Yeah, I just read an article that the Rhine is already so low that shipping might have to stop early summer if we don’t get extended rains soon (and it doesn’t look like that will happen). I have never seen it so low in its riverbed in early march, all the floodplains should be covered by the river this time of year but the water level in Duisburg Ruhrort is below 3m which is normal for summer, not March. Normal water level would be around 3.5m but this time of year you’d usually expect 6m or more.
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Talking of Wales and trains - I just noticed this:
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oh yes, that is one day i look forward to every year … 
its the Department for transport that tells the train operating companies how much to put the fares up and we get it in the neck 
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Excellent guess sir, and thank you for playing. You are correct, it is a F-18/E Super Hornet.
As much as I would like to have access to an SU-57 to photograph, that isn’t going to happen.
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Very Cute!!
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Local event. Drove past as four of the Mirage did a run and break.
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there is an outside chance you might see a M41 
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That was beautifully done 
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If it is any consolation, I’m constantly getting dragged off to horse shows.
Maybe we could get together and then we would have a proper - drum roll please - Dog & Pony Show… Thank you, thank you; I’m here all week 
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Over here there’s a common phrase…
Q: “What do you do if you don’t like someone?”
A: “Buy them a horse”
Q: “What do you do if you really don’t like someone?
A: “Buy them another horse”
We’ve had three horses liveried on our place since we’ve been here. I really like them being here, but man, they are such a bind/cost.
Do you use your horses for work, or just hacking out?
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lol, yeah I am working on making a small fortune from horses… I started with a large fortune 
Our oldest Brumby is a paddock ornament (he’s 30 and too old for riding). The other two are ridden for work and fun. My Irish Sport mare is a former ‘eventing’ (jumping, dressage and cross country) horse and even though she is getting on in years as well, is fun to ride. If I am doing a lap of the property to check boundary fences e.g. I will take my wife’s young Brumby… we have areas that are still heavily wooded and only accessible by foot, or small quad bike.
Edit: The Missus on ‘her’ horse. “Gundagai” AKA ‘Gundy’ our youngest horse and a Brumby that was trapped in Kosciuszko National Park as a yearling.
This photo was taken a few years ago and within weeks after we took him on. I wanted to check on some cattle in the top paddock and she suggested I take him. We didn’t have a saddle for him so I opted for the 4X4. She said “pfft” and once again proved what a superb equestrienne she is and how much of a better rider than I could ever hope to be.
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You’ll never guess what we call our K-9 and Mounted Patrol displays at work…
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Just got home about an hour from a week long work trip. Started in Pittsburgh, hit Philly and NJ, finishing up in Bangor, Maine.
Caught some aviation traffic, which I’ll post once I download the card.
But did take a buddy out to Marshall Point Lighthouse, since he’d never been.
A sample from Philly
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Ummm, some of [insert location]'s finest… and their human handlers
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Don’t you just want to pinch those cheeks and go “who’s a good boy then” at that thing?
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I’ve got a good buddy on K-9 who’s standard response when asked what his job as a handler entails “I’m just there to drive. His feet can’t reach the pedals.”
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