Time to move the Diner. The only suggestion I recall seeing was to go to the Sierra Mountains. That’s fine by me. Maybe we can get a little skiing in while we are there.
See you in the mountains!!
Cheers!!
Dave
P.S. The Diner got moved a couple of hours too early. Hope you are not offended.
Good morning Diners. Thanks for moving the Diner, Dave.
A busy morning, so a coffee on the go please, Brunhilda.
As some members know I support the restoration & preservation of the paddle steamer, ‘Medway Queen’. As a way of raising money for work to be done they commission Dapol to make railway wagons.
As Medway Queen will be 100 years old this years models are of the builders, Ailsa Shipping Co.
Oh, I’m here ‘copyin’ the mail’ as the CBers used to say. We got a quick snow storm overnight and you’d think every plow and salt truck was up on blocks. My county had everything cleared but to my north, Lake County, there wasn’t a plow in sight and several wrecks had some roads closed so I had to take a detour that made me ten minutes late to my appointment
The Hiawatha twins are here to cheer the place up!
Ya know, I’ve always liked the Hiawatha observation car viewed from the inside out, but the Hiawatha Twins definitely shine a new light on that subject[:P]
Just got back from a short scoot of only 7km. It was clear and cold and the wind was cutting through us like a knife. Also with the wind, there was a lot of fallout from the trees coming down on us. I hit twice my minimum for the week so I can coast til Monday if I choose.
Thanks for moving the Diner Dave, always appreciated.
I watched Downton Abbey after all the seasons had aired as I usually do with limited series. I don’t watch a lot of TV but everyone was always talking about how good it was and when it came up while looking for something to watch late one night I dove right in. It was really good IMO a real social commentary on status and privilege. Two things I remember were when WWI broke out all the rich people got asked if they wanted to or told that they could be a general if they wanted. No wonder so many got sent off to die by incompetence. The other was when the family just about lost their entire fortune when a Canadian RR went broke. It was one of the very few shows I could watch again, probably when I am rockin’ in the old folks home.
The character of Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey was played by actor Dan Stevens. When my son was in grade 11 he got called in for four days of work on a TV show. Depending on his call time I would pick him up at school and drive him into Vancouver while he did homework.
The first day was costume fitting and static stills and video shots while they prepared/ measured for his costume. I could not believe the number of people involved in this process as he was the only one there.
The next week day two was the final fitting and more stills and video. There must have been twenty people there with just him.
Day three/four was the following week and the first day of shooting. I pick him up at school and we get to the set and the main character of the show is Dan Stevens. The kid is two hours in make-up before the shoot. That day and the next it was just him and Dan Stevens shooting scene
Brent. In the film ‘Elizabeth’ starring Cate Blanchett etc. I had a small speaking part filmed in Durham Cathedral. Two full days to do a total of five minutes filming.
I saw other scenes being filmed. Each scene had around thirty people doing this, doing that as the actors did their part.
During a lull in filming a young girl, still a teenager, sat next to me. She had a sketch pad and pencil and began drawing. I asked her what she was drawing.
“See that section of wall over there?” she said, “I have to draw it and back at the studio it will be built and Lord Wolsingham will open a door there and appear.”
Dawn and I went to the cinema to see the film. Just after my small speaking part, a camera showed Wolsingham appearing exactly as the girl said he would.
That’s a cool story, David. My kid was in a lot of things. Depending on his call time and how long they needed him, I rarely spent time with him there. I was always welcome at the catering truck and the food was fantastic so I would grab a bacon-wrapped filet and eggs if it was early. But he mostly drove himself or took transit to where he had to be. The whole thing looked like a pretty boring way to make a living to me, no thanks. He made really good money that helped him live like a King all through University.
I have no time in the limelight, however, when leaders of countries would visit and the news shows them getting off their airplanes, I often see myself in those old clips just in the background. I see myself when Clinton visited, as well as Queen Elizabeth, Charles and Diana, Margaret Thatcher, and several others. I have also been on all their aircraft at times if there was an issue I could help them with.
We just had a former Prime Minister pass away yesterday and I was remembering the time I was in a room with him and his chief of staff. I was doing a secure documents transfer and was chatting with him while the documents were being prepared. A really nice guy and so respectful in the way he talked to people.
Did a couple of secure documents transfer off this plane a couple of times. Once while Clinton was here and once it just made a pit stop to drop them off on the way West.
Almost happy hour, maybe a bit of rum tonight, it is a raw day.
Good morning Diners. A large coffee and blueberry muffin please, Janie.
It is sleety rain falling. Will it turn to snow? Hope not as I have to go out soon.
Brent. That’s more than 15 minutes of fame. lol.
Our daughter and grandchildren have gone out clothes shopping as our treat. I can see a few hundred pounds disappearing from our bank account [^o)] [(-D]
Imgur changed their posting format. It was a bit of a challenge to figure out this morning.
We finally made it to Mr. Paul’s for a Po’ Boy yesterday. Thought John would probably enjoy one too. My treat[;)]
I’d treat you all to one if you guys were here[swg]
The only Po’ Boy available in Minnesota that I’m aware of. It was really good, but not as good as the one in New Orleans at the gas station next to Barb’s house though. That one can’t be beat.
This day has started out much better than the past several days. I got the streetlights installed in the streetcar parking lot, and they all work! If I had started building a layout and had this much trouble, I probably wouldn’t have continued.
My heart stress test results all came out great. They were a little surprised at my slow heart rate as I sat waiting. I think I’m just a lazy sloth at heart!
Traveling around eastern California is amazing. The Sierra Nevada mountains are beautiful. This is on the long stretch up to Donner Pass (famous for more than the trains!):
The wife is up to going for a walk today which is always a good sign. We’ll probably do 5km which is what she can usually manage at a much slower pace than I do, but I am delighted she wants to go. We will wait a while before we go to let the wildlife retreat back into the forest somewhat.
John, a slow heart rate may be an indication of fitness (or not) My resting HR is 42 and my BP is 108/62 on average. My Garmin says I breathe 7 times a minute when I sleep. At 67 I never nap or have to get up to pee in the night all because I go for a rip with the dog(s) most days. Keep walking the dog.[(-D]
My son was here yesterday and asked if I would sing and do a song on my guitar at their wedding. I said I’d think about it.[;)]
This is the song they want me to do. I think it is for their first dance, then the DJ kicks in. I asked why they just didn’t get the DJ to play Gord singing it. They said it was because they heard me play it so often when they stayed over while they were still in bed in the morning. Who knew?[:)]
The kid has tickets for the Vancouver White Caps game this afternoon, not sure if we will end up going as we are both on the tired side. They are great tickets up in the sports bar at BC Place. If we don’t go he just gives them to a friend by sending them on his phone, so convenient to be able to do that and it means they won’t go to waste.
Another cup of coffee, a couple of hours on the guitar, and then a leisurely walk in the woods. Ruff life.[&]