Morning all. There is some cloud about, so it is not quite as hot as it was yesterday. The Tour de France is getting close, so Leclerc, who are the sponsors for the king of the mountains' competition, is now a sea of red spots. Each year they give you a scratch card as you complete your purchases, and each year I seem to add to my collection of giveaways. I now have a pair of sunglasses with little flags down the wings, but glad to say there are no red spots in front of the eyes. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Up with the lark this morning as the day has finally come when my aircon in the car is going to be fixed. The garage is well-equipped with specialized machines that others don't have, which is why it was suggested I went there, Unfortunately they have too much work, and to try and get something done quickly is impossible. So get it there at 9.00am and I can collect it at 6.00pm. I am not sure if I will be looking to buy a Peugeot 205, which is what they have lent me. It says it has done 28,000 kms, but I think it has probably been round the clock as it is not in the first flush of youth and not the best car I have ever driven. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Warm today, 30°C, but showers and maybe storms forecast for this afternoon. French technology is getting the better of me. Bank machine that lets you pay money into your account is broken down yet again. You cannot give it to a person any more, you just have to hope that the machine will be fixed next time you go. My internet account with the electricity company is not accessible due to them still having an out of date email address. Telephone us to change it says the website, but when you do, there is a programme of options, none of which are applicable, and no option to speak to an actual human. Last week it was the tax office website that gave me problems, since resolved by a visit and speaking to a person. People really do have their uses sometimes, despite what companies want you to believe. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Not so hot today, and despite some cloud no rain is forecast. Mme was taking a shower in the bathroom, when suddenly the lights all went out. A spot of investigation makes me think that the transformer has died. Surprisingly they are not that difficult to find in the DIY stores, so a trip out to purchase one. Not on the list of things planned, but there you go. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Some much-needed rain, which should help to lay the dust. It is the first day for a couple of weeks that the greenhouse vent has nor been wide open when I came down to make a cuppa. I should have known that getting the aircon in the car fixed would bring about a change in the weather. Have a good day everyone;
Popping in. Some signings but not enough movement so far. It was 38 here last few weeks. First Hurricanes are on the coast A and B, so some relief from the ****ing heat. Take care y'all
Evening all...... Just embarking on a ship in Edinburgh and making our way through the northern Scottish Isles to Iceland... Part of the old git celebrations....
Madness - it's been blowing a gale & raining up here all day - and flipping cold too. Just a normal Scottish summer to be fair...
Morning all. Sunshine and cloud that brings a frequently changing picture. The sunflowers are just coming out of their tight buds in the fields around here. No doubt further south they will be in full bloom, a feature of the Tour de France. Good coverage of the race is on TV, although you do have to do a bit of channel hopping to get full coverage. Today we have the second stage entirely in Spain, where cycling is very popular. Yesterday the crowds were huge. Have a good day everyone.
Could not land at Stromness or Stronsay due to conditions... Now at Fair Isle going ashore this morning..
Morning all. Grey with a light drizzle, so no gardening today. Even if the weather had been better, it would not have been an option, as Mme has a hospital appointment to see the consultant in charge of her new hip. Hopefully she will get signed off and the twice-weekly visits to the physio can come to a halt. She was given a prescription for twelve months of treatment, that started in October, which costs about €8.00 a time. My daughter in England had whiplash injuries after a car drove into the back of her while she was stationary. No physio from the NHS was available, so she had to go 100% private at £35 a time. Just what do people want from their health services is a huge question, including the costs of providing them. Have a good day everyone.
Meanwhile, here in Scotland, I've been receiving physio for a shoulder injury from the NHS for the last three weeks, free of charge. I certainly don't want to lose that - and know that I'm not alone in that.
Morning all. Sunshine and cloud, but dry, so will go and pick some more beans before they get too old. Mme passed her MOT yesterday, and a bit like a car will not need a further inspection for two years. X-rays first at one end of the hospital, and by the time she reached the consultant at the other end, the pictures were on her computor. All moving parts are working well, but the physio is to continue for the full twelve months. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Grey, but dry, so not bad for being outside. I had to order some lights in England that I couldn't find here. By midnight on Sunday/Monday they were in Belgium waiting for customs clearance. They are still there. At one time, La Poste would have been knocking on the door with them, but no longer. Most of the time, I along with other Brits that I know only buy from the UK when we cannot find what we want. One day I might even learn to read the Amazon German website without getting the translator to work. Have a good day everyone.
All UK railway station ticket offices are set to be closed permanently. Many moons ago now, but one of my first jobs was in the ticket office at Bushey & Oxhey station. Was there for about nine months before becoming the 'Area Rover' - said Area stretching from Tring to Headstone Lane - meaning I had to be available for shifts at any station when needed. More often than not, I did double shifts - working at two stations on the same day - such as starting at Carpenders Park at 6:00am, working there until 2:00pm then going straight to Watford Junction to work through until 11:00pm. One of the richest periods of my life - was taking home between £40 - £50 per week at a time when the average take home pay was £20. Sad to think that had, I stayed, I'd now be facing redundancy. https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/all-train-station-ticket-offices-will-close/
You have taken me back a very long time BB. I was an apprentice with British Rail, and part of my training in signals and communications, involved a spell maintaining the telephone system in St. Pancras Chambers. Each morning I would go to Bushey and Oxhey station, and catch the train to Euston, then walk round to our workshop where we repaired the phones. My travel pass covered our whole area, from Aylesbury to Euston. One morning at Bushey I had a real jobsworth, who thought I should go to Watford to catch the train. Even at a relatively young age I was quite happy to argue my case, and my daily trips continued. It was an interesting period for me, as I disappeared under a typists' desk to take away her phone that wasn't working and replacing it with one that did. A really enjoyable time in my life, and I could afford to follow Watford.
That was one of the better perks of working for BR. My travel pass only covered the Area I worked in, but I also had a PT (Privilege Ticket) card which meant quarter fare travel anywhere else in the UK - which did come in handy for away matches. It also entitled me to ten free tickets anywhere in the UK and one in Europe - had a free two weeks in Rimini with that one, although nearly half the time was spent travelling there and back.
Morning all. Sunny and the temperature is heading back into the thirties. I have some bills to pay, and wanted to put some more money into the account yesterday. For the third time on the trot the machine that you pay in with was out of service. Good job I didn't wish to buy a train ticket at a station in England. During my journey to the bank, the aircon in the car stopped working. Straight off to the garage that fixed it, and the expert there tinkered under the bonnet before declaring it was the valve leaking at the point they put more gas in. He didn't have one, but if I arrived at 9.00 am Friday, he could fix it in an hour. Another early start and the temporary traffic lights to get by, where they are laying fibre optic cables miles from anywhere. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. It is heating up by the minute, with a temperature of 35°C forecast for this afternoon. I have had my aircon fixed again, and think I might be needing it over the next few days. What a warrior Andy Murray is. Four years ago he was hoping that his hip surgery would allow him to play another match at Wimbledon, but there he was in a huge battle last night with a top five player in the world. Stefanos Tsitsipas was looking rather relieved that play was suspended due to the 11.00 pm curfew. I hope he can finish the job when they return later. Have a good day everyone.
