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Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 17 Feb 14 at 01:31
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Started getting bad in Blackpool about 5 ish.
I tried taking the mutt out about 6 , have you seen a Jack Russell fly.
Worst about 8, must have been gusting to 90 mph, were about 3/4 mile back from the prom, front of house facing the sea.
Our front window ( double glazed) was bowing with the wind pressure.
I got into work at 23.00, the Hotel i work in is on Squires Gate Lane, dual carriage way, straight run up from the prom. Wind tunnel is not the word.
Large pieces of roof tiles and morter, some larger than dinner plates all over the car park.
I have been here since 2006 and i can say thats the worst it,s been.
STOP PRESS. One of the riggers has just checked in, he left Kings Lyn at 18.00 and has just arrived at 01.50. M6 closed and a total car park..
Last edited by: seasidersrock on Thu 13 Feb 14 at 01:52
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Camion Stew
Park in layby of choice with a view (I can recommend a field of new lambs playing on spring evening)
Take one tin of Irish stew
One tin of new potatoes
One small tin of peas.
Tip all three into one saucepan together and heat until bubbling.
Now, this is the important bit.
Recline seat slightly, feet up on dashboard with 6’’ cab TV on, glass of wine poured, and eat with a spoon out of the saucepan.
Dessert.
One tin of Ambrosia creamed rice eaten cold straight from the tin.
I miss the high life!
I actually do.
I was close to nature, no people and always at peace with myself.
Pat
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tinyurl.com/o77pp6e
tinyurl.com/qdjhdrp
This was never about getting people to donate money, or to divert their normal charity donations.
It was never about whether they were insured or not, rich or poor.
It was about getting some practical help to people who need it.
Giving their morale a boost, and showing them others not affected do care.
Thankfully a lot of larger firms are now coming on board and proving we can stick together when push comes to shove.
Pat
Last edited by: Pat on Thu 13 Feb 14 at 04:51
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>>Our front window ( double glazed) was bowing with the wind pressure.
I've experienced that a few times in various properties we've owned here in Cornwall and it can be a tad disconcerting, to put it mildly!
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Weather became as bad as predicted, I baled out of work at 4.00pm. Bitannia Bridge was closed to High Sided Vehicles....this did not stop an idiot in in artic cross, I was six vehicles behind when he flipped over - consequently the bridge was closed at the most vulnerable time. I was lucky to be able to do an U turn and get off the bridge. The bridge was closed this morning becuase of this clown. Trucks have had to be stacked on a by-pas I ue to get to work thus causing gridlock in the villages it by-pssess. Seems te truck driver has been arrested. Hope they throw the book at him. He's caused chaos.
Trees down around my property - local farmers came to the rescue with chain-saws and tractors. Electricity been off since 4.15pm yesterday...we retreated to the pub in disgust.
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tinyurl.com/nfjmryy
Perfectly pitched punishment in my opinion.
Seeing the firm he worked for, I now understand it a little better;)
Pat
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"Costs were not imposed because Kolarik had been in police custody since being arrested after the incident. "
Strange - since the detention actually incurred greater costs to the UK than if he had been staying in a B&B!
And what do 9 points cost him as long as he stays out the UK from now on!
The fine goes no way inreflecting the costs incurred.
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He works for an Irish firm and as such, works in the UK and Europe. He has to pass through the UK to reach the ports and another 3 points for any minor offence will cost him his licence and an appearance before the TC.
That would incur a further ban on his HGV licence.
Pat
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Turns out he was driving a curtain sided vehicle, story locally is that the curtains were open and presumably thought that this would mitigate the effect of the wind....wonder if he spoke
/read English - the sings are old fashioned metal rolling ones that have three messages....in Wlesh and English.
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>> I take it from that statement that you would be happy to donate to a
>> fund to meet in full the losses full of those who chose not to take
>> out insurance where it is was available and now find their homes flooded.
It's not a case whether I would be happy to donate. I am trying to point out that very little is being done to help those who have been washed out of their homes, and quite possibly for a long time. And when they do eventually return they find what little they did have left that didn't get ruined in the flood has probably been looted anyway.
Bottom line is charity begins at home. Unfortunately the powers that be would sooner give the money away to other Countries before considering their own."
Like most people who want "something done" you seem curiously reluctant to agree to put your own hand in your pocket to assist. You accuse me of "wanting to draw up the drawbridge" when I make the observation that I don't have lot of sympathy for those suffering financial loss but who weren't prepared to pay for insurance but won't tell me whether you would help compensate these people.
I ask you again - would you be prepared to contribute to a fund for the uninsured?
As for your claim that nothing is being done do you watch television? The emergency services, the army the EVA are all out in force helping the flood victims. The government has just announced a massive aid program to assist flood victims. As soon as the water goes down the Insurance Companies will be out sorting out the claims. What more do you want to happen?
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I for one would not even consider contributing to a fund for the uninsured.
Everybody has incomings & outgoings. You make your own considered choice on what you prioritise and spend your money on. When I had my own retail business I paid a small fortune in insurance, covering me for all eventualities. Fire. Flood etc etc. I have a friend who insures against losing his small workforce in case they win the lottery and leave en masse!
That doesn't mean I have no sympathy for those affected. Being flooded out of your own home must be simply awful, and am so glad that each of the four houses I have owned were located on a hillside. If I lived in another part of the UK that choice might not be available and I commiserate.
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>> I for one would not even consider contributing to a fund for the uninsured.
>>
I think though we are all about to start compulsorily contributing to a fund for the uninsurable, in effect, through a levy which will bribe insurers to accept properties they would otherwise refuse because of known flood risk.
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>> >> I for one would not even consider contributing to a fund for the uninsured.
>> >>
>>
>> I think though we are all about to start compulsorily contributing to a fund for
>> the uninsurable, in effect, through a levy which will bribe insurers to accept properties they
>> would otherwise refuse because of known flood risk.
>>
>>
>>
>>
Yes, apparently a levy on all insurance policies to subsidise the flood-prone.
I suggest that an equivalent levy is placed on those in low-crime areas to subsidise those who live in dodgier places. Same thing, innit?
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"Same thing, innit? "
Not quite. I suppose you can manage without burglary cover but a serious flood could easily leave you £50k out of pocket. The government considers it socially desirable that the majority of the population have access to flood insurance at a reasonable cost.
The statement of understanding whereby Insurers undertake to provide flood cover to renewing customers even though there is a history of flooding is due to end soon and is to be replaced by a scheme called "Flood Re"
The existing scheme is not very satisfactory in that whilst insurers undertake to provide cover for existing Insureds there is no limit on the premiums or size of the excess they may charge or indeed any provision for new owners of flood prone properties.
The new scheme will make cover available for nearly all but it is going to cost us money. A levy is to placed on all policyholders of around £10 to £15 although that may well have to rise in light of the recent floods.
For full details of the proposed scheme see.
www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Topics-and-issues/~/~/~/link.aspx?_id=E483D07DA3BD43BDB730A671A1C853CA&_z=z
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>> I ask you again - would you be prepared to contribute to a fund for the uninsured?
Yes, if the situation warranted it. And in this particular case I think it does. Think of those poor sods abroad who also probably don't have insurance, etc when disaster strikes. The donations come flooding in for them (no pun intended) usually with immediate effect, why not for our own?
>> As for your claim that nothing is being done do you watch television? The emergency
>> services, the army the EVA are all out in force helping the flood victims. The
>> government has just announced a massive aid program to assist flood victims.
And who is paying - the tax payer. So that excludes the benefit scrounger, and anyone else who evades paying tax for starters. And how long did it take before Camerbufoon and the like to offer any money for help.
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>> the water goes down the Insurance Companies will be out sorting out the claims. What
>> more do you want to happen?
Well the water hasn't gone down, my drinks bill continues to grow, and there has been I sight of aid or charity to reduce the burden.
However we are not surrounded by water as we are now docked in lanzarote.
Now seriously
The flooded areas in Surrey are well known to flood, yet still very expensive areas to buy in and even more so to insure. You want the cachet and amenities of living next the flood you need to accept the risk and cost and plan accordingly. The people there are in no need of charity.
As far as blaming the environment agency or hm gov clearly that is rediculous. There has been so much rain here that previously unknown springs are breaking out of the groundwater. No amount of dredging or flood barriers would prevent what's happening.
Now back to my morning gin and cornflakes and remember please give generously c/o the zero drinks fund, SS Butlins, The coaling dock, If its Thursday it must be Lanzarote
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>> You want the cachet and amenities
>> of living next the flood you need to accept the risk and cost and plan
>> accordingly.
>>There
>> has been so much rain here that previously unknown springs are breaking out of the
>> groundwater.
>>
How do you accept the risk from a previously unknown spring?
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>>There
>> has been so much rain here that previously unknown springs are breaking out of the
>> groundwater.
On that basis it is not bad here.
15 years ago in a wet summer, a spring broke out in the adjacent field.
No sign of it...
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"If its Thursday it must be Lanzarote"
…… and it must be Thomson Celebration.
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Pathetic, not enough snow to ski on, try the Scottish ski areas, they have up to nine feet of snow.
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Kirkstone pass in the Lakes got a bit: tinyurl.com/q5y3qsj (Westmoreland Gazette)
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>>Pathetic, not enough snow to ski on
Gorn already AND it's Sunni :()
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>> Gorn already AND it's Sunni :()
>>
The weather is no problem up this end. :-)
m.webcam-hd.com/ski-scotland/the-lecht
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I've never really fancied skiing but checking out that webcam and those slopes makes me think I may well have missed something rather exciting.
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You have.
Do it. A Subaru Forester would be an ideal conveyance to get you to the Cairngorms.
Roll on Saturday. Slopes ahoy.
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Have a nice one vić, if we get any more snow up here I may give it a go ;)
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How on earth did the driver of this not have serious injuries? The wording with it on the BBC news site is as follows:
"A lorry driver was lucky to avoid serious injury after colliding with a fallen tree on the A39 near Bridgwater, Somerset".
news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/72953000/jpg/_72953158_swns_storm_crash_01.jpg
Last edited by: Westpig on Thu 13 Feb 14 at 16:09
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I suspect he saw it in time to duck below level of steering wheel. Serious injuries start with broken bones or hospital admission. Cuts and abrasions treated at scene are 'minor'.
Something similar locally a few years ago when driver training was being done on the then new Class 350 trains. Driver got down and escaped injury. The train had to go back to Siemens in Germany to be rebuilt.
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>> I suspect he saw it in time to duck below level of steering wheel.>>
>>
It is the reverse of putting your feet on the dashboard when you know a car is going under the front of your lorry.
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It looked to me too as if the really bad damage and smashed-in screen were on the passenger side, although the steering wheel appeared to be bent... but the driver tightens his grip on that to prevent his whole body from moving forward which would be worse.
I know this because I have bent steering wheels in crashes at least twice. They absorb the shock very nicely and progressively, preventing injury. Especially those ornate two-spoke sixties jobs.
Horn rings were quite flimsy but you wouldn't have wanted to bash your face on one.
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Power back on - all the tree debris cleared by the wood burner wombles. We've got off lightly compared to a lot of people. Counting our blessings.
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Just read the news report of the lorry ignoring the closed to highsiders on the bridge report, RP.
So pleased he was arrested, absolutely the right action to take.
He may have wanted to be a hero but it doesn't help those others who have to pick up the phone and say they are parking up because in their opinion it's too windy.
Glad you're all ok, though.
Pat
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Seen one flooded field/street - seen 'em all. Media overload. (Unless you are affected personally - then it's news).
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Why do all the TV stations make their reporters stand in the water ? Must cost a fortune in wellies !
Do the radio lads have to do this as well ?....I wouldn't be surprised.
HO
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>> Why do all the TV stations make their reporters stand in the water ? Must cost a fortune in wellies !
>>
>> Do the radio lads have to do this as well ?....I wouldn't be surprised.
>>
...stand in the water? Plus lots of other stuff !
Obviously Elf & safety is being ignored.
For a change, one BBC reporter took to a boat and called in on folks along a street.
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Yet again the cry went up " Dredge the Thames !
I am not convinced that will help the situation.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26175213
At Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, the river has been recorded exceeding 275 cubic metres per second for 52 days.
While the river has seen higher flows, especially before 1950, the scientists say the duration of this intense flow is nearly twice the previous longest time on record.
"Not only has the river Thames been extremely high, its been extremely high for a long time, throughout January and now in February and the total volume of water coming down the Thames has been the highest since 1883," said Prof Mike Acreman from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
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Dredging is sensible, but you'd still have flooding even if the river capacity was doubled (unlikely).
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>> Dredging is sensible, but you'd still have flooding even if the river capacity was doubled
>> (unlikely).
There were good scientific reasons to abandon dredging including it's limited effectiveness, the 'painting the Forth Bridge' nature of the exercise, disposal of dredged material, effect on nature and risk of moving the problem downstream to next capacity bottleneck in rivet. That one might be town embankments and bridges.
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"Some scientific views on efficacy of dredging: "
Ah - sensible words from sensible people.
Now is a good time to assess those politicians who who simply want to placate the dumb populus with b.s. and ill-considered promises.
Whilst I've some time for what much of UKIP has been saying over recent months, they tend to be a bunch of unscientific, head-in-the-sand idiots as far as climate-change and energy sourcing are concerned. The kipper-lady on Question Time last night didn't exactly cover herself in glory, did she?
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Some scientific views on efficacy of dredging:
Not much in that report that is not immediately evident to anybody has spent time on the beach building channels and dams! But at least it has professional endorsement. Not that the Daily mail (or its readers) would understand.
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>> Not that the Daily mail (or its readers) would understand.<<
Judging by the amount of DM links posted on this forum, I would say that makes 75% of it's users thick Sherlock
Pat
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>> Judging by the amount of DM links posted on this forum, I would say that
>> makes 75% of it's users thick Sherlock
But as I think I post at least 90% of them, that means, err, something else.
:)
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Not all Daily Mail readers are thick. It's the Daily Mail believers that are, though.
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That's true. I read a lot of newspapers. Most have something to offer, even the Mail although I wouldn't want to rely on it for unbiased reporting. Sometimes it just make me laugh.
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>>Sometimes it just make me laugh.
:0)
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>> Some scientific views on efficacy of dredging:
>>
>> www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-somerset-flooding/
I'll bet that somewhere else on the internet you can find the equivalent article written by the Professor of flooding at a different university who thinks it *would* work.
The problem with the internet is that you can find a learned article agreeing with either point of view if you wish.
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>> The problem with the internet is that you can find a learned article agreeing with
>> either point of view if you wish.
>>
Like automatic gearboxes, I expect.
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It has been stated that a lot of the Somerset levels are below sea-level, - even a "dredged" river cant flow uphill!
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>> It has been stated that a lot of the Somerset levels are below sea-level, -
>> even a "dredged" river cant flow uphill!
AIUI they're below level of high spring tides. One solution is the proposed Bridgwater Bay Barrage. This would allow tidal inflow to be controlled so that the bay would be a lower level than Bristol Channel. Would also generate electricity.
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"Illustration by Daniel Pudles"
Brilliant.
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>> Now, *this* is what *will* help flooding problems.
Not as much as this: tinyurl.com/nxktp74 (DM)
:)
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Watched QT last night as it was local. Amused when the question was asked as to who could name the village that was flooded before Xmas where vastly more homes were flooded than the Somerset levels and not one had a clue. Demonstrates the power of the media.
As pointed out above water cannot flow uphill and there is the rub. Unless coastal walls and flood barriers are built at all the vulnerable points then there are going to be casualties.
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>> It has been stated that a lot of the Somerset levels are below sea-level, -
>> even a "dredged" river cant flow uphill!
But they are not permanently inundated, are they?
So they do drain. If they are not draining fast enough when then dredging may help.
Dredging hasn't suddenly become a waste of time per se, though I have no idea whether that is the issue with the levels.
On a smaller scale, we have a lot of water round here that accumulates because the drainage channels are substantially blocked - one of them by an enormous tree, part of which took out the electricity supply in the December gales, and was then felled into a ditch by the people restoring the supply on Christmas Eve!
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Through all the last couple of weeks of very heavy rain the ditch below the house here, between us and the forest, has been running invisibly and quietly.
This afternoon it suddenly did what we expected a week ago, filled to the brim and rushing, about three feet higher than the usual small trickle. The water comes off some fields a hundred yards away via a sort of pond with fish in it.
We aren't threatened in any way, it's got to rise 15 feet to threaten the house and there's no way it can. But from a ditch you can step over to a torrent you would have to take a run at is a bit of a change. Two plank bridges are already immersed and the good one is almost awash.
I have a feeling the weather is just starting to calm down. It may kick and scream a bit more, but it's getting knackered. Fingers crossed of course.
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>> filled to the brim and rushing, about three feet higher than the usual small trickle.
In some places rain can get dangerous and spectacular. On a new nice road in the coastal strip of Algeria, but a road winding around steep mountains made of mixed earth and rock, the water was gouging out lumps of rock which were then rolling down the mountainside onto the road. One, standing on end in the carriageway partly splintered, was the size of a small car and must have weighed twice as much. The Peugeot 504 estate multiple long-distance taxi in which I was travelling had to zigzag through all the smaller stones that littered the road, but still ran over lot of them.
One of those Algerian rivers, normally a malodorous tiny trickle at the bottom of an improbably huge and rocky watercourse, had come into its own as a goddam raging torrent, hell's bells, you'd be dead in ten seconds if you fell in. It's not unknown for people sleeping peacefully in the depths of the Sahara to be suddenly drowned by a flash-flood coming from miles away.
I used to think this sort of threatening weather was just a third world thing. Oo-er...
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>> not unknown for people sleeping peacefully in the depths of the Sahara to be suddenly drowned by a flash-flood coming from miles away.
It's warmer in the oued and there are a few small trees and other plants. The disadvantages are a) scorpions and b) lethal flash floods.
Where you don't get those you are exposed to the wind and evil spirits.
:o}
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>I have a feeling the weather is just starting to calm down.
Windspeed is due to peak around midnight tonight then back off a little until noon tomorrow when it should fall dramatically.
Sunday is looking reasonable in your neck of the woods AC.
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"Windspeed is due to peak around midnight tonight then back off a little until noon tomorrow when it should fall dramatically."
Looking on the bright side……..
If I'm reading the dial correctly (at 21.43), it looks as though them ol' windmills are currently providing 11.88% of the national grid's power. I've not seen it as high as this before.
www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk
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Three of them burst in flames on the Island on Wednesday..........
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A further indication of sea power
Shipping containers protecting the damaged seafront railway at Dawlish in Devon have been breached, leaving properties at risk of flooding.
www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Residents-evacuated-Dawlish-sea-wall-shipping/story-20632093-detail/story.html
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Apart from them maybe not working in this weather, a clever temporary solution. I wonder if the waves just went over them? Just seen the linked video - two levels of containers might have been an idea.
The original wall wasn't as substantial as I thought was needed given the weather that destroyed it. It lasted from 1847 I think but I'd have thought a much more substantial wall was needed.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 14 Feb 14 at 23:42
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Scary here now, don't think I'll be getting much sleep. Forecast is gusts of 60+ until 6am, I've no idea what the actual wind speed is but this is as bad as I've heard it in 20 years.
The noise is unbelievable.
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>> The noise is unbelievable.
Here too, and even after two weeks of it I can't say I'm getting used to it. Hard gusts even make the modern double-glazed casement windows whistle a bit, forcing their way through the sort of rubber windscreen wiper lip that's supposed to make an airtight seal. It has reached a sort of peak and is subsiding a bit at the moment, as predicted above. Not quite over yet.
But I'm looking forward to a gradual reduction in violence next week. Just hope I'll be able to make it to the shop tomorrow for more vodka. The road was iffy in new places today.
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Very scary here too. I got up at 3.15am and I have never heard it like this before.
There is something banging around outside but I have no idea what it is.
I have to go to work at 5am and wonder what the roads will be like.
Pat
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Good luck Pat! Just got up as the heating has come on for some unaccountable reason. The controls have been having some glitch. Now, after a reset, seems to recognise that it's off-time! PS: wind howling a little but not so bad (East Mids) as it seems further south. Local weather station gives wind gust at 33mph: must be in a sheltered spot!
Last edited by: NIL on Sat 15 Feb 14 at 03:55
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Lights keep flickering here so I'm trying to get my coffee fix before venturing out!
Pat
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Thought as much: weather station in Leek gives 0300 peak as 49mph and getting stronger. Probably wimpish in comparison to some poor souls!
Last edited by: NIL on Sat 15 Feb 14 at 03:58
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Holbeach (about 15 miles away) is showing gusts of 41MPH to 60MPh historically and getting stronger peaking at 6am.
Four cats are all looking worried too:)
Pat
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They're telling you to go back to bed! If not, hope the journey's OK!
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I've threatened 15 lorry drivers with a fate worse than death if they are late.
I would never live it down if I don't turn up!
Pat
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Very windy here last night, I live close to Rochester Airport which is very high up and exposed & it was the windiest I can remember it being, plus it went on for so long. Torrential rain at times too. Feel shattered as got so little sleep, I was supposed to be going for an eye test this morning but cancelled as I would have probably have fallen asleep in the chair. Doesn't seem to be any damage around though which surprises me, so have to consider myself fortunate.
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Blown very hard all night here. No obvious damage but I'll need to do a walkround to check if any of the creaking/rattling tiles have shifted.
Forecast is for wind to drop a little by mid afternoon and shift from SW to W. Another period of rain due from 11:00, initially as showers then a couple of hours persistent from late afternoon.
River Nene having been over its banks and flooding fields earlier in week was back to normal on Thursday. Suspect it will be over again now. Amelioration works 15 yrs ago mean our neighbouring village of Kislingbury no longer floods as it did in 1998.
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Still a strongish westerly wind but nothing compared to last night. It hasn't rained since dawn and has been more sunny than not.
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Just been out with the dogs, quite pleasantly mild. What is remarkable is how little damage there actually is in view of the wind speeds. There are plenty of trees down and TV ariels hanging limp next to chimney stacks, but most people have got away unscathed. Slates seem more prone to dislodging than tiles from what I've seen on my travels.
The oddest damage round here was a bus having it's door blown off near Newgale.
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Think slates normally do suffer more than tiles. In the great storm of 87 our then neighbour in Watford lost most of his slate roof. Contrary to my expectation based on aural evidence during the night we lost none of our concrete pantiles.
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To be honest here in East Anglia I have rather enjoyed this winter. Unlike the South and West there has been comparatively little rain and the storms have done little damage. The temperatures have been amazingly mild and we have had a fair amount of sunshine. The daffodils are coming into flower and the garden is full of snowdrops and primroses.
Have just checked our heating bill and running at 20% less than last year despite a price increase in gas. It's not all doom and gloom!
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Scarily windy in Reading last night. We noticed a fence panel had been blown over at about 11pm, and I was woken up at approx 2, 3 and 5am by the howling gale.
Still pretty breezy, but calming down.
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Drove to beekeeping this am: 7 miles cross country along single track roads up and down valley sides. Heavily wooded: lots of elderly trees uprooted including one in the road bank (road about 1 meter below field height.). Fortunately it fell into the field and not across the road. Many of the fallen trees had ivy covered branches - so higher wind resistance.
Raining again - . Snowdrops out, two or three brave yellow crocus... and that's it.
No power supply issues tho' it flickered yesterday twice... No local flooding issues : the rain falls, and flows into Cheshire:-)
(When I was brought up as a kid in Northernmost Banffshire on the Moray Firth coast,, winds like last week - 80-80mph - were common and the houses on the seafront would flood in heavy storms at high tide.)
No sense of proportion at all.. Virtually no deaths - see US 25 killed due to ice and snow storms. Oh it's the South of England.. that explains it.
Last edited by: madf on Sat 15 Feb 14 at 14:53
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Just been down the allotment, surprisingly little damage, lost 6 panes of glass from the greenhouse due to part of next-doors pigeon loft roof going through it, otherwise it had only blown my chickens over!!
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Well rather wet and really really windy here last night, looks like pretty much the whole row of 100 or so beach huts at the nearest beach are matchwood now; Valentine's Evening meal at a local ish restaurant was more exciting than anticipated for some! :-
tinyurl.com/there-goes-the-NCD
If I want to head west to visit the fleshpots of Bournemouth I have to head SE as all the roads west of me are flooded. One local flooded lane has claimed a 63 plate Police Skoda amongst several vehicles.- that one made the Daily Wail.
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The noises turned out to be a small length of guttering down and it has been replaced without bothering the landlord, yesterday afternoon.
My upright cold frame door had blown open and a few pots and trays had gone walkabout so maybe I should fit a small bolt instead of using the brick to keep it closed as I do now.
The journey to work found one telegraph pole almost across the road but just enough room to get past with Plod's supervision and lots of small branches littering the roads.
Today is a family lunch at our regular halfway house point between Kent and the Fens
www.vintageinn.co.uk/thekingsheadnorthweald/
so it will be interesting to see what other damage was caused locally.
Pat
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Lovely day here so far. Quite mild, sun is out clear blue skie.
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>> Today is a family lunch at our regular halfway house point between Kent and the
>> Fens
>>
>> www.vintageinn.co.uk/thekingsheadnorthweald/
You could have gone to one of these.
tinyurl.com/prjsyqe
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If I wanted Sunday lunch in a transport café environment I would have gone to J29 Truckstop at Waltham Abbey Duncan!
Pat
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Besides, she might bump into Zeddo and have a reasoned discussion.
I wonder if her hands are big enough to fit round his throat?
;>)
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Only if she survives me battering her with the remnants of 6 of my fence panels. Still I can wrap the body in the remains of the the felt that was on my shed roof and dump the body in the flooding at Chertsey.
Yes i'm back (after a fraught night at Gatwick north, no baggage appeared after 2 hours, passengers got angry, police called at 02:30 am to try and restore order) and I have brought the glorious weather back home with me.
Just had 6 days of unbroken sunshine, 20c and above, just one day of rain - yesterday- in Gran Canaria.
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Well there you go....typical. There were us worrying about you up to your chin in 3 foot of water, with no roof over your head - Pat was about to organise an aid convoy to deepest Surrey......Dave was arranging a charity gig to fund it all...oh no he's in the Canary's sunning himself....
You shouldn't use these provincial airports should you.
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>> Well there you go....typical. There were us worrying about you up to your chin in
>> 3 foot of water,
300 fathoms
>>with no roof over your head
It was called the Lido Deck.
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Gatwick is indeed "special". Lidl on the move really. Not quite as special as Liverpool John Lennon though in fairness. The ground staff there shout instructions at you as if you were a potentially violent simpleton and even when they have established that you have understood their requirements and that you probably won't actually steal anything they then revert to calling call you "mate".
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A Humph you don't get Lennon Airport. I find it very charming.....! What you say is quite true though.
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How did you get on in the Canaries Mr Z Sir, and what islands did you visit?
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>> How did you get on in the Canaries Mr Z Sir, and what islands did
>> you visit?
I reckon he's too busy trying to find a supplier that's got fence panels.
BIL lost half-a-dozen, ordered them from Wickes, to be delivered. I wonder when?
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>> >> How did you get on in the Canaries Mr Z Sir, and what islands
>> did
>> >> you visit?
>>
>> I reckon he's too busy trying to find a supplier that's got fence panels.
>>
>> BIL lost half-a-dozen, ordered them from Wickes, to be delivered. I wonder when?
managed to convince the neighbour its his problem.
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>> How did you get on in the Canaries Mr Z Sir, and what islands did
>> you visit?
Well firstly the weather was almost universally superb, our prime goal, specially for February. Its difficult to find good weather that early in the year without going long haul, and the Canaries/Morroco type latitude delivers at the expense of a 3.5 hour flight. Mostly sunny, 20-21c highs, and light winds.
Flew into Gran Canaria and departed from Las Palmas. Not my favourite island or town by a long shot, in fact I wouldn't consider it as a destination tho the beach there is clean with good sand and ok for a day.
Then it was La Palma, Santa Cruz de la Palma, delightful little town for a mornings wander.
Funchal Madeira was next, an island I know well and like, tho Funchal is a little limited in scope and interest, but managed to visit the Jardin Tropical Monte Palace this time.
Day at sea to Agadir. Strange place, the old town was completely destroyed by an earthquake in the 60s, so they rebuilt 2km south, subsequently the Souk and town has all the bad bits of morocco, but being modern has none of the history or charm. The new beach resort and marina is however very classy and pleasant.
Next PoC was Aricife Lanzarote. Lanzarote has me polarised, I love the work and influence of César Manrique so a return visit to the Jameos del Agua was very special (no place on earth has so much style and ambience) but the sight of Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise would horrify him as it does me.
Tenerife - Santa Cruz was next and I was pleasantly surprised. For a busy bustling town it was very pleasnt indeed, good shops, cafes and squares.
Would consider going back for a week next year for some cheap early sun, probably try Fuerteventura.
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>>probably try Fuerteventura
Wouldn't rush. We went there a couple or so years ago. Hot rocky place. Despite the hotel's claims to superlatives it still had cockroaches. Very windy too. Tried kite surfing which looks easy and exciting but is in fact really hard and exceptionally demoralising.
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>> Despite the hotel's claims to superlatives it still had cockroaches.
Is there anywhere in the Canaries that isn't plagued by cockroaches?
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Fuerteventura is different again of course, each island has it's own character and uniqueness.
It's the winter sunshine and temperature that does it for me, sure there are much nicer areas for holidaying in the Med, but at this time of year the Canaries take some beating at under 4 hours flying time from the land of wind and rain.
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>> under 4 hours flying time from the land of wind and rain.
I'm genuinely happy that people enjoy a bit of sunshine in winter. I'm glad Zero enjoyed his luxury swan through the Canaries and Madeira. But the very thought of flying somewhere just for that depresses the hell out of me. The thing I really hate about holidays is their finiteness: 'Two weeks up, room allocated to some other bunch of schmucks, get out! No, sorry, no taxis till 3pm, you wanna catch the Cheapohols flight you'd better start hitching to the airport...'
I just hate holidays. Either it's all a holiday or it's all a vale of tears. Never been quite able to decide which.
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"The thing I really hate about holidays is their finiteness: 'Two weeks up, room allocated to some other bunch of schmucks, get out! "
Finiteness is the problem with life and existence in in general not just holidays. At least with a holiday you know when your time is up.
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>> Finiteness is the problem with life and existence in in general
Indeed. The solar system, the galaxy and perhaps the universe itself are finite. But there's a bit of a difference between a few billion years and two weeks.
There's something about a 'holiday' that somehow underlines it as a form of consumption, of resources and a product, radically distinct from what you might call experience.
One doesn't (sigh, sorry) want to exaggerate. People visit places they have heard and dreamed of and have experiences that are genuine, memorable and personally valuable.
But the best stuff of all is stuff you just trip over when you aren't seeking anything. The real thing. I've been fortunate in life but surely others must think the same?
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I was thinking more of our own finite existence on this earth which won' t run to a few billion years and might not run to a fortnight.
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>> I was thinking more of our own finite existence on this earth which won' t
>> run to a few billion years and might not run to a fortnight.
Thats why I only went for a week.
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>I just hate holidays.
I'd be climbing the walls without at least a couple of weeks somewhere warm and sunny during winter in UK.
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We haven't been on holiday for 16 years! - I wouldn't want one even if Lud paid for it but, I do think it would do most peeps the world of good to get some sunshine in February, for the sake of their health (mental)
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>We haven't been on holiday for 16 years!
I guess it might be different when I retire, but going to and from the office when it's cold, dark and wet is tiring.
For the last ten years or so we've been going to the same place late Nov/Dec.
I choose our room and make restaurant bookings by email before we arrive. We know the staff, and their families. Blood pressure drops as soon as we step off the aircraft.
April/May we go somewhere new.
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Looks like you came back the right time. Off to La Gomera in 10 days and just seen this report on the weather there today. The weather for that front that has affected us has just reached the Canaries. I don't like the look of that snow on the mountain road! I think that's the main road from San Sebastian to Valle Gran Reye that I've got to drive.
Sure it will be better then.
lagomera1.blogspot.co.uk/
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My ole mum would have been 18 in 1928, born in London and died in London, a Londoner through and through.
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Same age as me ole stepdad, Bonzo. Born and died a Mancunian...a Barnados boy. AFAIK he never really left the North West, even for holidays. Did manage to visit the Smoke though...with his Leyland Merryweather pump escape during the London blitz ! What a journey that must have been !
HO
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Weather Thread - Volume 11 - seasidersrock
