My Day

[Polly]

What made my day yesterday was seeing a Spitfire banking and turning in the Kent skies.

[BroadAmbition]

Sorted.  I was later leaving home than expected at around 1430.  Had to stop on the A17 for a call of nature / coffee and a snack then arrived at J.W's place at 1730.  My TomTom Rider I discovered is well out of date and needs updating, never had any of the NDR on it, nor many speed cameras showing, the stretch between Sutton Bridge and Kings Lynn for example and how long have those been installed now?

The repair on J.W's  Discovery also took longer than expected.  I had to drop an item off onboard Trixie at Sutton Staithe, visit 'B.A' and collect some of our ' No name timber' to bring home as I need to cut around 80 odd plugs ready for her new cant rails.  Re-fuel the Tiger.  By the time I set off for home it was 1930, I made Kings Lynn in an hour but then had to stop for nature, visor clean and coffee in that order.  Departed at 2100 with 99 miles in front of me. That gave me an eta at the Harvey Arms, Finningley of about 2230 I reckoned.  What I did not reckon on was the A17 being closed just near to Holbeach and a diversion taking me via Spalding adding miles n miles onto the journey before I was back on the A17 once more, then on finally joining the A1 is was raining and lots of spray coming up off from the road.  I had some rain x with me but I had not applied it to my visor so was riding in reduced visibility which was far from ideal.  I made the Harvey at 2250 - just in time to say heyup to one and all for 20 odd minutes or so, then a short ride home.

So, JW has his Discovery sorted and back on the road, he is well chuffed, I have some no name timber at home I needed for the wood plugs, Trixie has received an item that she needed, the Mighty Tiger has had a decent run out.  I've gained a few more grey hairs from the journey home.  All round result then

Griff

[grendel]

when estimating the time to repair something I always guess a time and times by 3, that give you time to get there, have the wrong tools, find the right tools, visit B&Q to get a spare part you didnt know you needed, or that one special drill size you dont have on you (but you have dozens of at home) and finish the work

[ranworthbreeze]

45 minutes ago, grendel said:

when estimating the time to repair something I always guess a time and times by 3, that give you time to get there, have the wrong tools, find the right tools, visit B&Q to get a spare part you didnt know you needed, or that one special drill size you dont have on you (but you have dozens of at home) and finish the work

How true Peter, it is always the case.

Regards

Alan

[grendel]

then you double it when the other half asks for an estimate of how long it will take.

ie - I have to shut off the water to do that repair

How long is that going to take

6 hours, though if I can do it quicker I will

then 4 hours later when you finish, you are in their good books for finishing early.

[TheQ]

Well, I spent the weekend mostly lying underneath my 16ft sailing boat sanding, the area where the rudder box was has been rebuilt, and has been glassed, filled, sanded, filled, sanded, and just needs a little more sanding before painting. My arms gave out..,.

OH why don't I turn it over.... it weighs about 245kg...

My boat is just a little 16 footer, having admired the river cruiser classes on water and in the photos on another thread, My arms and wallet could not afford a river cruiser..

For the rest of my free time this year, work on the boat will be on inside. The next project will be rebuilding the helming position and modifying the tabernacle for the new mast (Well it's probably 30 years old, but new to me).

I now have old sails, to use during development, and found a boom that fits that was hiding in the shed.. The only problem being the boom is rigged for an aft traveller and mainsheet. I need to get my end of the mainsheet forward to in front of me, sat in the middle of the boat, facing forward and I'm not drilling holes in a near 50 year old aluminium boom (ex Lark Dinghy 158).

[Polly]

We took out a short while this afternoon to go for a walk at Winterton on Sea. Lovely! It was wild wind but the sun was warm.

In terms of special interest, there was a huge baulk of timber emerging from the dunes, and a seal swimming near the shore.

 

[SwanR]

Sounds wonderful. We've done a number of places on the Norfolk coast but not yet made it to Winterton.

We also saw a seal close to shore at Lowestoft a couple of weeks ago.

[Chelsea14Ian]

I remember a few years back,we moored at Horsey and walked to the beach. It was a lovely warm sunny day,no one around.We sat on the beach and watched the seals,wonderful. Two or three years ago,staying in corton, we went back to Horsey this time in late February. Still special .

[Daddy Mouse]

I love to have a walk to Horsey Gap the sales keep me amused for ages.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[Daddy Mouse]

I love to have a walk to Horsey Gap the sales keep me amused for ages.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

Spell checker strikes again. Her indoors likes sales, I like the seals.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[JanetAnne]

My daughter spent her day meeting and learning about Billy the Tawny Owl. Billy, a fellow stroke survivor, is coming to stay while friends of ours are out the country for an extended period. 

Billy is the one on the left. ....

[grendel]

sitting on that stick at first glance it looked like a giant spider, with little miss muffet sitting on her tuffet beside it. 

[ChrisB]

I went to have a look at Horsey Staithe but could see no change so walked across to the Beach at Horsey Gap. Said hello to the Seals and then drove to Martham Staithe to eat my sand

wich.

[ChrisB]

[TheQ]

well not really my day, but it made My day. The BBC has allowed Horning sailing club to use a drone video of the club and surroundings. I think it was taken on a Saturday afternoon / evening, August /September.. it's on our front page

https://horning-sailing.club/video/horning-sailing-club.mov

or

https://horning-sailing.club/index.php

 

[FairTmiddlin]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

well not really my day, but it made My day. The BBC has allowed Horning sailing club to use a drone video of the club and surroundings. I think it was taken on a Saturday afternoon / evening, August /September.. it's on our front page

Nice piece of video.  Not quite top end HD but quite clear.

[Polly]

We had a flying trip to Norfolk. Catching up with Doug and Hele on Nipper was very pleasant, and as we sat over a cuppa, talk moved to Brilliant. I remarked that I needed to get a replacement boom as ours seemed to have fared badly over the summer. I said I'd got a quote from Peter Charlton and had asked for one from Whelptons.  I had mentioned the boom on the phone a few weeks ago...

"Um..."  said Doug, "that boom on your deck, that's not your boom."

??

It turned out that it was Doug's old boom from his half-decker. It wouldn't fit in his garage so he'd popped it on Brilliant's deck.

££ saved and a good laugh over the misunderstanding.

We headed back to the hotel for a very nice meal and a good night's rest at The Wayford Bridge Hotel. 

This morning  after a satisfying breakfast we headed to Roys for Christmas Shopping, as you do. Roys Toys is awesome by the way, and I really like the way they avoid the stereotyping that Toys R Us used to slip into. Over at the main shop and  there were some multifunction slow cookers on sale, we decided to  go with that as an impulse buy it was a good proposition and splashed out £50.  More later on that. 

Over to visit Brilliant where, yes indeed our boom and gaff are in fine condition and stashed on the cabin top. I cancelled our request for a replacement quote, which Annie said had puzzled them at the time as Brilliant's spars were fine. Doh!

The roping on Brilliant's, very expensive, shelter broke last weekend, uv has defeated it after only a year, so I will be on the phone to the suppliers tomorrow. 

We dropped into lovely Fairhaven at lunchtime before heading home;, it really was a beautiful Autumn  day!

The rain set in on the way home as it had cleared away on the way in the day before, maybe we had a special weather window hovering over Norfolk?

At home and unpacking the impulse buy, um,  no lid, this meant a long conversation with Roy's to the effect that bringing it back is not ideal as we live 2 1/2 hours away.  They are posting me one, I think. Roys are usually great so all should be fine

[TheQ]

Morning all,

 My day (yesterday), Yesterday was the 24th Running of the Tri Icicle race by Snowflake Sailing club.

Well, first an apology, I normally Put a notice out If I am involved with a big sailing event that will impact on the rivers and I forgot..

I was somewhat busy last week..

I didn't hear any problems with motor cruisers during my race, they all tried their best to get through the chaos as best they could. Even the fishermen seemed cheerful, even those that seems to be having a match down at the abbey end of St Benets straight.

 

Due to the lack of wind we all were towed down to Horning waterworks for the start,  All, being 51 boats, an unusually big entry for this race. The course selected this year was to put the bottom mark just short of the  straight before Acle Bridges, and the top mark some way above the Dyke to Womack.

Our own class race,  Third start at 11:20,  boats being sent off in up to 10 boat groups at 5 minute intervals.

We started... last, not good, but by the time we got to the bottom mark we were 3rd of 7, after turning back up river we slowly caught up and overtook the leading two mostly because they kept sailing in the middle of the river with the tide against them. After Thurne mouth the big sailing cruisers who had started 15 minutes after us were catching rapidly, their longer waterline length and taller masts giving them a great advantage in speed.

After rounding the top mark we got swallowed up by the cruisers and two Yeomans passed us.  At Ant mouth we got rammed by another competitor that dropped us to 5th while we sorted things out. As we arrived at Horning waterworks we hoped to see a finish but no, it was much further on. Not good with the increasing tide and reducing wind.

At the next bend up from the waterworks there was a huge traffic jam, you got a puff of wind sailed forward , lost wind then drifted backwards into the fleet. I think we all had a turn at being first, of those there, eventually after about an hour the race for us was effectively abandoned and we gave or got a tow home. Just 19 of the very fastest /Tallest boats actually finished the race with a Star Class boat winning the main trophy.

It was a long day having been setting up the boat at 08:30 we finally got her to bed at 17:00.

With next year being the 25th Aniversary of the event, we will hopefully have better wind, more boats, and I'll remember to put out a notice for those who want to avoid us..

 

 

[Guest]

Well just got back in from night 1 of 2 theatre performances that my youngest is singing solo in.

Fantastic night with some budding superstars in the making. I'm one super proud dad, now trying to calm the kids down enough to sleep before school tomorrow , obviously you suvverners are already on school holidays 

Can't wait to take them away next week for a well deserved break, it calls for a late night celebration I reckon 

[ExSurveyor]

Thirty five years as a surveyor and property developer and this is what I am reduced to.

I have four more to build and none have Building regs or planning permission .

 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Well my week really,repainting the kitchen.This is the first part of let's get to Norfolk. In just over two and a half years we will retire and intend to move to Norfolk. Next years more decorating.End of the week up to the boat.

[Paul]

After a week and a day on holiday it was back to normality for me today. 1st day back at school for Jamie so alarm at 7.15, run his bath, make his breakfast, press his uniform and get him to school for 8.40

Things changed a bit after that though. Home for a quick cuppa then a walk down the village. Time to drop into the garden machinery centre to talk about a possible new mower for next year then on the bus to our nearest train station, via every village in between. A journey that takes me twenty minutes in the car stretched to an hour and twenty minutes but I have seen parts of Leicestershire that, despite living here all my life I have never seen before.

I had just enough time before my train was due to get a snack from the platform newsagent, err no. The platform newsagent is now a solicitors office with the refreshment needs of passengers now serviced by two vending machines. One, all but empty could supply standard coke, but no diet, that was sold out or Fanta, all at £2.60 a bottle. The other offered a choice of Kit Kat, Mars or Twix at £1.40. No thanks, my dietry needs will have to wait for the buffet car. I could kill a coffee and croissant or bacon roll. 

I was a bit miffed that British Railways no longer offer the "daytime first" upgrade, of which I made great use when I used to travel to London on business. For a few extra quid you could upgrade your ticket, subject to availability on trains between the peak hours. Sadly not only has it gone, but so have British Railways. I'm afraid I was not going to pay a three hundred percent premium for a half decent seat for a couple of hours journey (especially the as the connecting train had no first class anyway) . So peasant class it was, though at least the train was not busy and so I had a choice of seats "facing the engine", not that there is an engine anymore either. I noted with interest that there was not a single soul seated in first class. I can't help thinking that our supposedly beleaguered Train Operating Companies are missing a trick here. I'm sure I'm not alone in being prepared to pay a sensible supplement to upgrade. 

My ticket was a barcode on my mobile phone. I thouht I had been quite clever using this new technololgy but after boarding the train it struck me what might happen if the totally inadequate battery on my abysmal Samsung mobile should fail, as it tends to do after not much useage. Having been fully charged when leaving home it was, by now, down to 77%, and that just on standby. I flashed the code at the ticket collector who cast a cursory glance at it. No way could he have read it and known that it was valid on the train I was now seated on. Neither did he have a clever scanniing type gadget to read it. I asked about the buffet car and was met by a startled gaze and the response "no buffet car". Great! I would have to wait until I change trains at Birmingham. 

The train ran pretty much to time and arrived in New Street just a handful of minutes late. The app on my phone which held my ticket had updated the journey details with platform numbers. I would arrive to platform 6 and depart from 5b. Not far to walk then.

Wrong. 

Some overpaid under brained dimwit has redesigned New Street Station into a series of "Lounges". Platform 6 was in one and 5b in another. You have to climb up to the main concourse, clear the ticket barriers then walk half a mile, back through the barriers and down to the platform next to the one you were on fifteen minutes earlier. To add to the delay the barcode on my phone would not open the barrier so the attendant had to come along with the key and unlock it for me. Repeat that process at the next barrier down to platform 5b. I'm sure it's no accident that the walk from one to the other takes you past the vast array of designer shops which now adorn the station. Not a buffet or takeaway kiosk to be found. There was one starbucks, with a queue out of the door. No time for that! I found my onward train to convey me to the heart of the "Black Country". On Time, the board said, and duly, ten minutes before it's scheduled deperture time the train pulled on to the platform. Again plenty of space so i chose a seat "facing" and settled down for the short wait for it to leave.

And waited

And waited.

Finally, fifteen minutes late it pulled away. A polite voice welcomed us aboard the train in near perfect Queen's English until the list of stops came to Dudley when a sharp black country twang could be heard. I think it is impossible to prenounce Dudley without adopting a "Dudley Accent". No apology or explanation for our late departure. It would have been nice to be told "sorry but the driver needed to use the loo" or "we had to wait for a clear track ahead". My train quickly passed under the M5, a trip which by car takes half an hour done in the blink of an eye and before too much longer my station was reached. I alighted the train and using the last of my fading battery mapped my walking route along the Walsall canal to my final destination.

The object of my 50 mile, four hour journey was the car dealership from who we had agreed to buy the new car I have been promising myself for years. After a false start earlier this month when having bought one the dealer called the day before it was due to be delivered that they had discovered a problem and were withdrawing it from sale, I decided I would go and collect this one. 

Finally, the new car is sitting on our driveway alongside the old Honda. I hope it gives the years of trouble free service that the old workhorse has and hopefully will continue to do as we plan to keep it as long as possible as a dirty jobs vehicle.

 

[SwanR]

Wonderfully descriptive piece of writing there Paul. :)

[Happy]

16 hours ago, Paul said:

After a week and a day on holiday it was back to normality for me today. 1st day back at school for Jamie so alarm at 7.15, run his bath, make his breakfast, press his uniform and get him to school for 8.40

Things changed a bit after that though. Home for a quick cuppa then a walk down the village. Time to drop into the garden machinery centre to talk about a possible new mower for next year then on the bus to our nearest train station, via every village in between. A journey that takes me twenty minutes in the car stretched to an hour and twenty minutes but I have seen parts of Leicestershire that, despite living here all my life I have never seen before.

I had just enough time before my train was due to get a snack from the platform newsagent, err no. The platform newsagent is now a solicitors office with the refreshment needs of passengers now serviced by two vending machines. One, all but empty could supply standard coke, but no diet, that was sold out or Fanta, all at £2.60 a bottle. The other offered a choice of Kit Kat, Mars or Twix at £1.40. No thanks, my dietry needs will have to wait for the buffet car. I could kill a coffee and croissant or bacon roll. 

I was a bit miffed that British Railways no longer offer the "daytime first" upgrade, of which I made great use when I used to travel to London on business. For a few extra quid you could upgrade your ticket, subject to availability on trains between the peak hours. Sadly not only has it gone, but so have British Railways. I'm afraid I was not going to pay a three hundred percent premium for a half decent seat for a couple of hours journey (especially the as the connecting train had no first class anyway) . So peasant class it was, though at least the train was not busy and so I had a choice of seats "facing the engine", not that there is an engine anymore either. I noted with interest that there was not a single soul seated in first class. I can't help thinking that our supposedly beleaguered Train Operating Companies are missing a trick here. I'm sure I'm not alone in being prepared to pay a sensible supplement to upgrade. 

My ticket was a barcode on my mobile phone. I thouht I had been quite clever using this new technololgy but after boarding the train it struck me what might happen if the totally inadequate battery on my abysmal Samsung mobile should fail, as it tends to do after not much useage. Having been fully charged when leaving home it was, by now, down to 77%, and that just on standby. I flashed the code at the ticket collector who cast a cursory glance at it. No way could he have read it and known that it was valid on the train I was now seated on. Neither did he have a clever scanniing type gadget to read it. I asked about the buffet car and was met by a startled gaze and the response "no buffet car". Great! I would have to wait until I change trains at Birmingham. 

The train ran pretty much to time and arrived in New Street just a handful of minutes late. The app on my phone which held my ticket had updated the journey details with platform numbers. I would arrive to platform 6 and depart from 5b. Not far to walk then.

Wrong. 

Some overpaid under brained dimwit has redesigned New Street Station into a series of "Lounges". Platform 6 was in one and 5b in another. You have to climb up to the main concourse, clear the ticket barriers then walk half a mile, back through the barriers and down to the platform next to the one you were on fifteen minutes earlier. To add to the delay the barcode on my phone would not open the barrier so the attendant had to come along with the key and unlock it for me. Repeat that process at the next barrier down to platform 5b. I'm sure it's no accident that the walk from one to the other takes you past the vast array of designer shops which now adorn the station. Not a buffet or takeaway kiosk to be found. There was one starbucks, with a queue out of the door. No time for that! I found my onward train to convey me to the heart of the "Black Country". On Time, the board said, and duly, ten minutes before it's scheduled deperture time the train pulled on to the platform. Again plenty of space so i chose a seat "facing" and settled down for the short wait for it to leave.

And waited

And waited.

Finally, fifteen minutes late it pulled away. A polite voice welcomed us aboard the train in near perfect Queen's English until the list of stops came to Dudley when a sharp black country twang could be heard. I think it is impossible to prenounce Dudley without adopting a "Dudley Accent". No apology or explanation for our late departure. It would have been nice to be told "sorry but the driver needed to use the loo" or "we had to wait for a clear track ahead". My train quickly passed under the M5, a trip which by car takes half an hour done in the blink of an eye and before too much longer my station was reached. I alighted the train and using the last of my fading battery mapped my walking route along the Walsall canal to my final destination.

The object of my 50 mile, four hour journey was the car dealership from who we had agreed to buy the new car I have been promising myself for years. After a false start earlier this month when having bought one the dealer called the day before it was due to be delivered that they had discovered a problem and were withdrawing it from sale, I decided I would go and collect this one. 

Finally, the new car is sitting on our driveway alongside the old Honda. I hope it gives the years of trouble free service that the old workhorse has and hopefully will continue to do as we plan to keep it as long as possible as a dirty jobs vehicle.

 

I assume you went to a dealer that far away to save money?  Lets hope that if you have a warranty problem then local dealer 'won't be too busy with his own customers' to deal with it?

Just speaking from past experience!

Regards Happy