Steam Trains & The Isle of Man

What does the title mean you think, well the obvious, last week it was time for another expedition, unfortunatly Andy the third musketeer could not come out to play, so it was down to Brian & I to go out & find these exciting photos of steam trains.

So off to the station we went prepared for all these opportunities to use our cameras, but there they were, the anoraks & geeks they had got there first, I felt quite intimidated with my small compact camera, when they had sophisticated SLR ones, which they were using.

The next shock was no steam engine, just some old diesel to pull the train, but undeterred we boarded the train, reminicing about previous adventures we had had in the past when on train journeys.

We talked about the carriages, the different types we had sat in in our youth, the windows with their leather straps, which sadly ours did not have, then off we set to our destination.

Some 30 minutes later we finally reached the end of the line & off we went to seek out more adventures, in the village of Rawtenstall, we had a full hour to explore before we had to reurn for the train back.

Guess what the place had closed up, nowhere was open apart from the local Tesco & Asda, I dont know where the people came from to keep them in business, we walked up the main street, then back down, that was it apart from the ducks on the river.

Back to the staion to find we had just missed the train so, in to Tesco for supplies & a drink, before returning to the station & guess what, our train had a steam engine, so into photo mode we went, at last we had rejoined the anoraks & geeks.

Onto the train still no straps on the windows, but Brian happily explained how much he used to enjoy smell of the smoke, I felt it was a little smelly & dirty. We noticed that all the staff had brew cans which took me back to the 1960s, we discussed whether these were new reproductions or old ones unearthed from the past, I went on to say I could not understand why they bothered when there were thermos flasks & mircowave cookers, but if it made them happy so what.

We travelled back to Bury then took more photos in case the others did not work, then spotted a fdriend of ours who was a volunteer, we asked him about the leather straps only to be told that they had no stock with them, also that these had never been in the north of England. Quickly we as old Toggs informed him that he was qite wrong that we as youngsters vividly remembered these on the carriages from our youth in the late 50s & 60s so there, so much for technical knowledge.

That sadly was the end of the trip, I will report back on any other adventures as and when they occur, have you noticed that familiar stalker on my photos again, where does he come from.

Just to say after this weekend that I will be in the Isle of Man for a week with my DIY friend visting other, they will be doing tasks on the house there whilst I will take on role of foreman for the week, plus I have been promised that they will show me the sights which I have been waiting to see since my brief trip of 2 hours back in th 1980s, so will tell you of these adventures on my return

Divorce Absolute

Good evening readers, today I recieved the decree absolute, thats the end of my marriage, stating the obvious I am now divorced.




Friends had said I would have all sorts of different emotions but I felt nothing, not sure what that says about me or the marriage, or maybe its yet to hit me.


In the same post this morning I got another letter from the solicitor about the former home, sadly it looks like it is going to run & run, so I am going to have to stay in my flat for the forseeable future,







The short term good news is that the school holidays started today so there will be peace and quiet for the next six weeks, sorry for those that dont know I live opposite a local primary school, and between all the MPVs & 4 wheel drives it gets hectic & noisy outside from 7.30am to 6.30pm monday to friday, thank goodness for weekends, sorry then the pub lot park outside.



Anyway less of this moaning, I am now getting daily e mail from my Grand children courtesy of Bebo, also I have aquired new friends from that site and am learning rapidly about using the chat facility with Skype & Yahoo, the biggest problem is all this typing.

I am not using my brilliant new voice recognition because at present I am still full of my throat infection & am worried in case it thinks my present voice is the norm.

Sadly this week I went to a funeral there were only 2 of us there, what a sad time it was, having said that the undertaker said it was better than the ones where there are stand up fights between warring factions of families.

My friend is still very ill in hospital and we are unsure about what is going to happen to him, we were saying today about how people percieve others & would people think how kind he is & how many people he has helped over the years.

If all goes well Brian Andy & I are going taking photos at the local steam staions of the locomotives, if we get any good ones I will post a few on the blog.

Soon it will be time for the scooter event, lets hope the weather improves, also I seem to now be aquiring acts for the concert, the lovely AMO is going to sing for us and if her voice is as nice as her personality we have a winner, plus she has given me a contact for some dancers, who hopefully will work for free. Another kind person has sort of offerred to do a piano recital for the event & will see if he can find some more acts, so now all I need to do is set the date, which I will hopefully sort out soon


This Photo is of one of the beautiful churches now been demolished for a new super shopping complex, what a shame






Well going back to try some more chat on the net now, please keep reading

What Do they Mean Man Flu

14 July 2007

You may be wondering what on earth I mean by the title, well its like this, I came down with a terrible virus, which gave me a truly terrible chesty cough, then my throat started off & it was painful to speak, so rang GP to be told by practice nurse waste of time seeing GP take lots of water & painkillers & eventually it would abate. She did not know I already drink lots of water then spend a fair bit of the day getting rid of it at the toilet.

Spoke to kind caring people about my illness including work, even they sympathised then I got this comment well its only "Man Flu" do these women not realise us men are delicate creatures who struggle to cope with illness because normally we just plod on & put up with what life throws us.

Well on a more serious note my friend Dave has been poorly now for some time & was readmitted to hospital very ill, strangly enough his friend who he looks after was in same hospital, well Dave could not answer questions which posed a problem when his fried suddenly died, we found the friends will, but there were strange complications because Dave was the executer of the will, but eventually we sorted eveything out for the funeral, sadly we felt it best not to tell Dave any of this, even if he could understand.

We tried to find the code for his safe & the keys, its suprising what we did find but still no keys so next week will get locksmith to open safe, see whats inside, hope its worth the bother.

Due to sorting all this stuff out just when I wanted to print out letters my printer went silly, despite all efforts it seems to of had it so today went & bought new photo printer, it is very clever, one day will understand what all the bits do.

Sadly because been ill no chance to obtain MP3 player so will be another new toy next week, I forgot to say my DVD recorder started playing up the other day as well so that has gone to hospital for repair, already missing it & freeview, plus video has problem but supplier has no replacements to offer me at present, it appears nobody is buying videos any more, so I have to hang on until they get more stock in.

I dont know what has happened but someone from Sweden has been looking at my blog, sadly they have not posted a comment on it, also since the party more of you appear to be having a look at it, thank you it encourages me to continue, was going to put new post re Black Puddings but photos not good so will have to go back & get some more, if you readers would supply more it would make my task easier & better for others to look at.

If there are any ME people out there or clever people, please tell me why I keep misspelling words when I know how to, have been trying to use voice recognition which was better than my spelling but at present is to painful due to throat infection.

Life Now I Am 60

Well folks slowly I am coming to terms with my new status, last week went to get my bus pass, sadly even got that wrong, remembered everything but proof of where I live, so another trip this week.

Tried to help friend out with shifting furniture, was okay till back set off, was fit for nothing for 2 days, so had to abandon all activity.

On the positive side, have been invited out twice this week, went to see Kath & Harry who I have known for for ever the other day, when we caught up with the last 40 years in an afternoon.

On sunday going to see Pauline & Billy for dinner, to show photos & have a chat about the party, Michelle who I have not seen for over 20 years will also be there, not sure if I will recognise her, again a sign of getting old.

Went for a meal out with Zorro today, tried to remember musical based on Shanglia took nearly 2 hours to remember it was Lost Horizon, neither of us could remember the hit song from Chorus Line that wasent "what I did for love" still cannot now, could go & look at LP( thats a big round vinyl thing for you young ones) but will get distracted & start other tasks.

Finally I have gone mad & ordered a brand new MP3 player so will see what exciting things I can do with it, when it arrives, so long as I do not loose it, or mislay it.

My computer will soon be upgraded with more memory so will then work quicker, shame the same does not work for me.

By the way all you readers what has happenned to the photos for my fast food blog, it seems to of gone very quiet.

Regarding the ME group, slowly getting to know the people there, have found some really nice people on the message board, the thing I have been most impressed at is how some people find the strenth to put up with the all that life seems to keep throwing at them, whilst still supporting others.

My loyalalties are being split at present my grand daughter signed me up to BEBO & the family keep sending me e mail which is lovely but for the fact often it is in text speak that I do not understand, also it means I have to go into this daily to read & reply, plus what an alien world they all live in, another sign of old age I suppose