Jump to content
Will it snow? 7 day forecast Weather Radar Will it be cold?
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?

Charltonkerry

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    884

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Charltonkerry

  1. Charltonkerry
    Thanks Jo, that what I thought as well. Right pain when they shut the bridge, might have to have a POETS day a few days early.
  2. Charltonkerry
    Stuck in Harlow at present, anyone heard if they are thinking of shutting Dartford bridge today? If so I won't be back for the wife's meal tonight :-)
  3. Charltonkerry
    Morning all, bit late this morning as its Marion 60th today, I no she don't look it, loads of cards to open and leg pulling about being a wrinkly, think I am now cooking my own tea tonight. Been an interesting few days, trying to recover from the hangover to end all hangovers, us oldies can party. The young uns crashed out early over the weekend the oldies disgraced themselves, but it was a great weekend enjoyed by all. What a wonderful setting as well. Look like the next do, will be sons wedding, the year was announced over the weekend so I suppose that's a step forward, we all had a good laugh when the venue was suggested as Leeds castle, didn't realised it was a serious suggestion, help need money for that one. Off to office today it's been a difficult few weeks we had to let a senior person go, never an easy decision, but it's done now, got a n interview with a young lad tomorrow and got to get a new starter underway on Friday, so it's all go. Work seem to be going from strength to strength with more maintenance being gained (Coast you got your big one yet?) and contracts won, look like we won 2 more for a total of another million, hope we can keep providing the service without putting our costs up, going to be hard. Think I got to start looking at another major reorganisation, which is a pity as I want to do some designs (might have to accept those design days have gone). I hope you all have a great day. There I go, its old age honestly, when I started this it was clear blue sky, now it's clouding over with a nice gust of wind howling around the chimney, we are very exposed here but I suppose with all the rain about living on top of a hill has its advantages. Thanks everyone just realised I got over a thousand likes, must admit that something new in my life, the first time someone have ever as did they like me, hard to get use too. Thanks.
  4. Charltonkerry
    I have deleted my reply. If anyone wants me to delete my explanation then just let me know. As I said it wasn't my intention to restart the debate.
  5. Charltonkerry
    Morning all, I don't we restart yesterday discussion, but I would like to be off topic for 1 last time, and just try to explain why I have decided to withdraw my off subject posts. I have a problem in continuing to post, as I agree with the moderators, this is a weather forum, which was specifically set up for weather enthusiasts. My problem is that I love the weather but have no technical ability, therefore if I want to get involve in the community I can only do so by going off topic. Yes, I know, I could go to the learning section and read up, but I am to old, to tired and frankly to engross in my work and running is as dome will know a 24 hour process, hence the reason why I post early in the morning, before the dreaded email and phone calls start. So therefore in my opinion its better for me not to post other than weather related items. People will say why not use the chat room, and to be fair I should, but I have been on here for a good number of years, and I am properly set in my ways, and any way the few times I have been in there I been lonely as its only me :-). With the SE thread I feel rightly or wrongly that I am known and was understood by the majority. However if as the moderators feel they want the SE thread to remain on topic, then I agree with them, unfortunately you cannot have me sprouting my dribble, whilst other people are getting into trouble for their off topic comments, that ain't fair, therefore as I said, I will no longer go off topic. I hope this explain my comments last night and I didn't want people to think that I had thrown my toys out of the pram, because if I had people would still be ducking now. Have a nice day Oh and its sunny and cloud free in dirty Dartford. Regards Kerry
  6. Charltonkerry
    After careful consideration over the last few hours, I have decided to not to pst anymore apart from anything directly concerned with weather. Regards Kerry
  7. Charltonkerry
    Serious question MK is what I do ok? Or would you rather I didn't, got no problem if you rather I didn't write my dribble. Sunny intervals at present felt chilly this morning :-)
  8. Charltonkerry
    Morning all. Here we are laying in a four poster bed Eastwell manor, just watching the sun rise, with the golf course in the background and the fountain in the foreground. What a beautiful sight. Shame about the one laying next to me, putting it nicely I think you could call her hungover and most certainly bedraggled. He's whom must be obeyed 60th birthday bash yesterday was a great success, lovely room, great food, excellent company. The grand kids run around and had fun, the grown over indulged in the wine department. Marion loves having the grand kids around her and was in her element yesterday. It was the first time in two years that we all managed to get together as a complete family. For some reason the slowly deflating helium ballon residing in our bedroom reminds me of my bank balance, funny what goes through a half awake befuddled brain at 7 in the morning. Oh well better get up and go for our cooked breakfast, then the nasty bit, we got to pay for it. Please send all the donations to help the bankrupt grandparents care off charltonkerry. Thank you. Cheers Bj notice you didn't want the wife? Was going make some other reference to the slowly deflating ballon but thought I might get banned a very cheeky smiley thingy :-) Dry with a slight frost and sunny apart from the sun not up yet :-)
  9. Charltonkerry
    Sorry Lauren, this might seem unbelievable to some, but I come from a generation of paper and pencils, I remember the first calculator, and personnel computer. I'm a Luddite (61 I know I don't look it) but seriously I heard of a blog, but I got no idea what it is, blimey suddenly I feel extremely old. I won't use twitter or Facebook for three reasons, first to many people get into trouble with them (including my engineers, who boast about knocking off early, being drunk etc), secondly I wouldn't know how too, and got no intention of learning, thirdly it don't know why anyone uses them.Atlantis I know exactly what you mean, when I look back to my youth or even at my son who is 28 there no way he or me could have survived what my father did, just as an example, one night there little group got overrun, and hand to hand fighting ensued, my father took a bayonet through the fleshy part of his upper leg, which pinned he to a tree, him and his best mate fought side by side all night with him pinned to the tree, they both survived, how I got no idea, his comment was, it was nothing, just a flesh wound. He was a lovely genial, modest man, but every so strong, even in his 60's no one argued with him, but he only got upset if I or any member of my family wanted to buy anything Japanese, not until after he died, de we buy anything. A totally different generation.Keeping on the weather topic here is a picture of the pitch today at Dartford FC, for those who don't where the mighty Darts play in on top off a 100' hill with very good drainage (or not:-))
  10. Charltonkerry
    Morning all, hope you are well. Big weekend, her indoors big 60th birthday bash tomorrow, the whole family gathering together for a meal, 3 generations ranging from four weeks to 70, at least I would be the eldest. Her birthdays on the 5th, so can someone remind to get her card out, yes I brought her one, not only that its a nice romantic one, that will surprise her. As per usual I am in the dog house, I couldn't resist it, it was one of those moments that don't come along very often now days, you know those cuddles moment, I had to say it, and she hit me, well I thought it was romantic, after the initial innocent cuddle, I said "that the first time time I ever cuddled a wrinkly". The family photo should look good with me standing there with a black eye. I just don't know why I have to do it, but I do, and she loves me really. I think our relationship is the perfect relationship and should be copied, it's based on the old formula of a love hate relationship, you know what coming don't you, so I won't disappoint, yes she loves to hate me :-). Better stop there as one day she might read this. Just finished reading a fascinating book mostly concerning a local regiment, the royal west Kent's, whom my father fought with during the Second World War out in Burma, my father was the nicest, gentle, mam mountain, you could meet. He never talked about the war (as is common with all that fought out their), all I knew was he was an expert in explosives, and that he was to valuable to fight in a battle called Kohima and he was behind the Japanese line for around 6 months during this battle, as he said just blowing every thing up. Anyway the book "not ordinary men" didn't deal with what he did (wasn't a Chindit) but dealt with the actual battle (often called the battle of the tennis court as it was fought for a month over the narrow width of the tennis court) it was 800 v around 13000, the battle was hand to hand, during the monsoon season, continual rain and ankle deep mud, oh and it was in the jungle. I think I read it was the most numbers of VC's awarded in any battle fought by the British. Sorry getting a bit emotional, these lads in there 20's and from around Kent, back up with some welsh. Fought and defeated the japenenese and turned a disaster into a victory. If you are interested in history and bravery then might I suggest you have a read about it. I was amazed. Their are still one or 2 alive who fought out there, and the 70 anniversary is approaching in April. These lads deserve to be finally recognised, they where know as the forgotten army and they still are, you never hear mention of there outstanding feats, and I don't understand why, the fighting in Burma was horrific, and wgphere mostly undertaken by the "county regiments" ie Essex, Royal west Kent's etc. my next book I got for Christmas is about Arnhem so watch out, I will be boring you about that shortly :-). Weather wise its seem dry out, its alway better to wait until sunrise before committing to the external weather, it's actually a very nice day out, feels chilly, no frost etc. mightt be a nice day for a wander in the country.
  11. Charltonkerry
    MK is that you in the photo? Think I better be on topic for a few weeks after that comment!
  12. Charltonkerry
    Blackprince, yes it was sad when they shut that facility down, always wondered how all those skilled people where going to find work, the only bit of hope I can offer you, is that it is improving out there, certainly in the near to medium term in the food industry and associated industries there is a genuine increase in investment throughout the UK, still worried about the long term. Let's hope the governments etc don't muck it all up, because the recovery is fragile and it wouldn't take much to derail it, think its a big election coming up, I'm hoping that by then companies will be to far committed to pull out. I know this won't be a popular comment, but both the people we are talking are being realistic about their wages, and we have been able to agree a realistic package on the understanding if they prove their worth then in the near future, further rewards will come their way. The agencies also have been more realistic with their demands, cutting their fees by up to 30%, which is appreciated. Dry out still.
  13. Charltonkerry
    Morning everyone, hope you are all fit and well. Getting a bit cheesed of writing that it damp, dank, .dark, dreary, depressing in dirty Dartford, but it is again today. The gas man cometh today, so got an all day POETS day, unless I have to pop to Harlow this afternoon, our top oven has packed up working, really annoying as the gas man will come, say he can't fix it, say I will need a new PCB, which isn't in stock and he will be back in 6 weeks to fit it. The oven is a bit of an unusual beast as its a fan assisted gas oven, all the engineers love playing with it, but it don't help us to get it repaired. Bank manager meeting was a bit of success seem to to got the support we wanted, but awaiting written confirmation, when we presented the future work potential for the next couple of years, his mouth dropped and he was speechless, it was nice to see, he appeared to be impressed with what we got on the books, so hopefully all will be ok. Had to laugh whilst we where in the meeting an email arrived on my machine upstairs, inviting us to attend a final tender meeting for a project valued at just under a million, I only had this one down as a possibility, be our first export project, well its in wales! On the way had a phone call and one of my bigger projects over £3million has got board approval, just got to finalise specifications etc., and that order should be ours end of march, just got to worry how the hell we are going to do it all. Now got to start making decisions that will determine our future, let's hope we get it right, very exciting, but also worrying times. Took on a further engineer yesterday, our most northern one to date, Huddersfield, pleased as he was unemployed, seems a nice lad. Also on Thursday we are interviewing a 27 year old apprentice, ex army, really impressed as he is paying for himself to go college, that's shows interest, he's got no practical knowledge, so its a risk, but we need a pair of hands occasionally, so I think that will be his job initially, painting, taking readings, etc., unfortunately for him we are going to put him under the instruction of our most talented and senior engineer, whose brilliant and I would trust anything he would say, but he is just a miserable moany old git, hope it works out for the young lad, if it does and he can put up with the continual whinging, he will have the greatest opportunity to learn that is possible to get. Looking forward to a weekend away, should be good, at a beautiful old manor house, being spoilt, can it be better, shame about the weather, but hey ho, I can't do anything about that, so here's to some, good beer, a few glasses of wine, so great food, and perhaps a message, its a hard life, but someone's got to do it. Have a great POETS day, and most importantly enjoy yourselves.
  14. Charltonkerry
    I apologise as per usual the item is not weather related, I know a lot of us in this region use the Dartford crossing and thought you might be interested in the following, also note the last paragraph informs you about the removal of the booths and the number plate recognition system. Improvements to a discount scheme to help local people who regularly use the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing has been announced by the Transport Secretary today (12 September 2013). Local residents, particularly those with privately owned vans, will benefit from the new way to pay. From March 2014, people registered in the local resident discount scheme will be able to make unlimited trips over the crossing for just £20 a year. This option will also be open to local residents who privately own a two-axle vehicle, including vans. Around 4,000 local people are expected to benefit from the move, although it will only be possible to register 1 vehicle, a car or a van, per resident at each address. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: Local businessmen and women use the Dartford crossing regularly to make deliveries into Essex and Kent. They are the backbone of British industry and that is why I am keen to find new ways we can make their lives cheaper and easier. At a cost of just over 5p a day we will help thousands of small businesses keep their costs down as well as saving money for those who currently belong to the residents’ discount scheme. In a move to cut bureaucracy, the Transport Secretary also announced that motorists registered on the local resident discount scheme will only have to send in their vehicle documentation every 2 years, rather than annually. The existing scheme - which allows motorists to pay £10 for 50 trips a year and 20p for each crossing thereafter - will continue, and existing users of the scheme will be eligible for the new way to pay. There are currently more than 24,000 people signed up to the local resident discount scheme. Some 4,000 local residents make more than 100 trips each in a year and 700 of them make more than 400 trips a year; these residents are set to save money with the £20 flat rate. In addition to the changes to the residents scheme and as part of a package of measures to ease congestion and improve traffic flow at the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing, a new free-flow charging arrangement is due to be introduced during October 2014. This will see barriers removed and people able to pay before they cross, either online, by phone or at certain service areas. Forgotten to mention the weather sorry, not raining and dry.
  15. Charltonkerry
    Morning al, hope everyone well, today's the day, it's the visit of the bank manager at 10:30, office is clean, most of the washing up done, fresh coffee will be brewing. Financial figures are complete and surprisingly impressive. The only part of operation bank manager which is a let down is mine, I didn't get time to prepare a spread sheet indicating profit and loss on present and future work, ain't worried as I alway think hand written is more impressive and anyway I was to busy quoting yet more work to waste my time creeping around him :-) After the royal visit (he must like us really as he always visit us and his office is in Rochester ours is in Harlow), I got to prepare for her indoors 60th birthday bash, it's the only time this year that all our immediate family will get together, 3 kids and their partners, 4 grand kids and their associated toys, poor old Eastwell Manor won't know what hit them, should be a great weekend, Saturday quiet romantic (yes even with me) meal, candlelight, 4 poster bed, perhaps a swim and a massage, fragrant oils, wished I was there already. Sunday the family descends, roast dinner, fine wines and hopefully great conversation and plenty of memories, of dirty linen nappies, screaming kids, early sunny holiday in caravans down in Cornwall, recollections of her mum and dad, and hopefully lots of laughs, she deserves a good day, after all, she been married to me. Must admit I forgot to mention that I received 2 private messages from fellow netweather followers, concerning financing small companies, both extremely interesting and very helpful, thank you both (you know who you are) and this is a brilliant community where people are willing to share their knowledge and experiences to help fellow weather geeks, it such a change from the normal web based site, I think it must be unique. I know mods and others must get fed up with our off topic subjects, but these and the community are what make this site and this region threads so great. Thanks for all the advice, help etc and long may it last. Now stopped raining :-) May I just add JP what a stunning photograph that is, must be absolutely magical to see the northern lights in all their glory and then capture it in a photograph of that quality must be just amazing. Raining very hard today, still dark, put the good old faithful lamp post is blazing away brightly. Everyone one have a great day.
  16. Charltonkerry
    I hope the mods are not going to clamp down, or how can I put it, I will be in deep ...., no doubt you can work it out. I spent the first 7 years of my working life including the 3 day week (told you I was old) slaving over a A0 drawing board, with the angle pose light and in my last few years an electric rubber, beat that, also had the weighted straight edge, they knew how to look after me. The games of cricket and football we had in that drawing office (over 70 of us) was legendary, I suppose we did some work but I really don't remember any. When I left I was actually the highest paid draughtsman in England, mainly because I had a company car :-) for you car experts it was an 1.3 Ital (mustard), I left for a pay cut and a mini van, to become a junior contract engineer, that move lead to a great future. The wife never understood why I took a pay cut (housewife bringing up 2 under 3 kids, what do they know :-)) and did I take some stick, funny enough on our last cruise, I reminded her and she agreed that perhaps it might have been the right move, if I done it a couple of years later. Its raining out, although I thought I could see a bit of sleet, probably not but I wanted to register something in the snow cup :-) MAF a hint from a professional non conformist, if you mention the weather you normally get away with it. It's still raining, promise to behave myself tonight, sorry everyone.
  17. Charltonkerry
    Coast, I pleased you gave an update on your company, I was wondering as I knew you was near to be successful in your bid for a large contract, I wish you luck. With all the big orders I'm talking about above, we also get the maintenance for those as well and some you are talking of over a £100k per year, which is bread and butter to me. Better get on subject. Raining.
  18. Charltonkerry
    Bjaykent, on a very serious not weather related (other than I can design a snow machine) I could and would double the size of my company, employ around 20 more people, if and its a bloody big if, I had the backing of the bank, yes, I would be looking for what most people would think is a lot of money, but in reality its less than a cost of a nice house. But to get this its impossible, I got orders amounting to just shy of £6million (that's how much we to do, to do to break even), I got promises from major blue chip company's who are in the footsie 250 for another £10 million to be completed by the end of April 2015, that's without the £20million pounds worth of outstanding quotes some of which we will get. Will we get the money to expand, no, of course not. Am I frustrated, yes, will I be nice and polite to the bank manager, doubt it. Will be able to do the above work, most probably yes, but at a much reduce profit margin as we will have to use specialised contract labour at rates I don't want to pay, it will cost us more than the small house above, and I won't have that much needed specialised knowledge in my company for future use. A very frustrated owner of a successful company, who ploughs millions into the economy and gets sod all back. Sorry about the rant, but feel better now I got that off my chest, must admit that days like today and tomorrow, really make me feel like giving up and shutting the company down, but I known and like my employees for to long to do that, plus i can't afford to as all the money is being reinvested back into the company, are we idiots, I let you decide. Chris, I went to one yesterday, a -25c freezer, it was raining hard when we arrived, so put on my nice new coat, and hi-vis jacket toetectors etc., and went straight inside, when the doors opened, you could see the steam entering the store, go into the bit that makes the cold air and ice crystal where produced. Anyway we where wandering around in there for about a quarter of an hour, and as usual we stood about and had a chat about things, might I just say what a stupid idea that was.nour toetectors froze to the floor, and it was a right bugger to move them. Anyway when we did, it was like watching Bambi on ice, people where sliding in all directions, someone grab my arm for support and snapped the coat sleeve off which had frozen and became brittle. Made me laugh anyway. Still raining out :-)
  19. Charltonkerry
    Morning all, hope everyone woke up feeling fit and well, or in my case well. For a change a I can actually confirm the weather, its wet and raining, this magnificent feat was achieved by the dubious method of lamppost watching, the said lamppost had not been used this year for weather watch as the climatic conditions have not been conducive. Hope you have notice an improvement in my comprehension today as Stun12 remarks associating me with the legal eagle the good and great Mr Abruzzi Spur and also the betting fella who goes by the rather dodgy nickname of Kentish CZ , made me think that my standards might have slipped, to be associated with a bookmaker is bad enough, but a barrister could it be more worring, next I will be associated with an estate angent or one of those darn bank managers, how low have I slipped old boy. Cor blimey mate I think I might 'ave to send the lads round, to duff you up, oh blow it I knew it wouldn't last. Anyway that enough of that malarkey, I would like to thank two aforementioned gentlemen plus Chris Mantle for all their efforts in producing such a fine cup competition as the snow cup, I am sure if it isn't used this year, then next year will be the year. Hope you all have a good day, I won't I got to much work to do, write a report do 2 quotes, and arrange 2 interviews, no doubt it will get done, but at the moment I am not certain how, just remembered I got to prepare for the visit tomorrow of that lowest of the low creature known as the small business bank manager, be interesting to watch him sliver under the door. What the chances of an increase in the over draught if he's interested in the weather and reads this? Think I have managed to insult all professions so off to work.
  20. Charltonkerry
    Think people are getting the hang of me now, I didn't even realised I mentioned the weather :-) oops done it again.To be fair its, now it got light it isn't the same as yesterday, it's actually a cloud free sky and looks a lovely day. But I think the problem was that I posted before it was light and I was fully awake.
  21. Charltonkerry
    Morning al,, hope everyone is well. Now officially bored with the weather as it is the same as yesterday. Working from home this morning then a nice drive into the heart of Kent. Have a good day.
  22. Charltonkerry
    Morning everyone, hope you are all well and not to tired from watching the lamposts last night :-) looks dry, damp, dark, dreary, dismal in dirty Dartford today, don't think we had any wetness through the night, so in glad I didn't stay up. Let's hope we get some snow this week as I think we deserve it this weekend. Off subject I know, but when arn't I, I think AS description of scenes are wonderful, you really can taste the salt in the air when he writes about his trips to the coast, also the humour in my opinion is second to none, puts my efforts to shame. AS thanks and keep them coming, as I enjoy them and I am sure I am not the only one. Got mostly an office based week this week, preparing some big budgets, also we got the bank manager coming in on Thursday, I must admit I don't like his visits, always leads to having to prepare a load of meaningless projections of future work, profits etc., our problem is we are all engineers, we got no financial help, knowledge etc within the company, so we always have to wait until he asks for something. Plus I don't understand all the numbers and what they mean, so I sit there looking thick, no rude comments please. Hope you all have a great week.
  23. Charltonkerry
    Funny I have a similar thought, but its mods and rockers and the near battle of Southend I witness when I was a little boy, police stopped it by a very unique and intelligent piece of policing, they took all their shoe laces away. Kent police wasn't so good however in the battle of Morrelli's down at Broadstairs all those hot summers ago.
  24. Charltonkerry
    Pleased to say that the life of the pig that died to give me my nice leg of pork for my Sunday dinner was not in vain, it's started to rain in Dartford, therefore her indoors pleased she didn't do the washing, and my Sunday dinner is being prepared, could life be any better? Well yes one of those bacon rolls being discussed could find its way to Dartford along with a nice dollop of brown sauce. Even the MOD thread seem to have a slight bit of agreement breaking out.
  25. Charltonkerry
    Morning all, a red tinge to the sky this morning, looks a calm, clear morning, wife will be upset because I told her a great storm was coming, with terrible wind and rain, hail sleet and snow, oops think I might got a bit carried away. I hope you are right tiny ill, 'cause her indoors does get upset if I tell her not to put the washing out and its dry, especially in the winter, could end up with no dinner and a very quiet Sunday which could be classed as a bonus :-) Since I posted this for you late risers (or lazy so and so's) it has now totally clouded over and dirty Dartford is as per tradition, damp, dull, dreary and depressing, be nice to have a little sprinkle of snow to cheer the old place up a bit, but it would probably turn slushy then that horrible grey colour. Have a great day and I hope everyone is well.
×
×
  • Create New...