "it'stimetogettamoveon."

Have a good one,

Bob.

Good morning all,

Just getting light, it's dry and should stay that way.  A sunny day with a gentle breeze is promised.  3°C rising to 10°C.

Had a bit of sad but not unexpected news.  An old school friend had MND and deteriorated quite badly over the past few months to the extent that he'd lost the ability to move or speak.  He contracted pneumonia last week and died in hospital yesterday.  RIP Mike.

Usual Thursday agenda here with bin collection and shopping delivery.  A walk is also scheduled  and then probably a visit to The Shed to finish off checking over the powered toys.  Once that's done there is more scenic stuff and detailing to do.  Will it ever get finished? Probably not, I play with the stuff too much but that after all was and still is the main object of the exercise.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Evenin' each,

AWOL for a few days due to not getting a round tuit.

Nottalot been happening here, just the usual mundane daily stuff although I have been in The Shed testing locos that haven't been run for a while.  Sixty plus now done and seven or eight to go.  One for the scrap yard (Mazak rot) and a couple needing traction rings.  I'll probably have another go tomorrow.

Today, unusually for us, we went out to lunch.  A friend had given us a gift voucher for our birthdays last year and at long last we got around to using it at a local Toby carvery.  Not a bad meal and although the place was heaving the service was excellent and we enjoyed our food.

Talking of food, specifically boiled eggs and the opening thereof I used to use a sharp tap with a knife and then inserted a spoon to lever the top off.  However many years ago I obtained a useful little tool which is idiot proof and makes a clean cut every time.  Supplied by a firm called Kleeneze but it doesn't look like they do them anymore.

Good morning all,

Dull here earlier and a bit frosty but blue sky is making an appearance along with something bright and it should stay dry.  3°C rising to 9°C.

Rugby watched last night and it was a scrappy but entertaining game.  Quins nearly nicked it at the end but Tigers deserved their win.  A couple more matches available for viewing this afternoon.

After breakfast I'm intending to go for a walk and I believe The Boss wants some assistance with domestic stuff as well.  Hopefully I'll have a bit of time to continue "essential" maintenance tasks in The Shed.

Tonight we're going to a party next door for Russ's 60th birthday.  Looking forward to having a pint or two(ish) because I've been "dry" all week.

Time for my porridge.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Good morning all,

Not dull here, we have blue sky and sunshine.  A dry, bright and breezy day with plenty of wintry sunshine is forecast.  7°C rising to a sweltering 9°C! 

Nothing exciting on today's agenda so far which TBH is not unusual.  A walk is planned after breakfast but after that my day is clear.

Have a good one,

Bob.

A-walking we have been and a total of 1.9 miles achieved today with no problems for me but The Boss was hobbling a bit by the time we got back.

@Tony_S  I showed her your photo Tony and the response was "No way, not ever, do not even think about it."  TBH I'm not sure I'd fancy that either.  With her past record I wouldn't dream of it because I remember her having a bit of a panic attack some years ago whilst on the walkway across the water down Wookey Hole!   The highest structure I've ever been in (when I was a youngster) was the bell tower of Westminster Cathedral which is 284 ft high although the viewing gallery is only 210ft above street level. 

Now got a couple of small DIY tasks to sort out including adjusting the doors on our shower as a small gap has appeared.

Coffee first though.

Good morning all,

Just starting to get a bit lighter outside and from what I can see it looks quite cloudy.  A dull morning with rain or drizzle, it might brighten up  a little this afternoon but will become increasingly breezy. 9°C rising to 13°C.

Usual mundane start to Thursday with bin lorries due along with an Ocado delivery which apparently will contain everything we ordered.

A walk to the post office is required as The Boss needs to return something to the sender.   A coat that she ordered does not fit, one of those items that the label claims to be larger than it actually is.  "Don't think that would fit a 12 year old"  was one of the more polite remarks that she made.

I made a brief visit to The Shed yesterday and some track testing ensued followed by some track cleaning as things were a bit stuttery in places.  More visits are needed but instead of playing with the toys there are actual muddling tasks to be done.  Might happen today and then again....

An enjoyable couple of hours were spent in conversation with some friends and after a dinner of bangers and mash I spent some time listening to some rock music.  Mainly from The Warning, the young Mexican all sister trio I mentioned the other day.  The more I listen to them, the more I like them to the extent that I've now downloaded one album and will be getting more.  I even came close to buying tickets for an upcoming show in London in April but unfortunately it clashes with another engagement.

Tea was taken up to Herself earlier and by the sound of it she's on the move so I best be about it and gettamoveon

Have a good one,

Bob.

A walk has been walked in the sunshine and a mile and a quarter managed today without mishap or being blown away as it's still quite breezy out.  The Boss has just gone to visit a friend but I suspect she'll be back very shortly as I've just had a phone call from said friend trying to put her off as her daughter has Covid.

Having spent 38 years in the building trade I can confirm that scaffolders and roofers are a breed apart and you should certainly take care in your dealings with them.  I've had a couple or several run ins over the years,  mainly disagreements about the fact that we weren't a self service organisation and you came and paid for the stuff before you got loaded by our staff.

Back in the early 70s, before the current H & S culture a friend who was a scaffolder and his mates made The Evening Standard doing a balancing act on the tubes they were erecting around the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral.  Absolute nutcases, all of them!

Good morning all,

Dry start and not as windy as last night.  It's a bit dull but looks as though things will brighten up with some hazy sunshine.   Mild at 9°C rising to 12°C.

A quick scan of the garden has revealed nothing amiss, turned over, torn or blown away.

Spent the evening listening to some music and watched a film, "The Great Escaper" with Michael Caine, Glenda Jackson and John Standing.  Loosely based on the true story of a 90 yo D-Day veteran who "escapes" his care home to visit France for the 70th anniversary of the landings.  I found it very enjoyable and quite moving in places.  It was Glenda's last film and not released until after her death although apparently she did get to see it.  Michael Caine has said that it was the last film he would make too.

Today's agenda includes a walk taking in the delights of the local Asda,  a visit to The Shed and an online zooming session.  That should keep me occupied for a while.

It's that time again so farewell for now,

Have a good one,

Bob.

@Sidecar Racer I saw that on the news last night Mike and was quite relieved that ours hadn't suffered the same fate.

Rain has paused for now but due to start again in about an hour.  Quite breezy out and the wind seems to be increasing so Jocelyn is possibly jostling for space.

The Shark was wielded and I seem to be in the good books.  (for now)  Now thinking about lunch and instead of my usual cup a soup and sandwich I think I'll have some beans on toast for a change.

Not sure what I'm doing after lunch but there are three or four options available.

Stillhaven'tgottamoveon.  Taking my time over another muggacoffee. Before long I expect to be chastised!

Further to yesterday's post and the windy weather I did a full site inspection and as far as I can see I'm glad to say we have no roof damage and apart from upturned chairs and a couple of tears in the covers of them and the table nothing else amiss.  Gorilla tape has been deployed to repair the covers but they are several years old now and have got so many taped repairs I think it's about time I bought some new ones.  The ties that came off the table legs weren't broken so the wind must have been strong enough to lift the table off the ground to release them.  It's a glass top table with metal legs and quite heavy.

Hmmm,  I'm getting a "look",  I suspect that words of "encouragement" will be heard shortly! 😂

Good morning all,

Dull here and it's dismal and damp as well.  It's been staining readily for a while and will continue to do so. It will become windier later, much windier apparently as somebody called Jocelyn is approaching.  7°C rising to 13°C.

A walk was managed around our local recreation ground yesterday and a couple of small trees had been uprooted and there was evidence of a lot of tree pruning and undergrowth clearance along one side of the park.   About time too as we'd noticed that some adjacent properties were being invaded by all the bushes etc.  A mile and quarter was managed without too much trouble.  It's two weeks since my hernia op and things are progressing well.  The incision site has healed nicely with just a couple of small scabs left on either side and I can bend over easily now without any pain.  Before the op  I even had difficulty tying shoelaces whilst sitting on the settee or armchair but it's not a problem now.  However I've still got to take things easy for a further 4-6 weeks so will have to avoid sit-ups or press ups for a while!  Actually I better check on that because I believe I might have to wait even longer before I start trying any of that stuff.  Hope @DaveF Dave's op goes as smoothly as mine did.

Looks like we'll be staying in this morning, The Boss doesn't like walking in the rain.

Camera wise mine are quite simple.  iPhone 8 plus, Canon Powershot SX280HS Compact, both only 12MP and a Fujifilm Finepix S9900W Bridge 16.2MP.  I do sometimes actually get some reasonable pics.  I've still got a Pentax P30N SLR and every now and then think about digging it out and buying some film just to try it for old time's sake.  However, having just done a quick Google of film and processing prices I think I'll give it a miss!

I've just been asked if I feel able to help with some domestic tasks.  I think I can probably manage to push The Shark around for a while.  Ibettagettamoveon.

Have a good one,

Bob.