The Beast from the East arrived here this morning - flipping cold and has been snowing on and off all morning. Funnily enough it seems to be coming from the north west though...
Morning all. Still cold, 3°C, and grey, but not raining. Our local bibleotech, library, is very much a one-stop shop for many services. You can use their computer, get your photocopies, read the daily newspapers as well as searching the reference section, or even borrowing a book to read. Today a new service has been added, which I am told was well-supported by many of the older residents. A man was there to guide people through using their own laptops, tablets, or mobile phones. Reports have it that he was spending his time unblocking the accounts of people trying to see if they had any money left in their bank accounts. This modern age is something that some are finding difficult, as seen when they try to withdraw money from a cash machine. There are still many who pay for their shopping by cheque, something they feel comfortable with. Have a good day everyone.
Good morning all from a very chilly house in Limousin. After a great trip to Cornwall, we had to bring forward our crossing to avoid the Border Control strikes in France yesterday .... but forgot about the lorry drivers and their tactics of blocking roads. These nationwide strikes by many sectors are all for a cause I support ...resisting further raising of the retirement age in France..... but of course we had a long days drive...exacerbated by Mmes decision to sleep in at our hotel by the port, we eventually got away at 9.30.... and very quickly found ourselves immersed in ring road mayhem I weaved through the several dozens of stationary lorries for about a five miles..... wondering why there were very few cars attempting the same until we were totally gridlocked.. lorries across all lanes and a small snake of cars behind us. After a couple of minutes of righteous indignation and a brief chat with the french driver behind who thought we could be stuck here all day, I then signaled to all the cars that had followed us there was no way through....and to turn round. Then in gaps between the lorries we all turned round and drove the wrong way along the motorway back to the previous turn off.. It was crazy.. Cars and lorries everywhere... We then finally overrode the satnav a dozen times ...finally managed to find a way southwards... there were lines of cars and lorries in all the back country lanes trying to find a way...Interestingly we only came across one police car through out..
You should have gone over in a rubber dinghy - Braverman, Farage and the press would all have been there to wave you goodbye.
Morning all. Wet and windy, but warmer. Rather glad my seed-beds have been prepared and are now undercover. My search to find a wiper blade arm for Mme's car continues. The fact it is over twenty years old seems to be a problem. There used to be a thriving market for second hand pieces in the UK, but a similar place to search is not obviously here. Have a good day everyone.
Some UFO activity over your way @MexicanHornet ? Or is it Harry Kane's penalty kick still looking for a net?
Morning all. Bright sunshine when I came to, but within half an hour the clouds had rolled in from the south-west, and it is raining again. I noticed yesterday that signs were still in place in town for the demonstration Tuesday over retirement age. A large banner was attached to the flagpoles on a roundabout, one empty flagpole, but care had been taken to avoid stepping on the early season flower beds. Why make a mess of something you have paid for? Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Bright and dry here today, but very windy. Yesterday afternoon we had a massive thunderstorm just like a summer one that signals the end of a hot spell. It was warm for the time of year, but not that warm. Parts of the UK seem to be having weather problems with snow and ice. Here all the lorries are pulled off the roads in those conditions, and cars continue to move at a steady pace behind a snowplough. I have been caught out by blizzard conditions while travelling north, but not really been held up greatly. Have a good day everyone.
Snowploughs/Gritters are great for motorways/main roads but not so great for most urban or less-used country roads up here. My wife is currently enjoying her third day off work this week due to the weather conditions - the first two because snow blocked the main road, and today, while the main road to and through have been cleared, the roads around the school she works at are all iced over, forcing closure. The school is in a small town built around a hill, with the school near the top of the hill - meaning access/egress is virtually impossible in these conditions. Our house is near the end of a cul-de-sac - at the end which is the entrance to the local primary school - so she has wickedly enjoyed herself sitting by the window with a mug of coffee waving and smiling to the local teachers & parents as they trudged there over the slippery road.
I had a colleague once who lived on a hill in Bedford. If there was the slightest ice or snow, she didn’t come in. When I visited her house once, I understood completely. If she slid down her drive, miraculously turned 90 degrees without hitting anything, skidded all the way down the long hill, at the bottom was a T-junction, across which her car would have glided, then over ten yards of flat grass which led straight into the Great Ouse! The mickey-taking stopped.
Morning all. Grey with a steady drizzle means that lots of things are on hold. Watching my Friday night football is becoming as fraught as watching Watford. Approaching half-time, Chateauroux scored to lead 1-0 at the interval against the team that were second in the league. This would normally mean they would try to hang on throughout the second half, as scoring goals has not been their strong point. The second half starts and two quick goals make it 3-0. What is going on? Then things start to go wrong. 3-0 becomes 3-1, then 3-2. Back to defending a one goal lead. But then the classic counter-attack. As the opposition strive for an equalizer, the ball is played behind their defence that is on the halfway line, and is driven forward by a winger unchallenged. He shoots past the keeper, it hits the post, rebounds straight into the path of his teammate who slots it into an empty net. Just time to kick before the ref blows for full time. 4-2 sounds comfortable, but it was a real rollercoaster of an evening's viewing. Have a good day everyone.
Afternoon all. Hot as hell here, tis the season before the rains, but it has really kicked off strong. Even the cold beers don't work as well! Going to set up a BBQ later, and got some mates, and the in-laws round. My wife has 9 brothers and sisters, some have kids that have kids, it isn't a small fam when the clan come over! I won't say to the wife invite who you want another time! Grill cheif here! Have a goodun!
I could never understand British immigrants in Australia insisting on a traditional Xmas dinner in the middle of summer - it was viewed by the majority as a time for a cold buffet style meal. Legs of ham, prawns on ice, potato salad, coleslaw, ice-cream, fresh fruit salads, beer/wine/champagne etc, all eaten in the cool under the house or in a shady spot in the backyard - am salivating at the very thought...
Morning all. Dry and the sun is trying to break through the clouds. I have friends in the UK who went to stay with a cousin on the outskirts of Sydney for Christmas and the New Year. Christmas dinner as described by BB on the beach was what they were really looking forward to. It was an exception, but it was so cold they returned from the beach without even opening their goodies, and had the feast in the garage with the space heater blasting away. Have a good day everyone.
