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Morning all. Wet and grey here again. Bring back the frost and blue skies!Yes, not looking good for the next few days, lots of wind. My favourite fence panel has already popped out.
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It was sunny here earlier but is clouding over now (11am). I noticed that we have been upgraded (?) from yellow wind warning to amber.
It's not so much the wind damage that concerns me (although it is a worry), it's the thought of trying to get a roofer to show up afterwards to fix it.
So, if you guys in the west/south west could take some of the force out of the wind gusts. I'd appreciate it, thanks. :)
garynortheast
21-01-24, 03:12 PM
We're sending it, unabated, to you all in the east of Ingerlund, in the hope that it will blow away all your sins!
Sir Trev
21-01-24, 03:54 PM
Not sure I want the frost and blue skies back. De-icing the car so I can get to the office is no fun, and although it is a pretty mild day here today it took me a full ten minutes to get one of the last of the parsnips out of the still frozen ground this morning...
Getting breezy here too now, and a bit drizzly. Further shrub pruning abandoned for the day in favour of perusing seed catalogues instead.
We're sending it, unabated, to you all in the east of Ingerlund, in the hope that it will blow away all your sins!
... but I haven't finished with my old sins yet and I haven't even started on the new ones. ;)
garynortheast
21-01-24, 08:41 PM
It's pretty rough here now. I suspect there will be a fair amount of tree debris on the roads tomorrow.
garynortheast
22-01-24, 08:19 AM
Morning all. Still breezy here but the worst of the storm seems to have passed. Hope nobody has had too much damage.
There are still some more gusts due over the next couple of days according to the BBC weather app at least for the Shrewsbury area
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Sir Trev
22-01-24, 08:05 PM
I now know I need to get the ladders out at the weekend and check my gutters. Suspect lots of moss from the roof has been dislodged and clogged the downspout (it has a strainer in the top) as the rain was making a heck of a racket as it spilled over and down onto the patio. Thank flip for earplugs so I could still sleep.
Morning all. We are having a spectacular sunrise this morning, the eastern sky looks like it's on fire.
garynortheast
23-01-24, 08:32 AM
Morning all. We are having a spectacular sunrise this morning, the eastern sky looks like it's on fire.
Pictures please, or it didn't happen! ;)
Grey, wet, and dismal here. No sign of the sun. :(
Luckypants
23-01-24, 08:39 AM
Morning. Cloudy as a cloudy thing here, nothing to see :(
Pictures please, or it didn't happen!
Oh dear. :(
Excuse #1: I have given up trying to connect my phone to my laptop since it insists there aren't any pix on it most of the time.
Send them directly from my phone? I did start to read the manual, honest. My current skill level with it means I cannot even wake it up reliably. (only had it 2 years).
Excuse #2: I had just arrived home from my 6am Tesco grocery shop (I hate crowds) and saw the sky as I was unloading the car.
Excuse #3: I was living the moment rather than wasting time taking pix.
Excuse #4: I'm lazy.
Seeker. did you know that you can email your pix to yourself then open your email on your computer..
garynortheast
23-01-24, 08:11 PM
Aaaand...the storm is back. Bloody wet and blowy again out there. Abnormally warm too. :(
I think that was worse than Sunday's storm.
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garynortheast
24-01-24, 07:22 PM
Yep. A big, soil filled planter blew off the wall last night, bounced off a glazed blue ceramic pot (miraculously without breaking it) and just missed my bike before landing on the ground!
garynortheast
25-01-24, 08:15 AM
Morning all. Grey and dreary out there but at least the wind has stopped. Got a little gardening task for someone today, but it's under cover so I should stay dry.
Nothing major planned for today. A new hob has just been delivered so I'll be installing that later...... Plus refitting those fence panels...
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Sir Trev
25-01-24, 09:12 PM
Had a day off today, which is rather nice. Had to take the car in to Marlow so the Ford dealer could sort a handbrake issue I was having so went shopping for new work trousers while I was there. I've had to go up a size, dammit!
Took the bus home, which is a hateful experience. Not sure if the one I got was 20 minutes late or ten minutes early, but it was packed with smelly*, noisy people, and no fun at all. Thankfully, Lady Poppy is giving me a lift back there tomorrow to get my car back.
*If you've never smoked the stench of a smokers clothes who is almost sitting on your lap (the seats are too small and leg room non existent) are terrible!!
garynortheast
26-01-24, 08:03 AM
Morning org. Sunshine today, much better that the grey drear we've had of late. I shall make the most of it and get a few outdoor jobs done; eyes and training wires for my espalier apple tree, and plant the onion sets which arrived yesterday.
Craig380
26-01-24, 09:07 AM
Morning Gary! Brighter today, will get out for a walk later. Being home again from hospital is the main thing though.
Luckypants
26-01-24, 09:47 AM
Its gorgeous here, really sunny. Shame I'm working from home. Getting excited that the solar will make a decent contribution today. Little things please little minds.....
Lovely here to, mind you another windy night that woke me up in the small hours
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Will certainly be interesting to see how it develops. It seems to have gathered significant momentum now. Shame it took so long.
My experience of large corporates is that the board invariably know about big problems of this nature and apply the pressure downwards for secrecy ...
Well, it seems that my previous generosity in trying to keep open-minded was indeed misplaced, and that Craig was right.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68079300
The more I learn about this, the more I'm in utter dismay and disgust that it could be allowed to happen. It seems the smoke and mirrors of national level politics and administration is just too unpredictable.
I still don't understand how no-one knows where the money went: How do all these 'losses' that were used to prosecute not have a balancing identifiable surplus somewhere?:confused: Not being able to trace that is logically incomprehensible to me. And it's truly a travesty of justice that convictions were secured without such demonstrable evidence.
Craig380
27-01-24, 09:47 AM
It is absolutely disgusting and a national outrage. The members of that committee have conspired to pervert the course of justice, which carries a custodial sentence.
As a minimum, Post Office management from that time should be stripped of all bonuses related to that time for malfeasance, and tried for PCoJ. Any politicians / involved should be removed from their seats / positions and tried.
But it won't happen. 'Lessons will be learned' and 'such egregious behaviour will be prevented from ever happening again' (they won't, and it will).
redtrummy
28-01-24, 06:24 PM
Has it taken another form? - the official silence re the side effects of the Covid vaccination
garynortheast
29-01-24, 09:59 AM
Morning all. Grey, wet, and peeing hard with rain again. There's a surprise! List of outdoor jobs has been put back another day. :-(
Craig380
29-01-24, 12:07 PM
Quite the contrast to yesterday! So many bikes out & about, a couple of consecutive dry, warm days obviously had everyone scurrying to their garages to take off dustsheets and unhook batteries from trickle-chargers.
Pleasingly, mine fired up as if I'd only left it a couple of days rather than 6+ weeks, and ran like a dream. Thankfully wasn't mucky / salty when I got home either.
garynortheast
30-01-24, 08:14 AM
Morning all. Stopped raining finally, but still grey and gloomy out there. Hopefully I can get out for a walk with Mabel without getting so wet today!
mornin peeps sunny with not a cloud in the sky but cold here in the kingdom.
Luckypants
30-01-24, 12:03 PM
The sun has come out here now and its a lovely day. Shame work has to spoil it!
garynortheast
30-01-24, 01:51 PM
Yes, lovely here too. Nice walk with Mabel this morning. I'm going to start the bike and have a little ride in the sunshine I think.
Sir Trev
30-01-24, 07:38 PM
Work stopped play for me today, although Hugh does not cone out when there is any salt on the roads... My next bike will NOT have unlacquered engine cases!
garynortheast
30-01-24, 08:17 PM
I feel dirty....
I've just bought something on Amazon. First time for about 8 years, couldn't find it anywhere else. It's the pump plunger and neoprene cup, clip, and cap for my 40 year old Coleman white fuel stove.
I need to go and wash my hands....
garynortheast
31-01-24, 05:12 PM
Well, having sullied myself with an Amazon purchase, (Coleman stove parts) I got the stove out again this morning as I want to run a tankful of white fuel through it in order to help clean the jets and burner. Typically it pumped up to pressure with no hesitation and lit first time with no faffing. :scratch:
My conclusion is that it just needed using a bit more. Still, I will at least have a spare pump plunger and cup for it while I am still able to get one.
I bought this back in 1989, along with an aluminium Coleman kettle, and both are still in service.
https://i.imgur.com/6ZKJ6UN.jpg
nice one gary. when you say white fuel i presume you mean paraffin?
redtrummy
31-01-24, 09:14 PM
Well if its now intermittently used then its plain to see how to turn the fuel on! The last family easily erectable tent we bought came with a VHS tape on how to put the thing up. Been many years since it was last used so if we needed to use it again we could do with a rewatch, still got the tape, but no recorder!
garynortheast
31-01-24, 10:52 PM
No, not paraffin Lance, it won't burn it as it's too heavy. White fuel is a petroleum/naptha mix. Later versions of the stove would run on unleaded petrol, and later versions still could burn paraffin, but mine needs the white fuel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_fuel
garynortheast
01-02-24, 08:06 AM
Morning all. Clear skies and a nearer normal temperature for this time of the year this morning. Gorgeous sunrise too.
Out on a little gardening job for someone this morning.
garynortheast
03-02-24, 08:09 AM
Morning orgers. I was contemplating heading out for a run this morning but the sky is as black as the ace of spades. I think we're about to get some serious rain again. :-(
What's everyone else up to this weekend?
Morning. Weeding/digging up yet more Spanish bluebells. I was thinking of going for a ride but rain radar is showing intermittent light drizzle. I'll know better when I get outside and start digging in the dirt...
Interesting thread on reddit about the pronunciation of "none". There are two camps: "non" and "nun", I'm in the former. Half the UK population (on reddit) didn't know the other camp existed.
garynortheast
03-02-24, 08:41 AM
Scone or scon? Has to be scone - bone, stone, alone, gone..oh no, wait, hang on.... and none. :confused:
Craig380
03-02-24, 09:58 AM
It's 'non' and 'scone' as in 'bone' ;)
I have zero plans this weekend, and I might not even get around to those ...
Sir Trev
03-02-24, 04:34 PM
The Monkey has come to see us for the weekend so we went for a nice walk around the charming Chiltern village of Turville, better known as the filming location of The Vicar of Dibley, Goodnight Mr Tom, and many more. On the hill above is Cobstone Windmill, better known as the home of Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The village pub is called The Bull and Butcher and was our stop over for lunch. Fantastic grub and Brakespear on tap. Trouble is I am now struggling to stay awake...
If you want to picture the place watch any number of the episodes of Midsomer Murders constantly on repeat on ITV3. It's all filmed in the villages around Turville. If you ever spot Barnaby heading into or past a flint-faced pub called The Chequers, that's in Fingest, just half a mile from Turville!
both pronunciations are correct. "non existent" and "there are nun left". yes the english language is great.
garynortheast
07-02-24, 07:56 AM
Morning all. Largely dry day forecast for here today, but a fair bit of snow tomorrow morning. I think the bike will be staying under cover for a short while!
Today would be a good day to get out and about. Thurs and Friday are looking very wet and miserable.
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Craig380
07-02-24, 09:59 AM
It's that part of the year when we're all waiting for that first bright, dry day when you can smell the unmistakeable tang of spring in the air, and you realise that your fingers and toes are actually staying warm while you're riding.
garynortheast
07-02-24, 01:18 PM
Not here Craig! It's blooming nippy out there, despite the sun.
garynortheast
08-02-24, 08:09 AM
Well, so much for all the snow that we were meant to be getting. It's peeing hard with rain again. :-(
Luckypants
08-02-24, 08:19 AM
Same here. There are a lot of disappointed children.
garynortheast
08-02-24, 09:11 AM
The decision was taken last night to close all the schools around here because of the possibility of snow.
It's now sleeting....
Luckypants
08-02-24, 09:25 AM
Similar here. Last night Flintshire decided no schools open today, but Denbighshire decided to wait until 7am for a decision.... Denbighshire schools are open. We have a little sleet mixed in the rain right now.....
redtrummy
08-02-24, 09:34 AM
mainly raining here - it all makes sensational news
Wet snow/rain mix here on the Humber estuary
Sir Trev
08-02-24, 05:42 PM
It's that part of the year when we're all waiting for that first bright, dry day when you can smell the unmistakeable tang of spring in the air, and you realise that your fingers and toes are actually staying warm while you're riding.
If we did not have The Monkey visiting I may well have gotten Hugh out for a run on Saturday. By the time she'd headed off on Sunday it was threatening rain so I scarified the lawn instead... Its been hosing it down on and off the last few days and the forecast for this weekend, with a clear diary, is of course pants!
garynortheast
09-02-24, 08:17 AM
Morning all. Knee is improving daily, not yet up to running but getting there.
So much for the snow then. It just rained, and now we're back to the greyness and drizzle. It would be good to have some cold, clear, dry, and bright weather.
Luckypants
09-02-24, 08:26 AM
Good news on the knee. Yeah, no snow here after all the hoo-haa but it must have rained hard in the night..... usual suspect drains all blocked again on the dog walk this morning and lots of water running down the road.
garynortheast
09-02-24, 09:57 AM
I suspect there will be a lot of surface water here too. Just going to take Mabel for a walk, so I shall see what it's like.
garynortheast
10-02-24, 07:37 AM
Morning all. A bit drier this morning thankfully.
Busy day today. Off to a seed potato day run by Shropshire Organic Gardeners at Wattlesborough this morning. I will get all my seed potatoes there. There were about 45 varieties last year along with onion sets, garlic, rhubarb crowns, fruit bushes and small fruit trees, a stall selling old, refurbished garden tools, and a couple of cafe hatches selling sausage baps and tea, coffee and cake. Nice event even if it is a bit niche. Really well attended last year, struggled to find parking space, so going earlier this year.
Then back home to collect my toolbox and head down the road to work at the local repair cafe this afternoon.
What's everyone else up to?
Craig380
10-02-24, 12:15 PM
Just back from a walk over to Kerridge waterfall, which was very nice. A bite to eat then watching a bit of kicksport on the telly.
Sir Trev
10-02-24, 01:10 PM
Shopping for suit trousers... I hate clothes shopping but I've put on weight and need to go up a size. Of course the House of Fraser where I got my current suit has now closed but we now have a Suits Direct and they had a different brand in a colour that was near as dammit the same. If I didn't have two funerals this month I'd not bother, as I never wear a suit any more.
Shopping for suit trousers... I hate clothes shopping but I've put on weight and need to go up a size. Of course the House of Fraser where I got my current suit has now closed but we now have a Suits Direct and they had a different brand in a colour that was near as dammit the same. If I didn't have two funerals this month I'd not bother, as I never wear a suit any more.
Yes, it's definitely an annoyance when clothes shrink due to lack of use! ;)
(I've been there myself not too long ago.:smt022 Ended up buying whole replacement suit, with old one going to charity shop.)
garynortheast
11-02-24, 08:25 AM
Morning all. Blue sky and sunshine, hooray!!
Sir Trev
11-02-24, 05:45 PM
Spent most of the day faffing about in the garden. Finished the early (rather light touch) scarifying which means of course I have ten large bags full of mossy rubbish to go to the tip next week and made a start on tidying the borders. Need to dig some of my home made compost in to the veg beds soon but I ran out of daylight before I could get to that today...
garynortheast
12-02-24, 07:35 AM
Morning all. A walk with Mabel this morning, then a meeting in Newtown this afternoon. Hoping it's going to be warm enough to go to the meeting on the bike.
Trevor, the moss will compost in your heap nicely.
Just mulch your beds with compost, no need to dig it in, the worms will do that for you.
garynortheast
13-02-24, 08:22 AM
Morning org. Back to the grey weather again after yesterday's sunshine. Off out for a walk in the hills this morning. I'm packing the waterproofs!
Craig380
13-02-24, 09:00 AM
Hope the knee's OK, Gary. Drizzly here and I'm seeing my consultant this afternoon, so I'm mostly staying indoors.
was a bit drizzily here but its cleared up and blue skies,, for now.
hope all goes well today Craig.
Sir Trev
13-02-24, 06:00 PM
Trevor, the moss will compost in your heap nicely.
Alas, until I empty one of the composers I don't have room for any of it. There is so much of it too that I would struggle to mix in enough of the existing brew to get it cooking, and past experience tells me moss takes longer to break down than everything else even when I do. So, to the tip it will go and the council can turn it into something useful. At least we're still allowed to take garden waste to the tip without being charged, for now...
Sir Trev
17-02-24, 08:31 AM
What is going on with the weather? It was so warm in my study yesterday that I had the window open, and the central heating did not kick in at all last night or this morning. It is still the middle of Feb right? Did have a bit of a lie in and miss a month or two??
Craig380
17-02-24, 09:38 AM
It was 15 celsius here (Macclesfield) yesterday! Pity it wasn't dry as it would've been nice to have a bike ride.
garynortheast
17-02-24, 09:39 AM
I'm afraid I think we all know the answer to that one Trevor. The world's scientists have been trying to tell us for quite some time, and it looks like the chickens are coming home to roost now. :-(
It was 15 celsius here (Macclesfield) yesterday! Pity it wasn't dry as it would've been nice to have a bike ride.Lovely here in Shrewsbury today also. Definitely spring like. I actually did some garden maintenance. Can't wait to tax the bike on March 1st, whereupon winter will return.
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garynortheast
19-02-24, 08:15 AM
Morning org.
It was 18C yesterday morning when I left someone's house in Meifod. It's the middle of February......
Heading out for a walk in the sun with Mabel this morning.
garynortheast
19-02-24, 05:54 PM
Well, that felt like a reasonably productive day. Walked Mabel, then into town for a haircut and some groceries, back home and planted about 20 native bluebells and some dwarf iris which had been sitting in pots waiting to go in the ground. Finally, cut down the dead sunflowers from last year.
Dinner now.
Well, that felt like a reasonably productive day. Walked Mabel, then into town for a haircut and some groceries, back home and planted about 20 native bluebells and some dwarf iris which had been sitting in pots waiting to go in the ground. Finally, cut down the dead sunflowers from last year.
Dinner now.Yes but have you changed that rear tyre yet? ;)
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garynortheast
19-02-24, 07:44 PM
Yes but have you changed that rear tyre yet? ;)
:oops: :oops:
Rode 135 miles on the GSX accompanying my friend Alan on a BSA Goldstar 650. Rode to where the Ouse and the Trent meet to form the Humber at Alkborough (North Lincs) for coffee and cake. Then across the county to JJ's at Hagworthingham (Lincs) for (green) tea for me and lunch for Alan. Then back home to NE Lincs via Horncastle, Cadwell Park and Louth. Some private organisation had rented Cadwell but couldn't see anything. It's been a great year for snowdrops, they're everywhere in huge numbers.
Despite it being dry there were quite a few areas where water was running off the fields so bike got dirty (again).
Craig380
19-02-24, 08:59 PM
Despite it being dry there were quite a few areas where water was running off the fields so bike got dirty (again).
That's the problem at this time of year. Despite the fact that the run-off is only about 30 feet across, the bike still gets filthy :rolleyes:
garynortheast
20-02-24, 08:14 AM
Morning all. Back to the grey weather here. Bring back the cold, clear, sunny weather please.
garynortheast
24-02-24, 08:01 AM
Morning all. Looks like a proper winter morning out there, a frost and blue sky. Much better.
So what's the plan for the weekend then?
Daughter visiting with grandsons. It's going to be hectic.
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garynortheast
24-02-24, 08:12 AM
Daughter visiting with grandsons. It's going to be hectic.
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Good luck with that John. Nothing like small children for keeping you on your toes!
I've just had to book my car in to get the front brake pads changed, so a careful drive to Oswestry later this morning.
Craig380
24-02-24, 09:14 AM
Beautifully bright and frosty here. A walk over Kerridge ridge beckons, but will wait for it to warm up a little first.
Arsenal vs the Toon tonight, and no fixed plans for Sunday.
redtrummy
24-02-24, 09:27 AM
Took the wife in this morning for a knee exchange! Not too bad going but coming back it was quite foggy. Hoping all goes well so we can do more serious walking that has been impossible to do for the last five years. Just to have no misunderstanding its a goal we both hope for. A easy day now for me - not use to getting up at 5am, but two games of international rugby and a couple of beers will keep me occupied this afternoon
Sir Trev
24-02-24, 06:25 PM
Cold and foggy getting to the Ford dealers for 8 am today, but a caff breckie was a nice consolation. Went for a wander to kill more time and can report that the Thames at Marlow looks very angry indeed. It's over the banks in several places. Now have my MoT done after the parts to replace my faulty rear light finally arrived from Germany.
Even gave the car a wash this afternoon. Mainly because the the handprints all over the dirt surrounding the formally duff rear light looked scruffy...
... two games of international rugby and a couple of beers ...
The way England passed the ball today, I think they'd all had a couple of beers too!:rolleyes: (Too high, too low, too hard etc., leading to umpteen unforced handling errors that probably lost them the game. Even at the lowly level I played at, my coaches would have been raging at us :smt092)
But the Scots played very solidly and took their opportunities brilliantly, so good on 'em, deserved victors :thumbsup: And in the other game, the Irish, whilst not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, looked so strong and unflappable that it's hard to imagine they won't get the Grand Slam this year. Overall an enjoyable watch IMHO.
redtrummy
25-02-24, 11:08 AM
Unfortunately, as time goes on, I get too involved , had to give up on Scots vs England for the last quarter and watch it after I knew the result on catch up. (Gave up riding motorbikes in the evening as I could not sleep after) Pleased to see that the kicking game was somewhat reduced, perhaps it is finally becoming apparent that it isn't that entertaining to watch.
garynortheast
26-02-24, 07:49 AM
Morning orgers. Lovely morning here, cold with clear skies. Off down to the community orchard here this morning to try and do some rather late and much needed winter pruning of the apple trees. Hopefully there will be a few of us so we can rattle the the major stuff.
How's the week ahead looking for everyone else?
Craig380
26-02-24, 09:20 AM
Morning Gary - no fixed plans really, just general pottering. And that's the way I like it :)
Nothing major this week. Just getting excited to tax the bike on March 1st. I need my biking fix.
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garynortheast
27-02-24, 07:41 AM
Good morning all. After a beautiful sunrise it's now turned grey here. I'm out walking this morning and I suspect I may be putting on the waterproofs!
Luckypants
27-02-24, 08:07 AM
We had a similar sunrise, beautiful. Forecast is rain for the rest of the day though, so not much free 'leccy today.
Luckypants
27-02-24, 12:02 PM
I might have lied, the sun is out and my PV is maxed out. Solar has covered all use today so far. House battery filling up to cover the evening....
garynortheast
29-02-24, 10:42 AM
Road trip (in the car unfortunately) down to my sister's place not far from Crymych, to collect a 6' tall grandmother clock. Just stopped in Aberystwyth for breakfast.
Luckypants
29-02-24, 11:10 AM
Just stopped in Aberystwyth for breakfast.
Nice :cool:
Craig380
29-02-24, 11:26 AM
Road trip (in the car unfortunately) down to my sister's place not far from Crymych, to collect a 6' tall grandmother clock. Just stopped in Aberystwyth for breakfast.
That sounds like quite a handsome clock, are you planning to repair it?
garynortheast
29-02-24, 04:55 PM
Nice :cool:
It was very tasty Mike.
That sounds like quite a handsome clock, are you planning to repair it?
It's a working clock Craig. It was my Dad's clock, but my sister doesn't have room for it as she already has a grandfather clock.
Now on my way home with a car full of clock, chairs, spuds, seeds, and a pumpkin!
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