Enjoy the trip and the break, FC. But if you do trip and break anything, don't come running to us.
Ho ho ho. Merry Christmas.
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Enjoy it FC and have a lovely Christmas too!
Pat
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Happy Xmas to all, I was going to post a card until I found this....
www.thepoke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/bestchristmascard.gif
Best understood by those who enjoyed the Joys of corporate employment.
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Yes, likewise FC. I quite like the thought of you living up to your handle down some near-vertical slope dodging rocks and trees with the insouciance born of long practice dodging mimsers during high-speed pursuits through the suburbs of Leicester or somewhere... don't let the nippers try it before they're ready though. Have a good one.
And since we are here, I hope everyone else has a good one too. 'Tis the season to be indiscriminately genial.
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>> 'Tis the season to be indiscriminately genial.
Nicely put.
Happy Christmas everybody and enjoy your skiing FC.
I'd rather be in the UK at Christmas, but I guess at least I'll be warm.
(And I just received Christmas pudding, mince pies and other assorted goodies from my Mother, so that'll help).
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Enjoy the, um, break, Fullchat, I received a very seasonal email this week, but not the sort of thing I would pass on to anyone except my closest friends - and only the men at that!!
Seasoning Gratings to all.
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Happy Christmas you scumbag you cheap lousy.... :D
Sorry I just like saying that.
I hope you enjoy the sking certainly beats been stuck in the UK.
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>> Happy Christmas you scumbag you cheap lousy.... :D
>>
You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your a***
I pray God it's our last
aah, the spirit of christmas....
Best wishes to you all !
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A Merry Christmas to all from the Wild West of Wales.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw
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Well, I spose I'd better get in on the act.
Greasonal seetings to you all. Hic ! May you all have an enjoyable break.
I don't suppose I'll make a profit on the presents...again...Grumble grumble !
Ted
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>> A Merry Christmas to all from the Wild West of Wales.
>>
Wot he said.
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>> Happy Christmas your a***
I pray God it's our last
Your verse borasport? Not bad at all if so...
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He wishes....!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sat 21 Dec 13 at 00:16
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Best wishes to all....gotta dash, work calls. Another busy day in retail, gf going shopping with her daughter to Trinity Centre Leeds. Madness!
Wish I was off skiing with FC, but will have to wait till January when the cheapskates go!
Isn't it awful weather though...my MetRadar app shows banks of rain piling in all day. Glad I'm working till the 25th.
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A cultural reference that AC missed - thats me smiling for the rest of the holidays !
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>> thats me smiling for the rest of the holidays !
Delighted of course to be a source of extra cheer, but you flatter me by implication borasport. Were I to send you a full list of my failures to spot 'cultural references' you would die laughing.
The Pogues eh? A bit after my time and a tad ethnic, but that's a well-turned verse in its disagreeable way.
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Happy Christmas everyone.
When I get some time can be bothered, I'll add the usual Christmas themed picture to the thread.
In the meantime, here's an Elf and Safety warning. This is why it's not advisable to put fairy lights on a palm tree.
www.thepoke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/230275_493340080706290_1850357699_n.jpeg
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>> When I get some time can be bothered, I'll add the usual Christmas themed picture to the thread.
Done - in case you hadn't noticed.
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Pretty terminal oversteer on that sled ! The old guy holds it together well enough though.
I was overtaken yesterday by a guy in a full Santa outfit on a motorbike. He'd even got a helmet with a Santa hat and beard.
Kinda cool really. Big bike too. Knocking on a bit.
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>> Kinda cool really. Big bike too. Knocking on a bit.
>>
Should have used Redex.
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"The Pogues eh?"
Went to see the Pogues in 198..... can't remember. Best of 30 years ago.
Shane MacGowan smashing his face hard in rhythm with a beer tray.
Rum Sodomy & the Lash, was a blinding album, I must play it in the car tomorrow.
A couple of days ago an MTV channel was on and they were playing Fairytale of New York, quite simply, the best Christmas tune ever. I was explaining to my little boy how it starts with a romantic verse that changes to alcoholism and abuse. But of course some prick of a director had hacked and edited the second verse, ruined the theme and was totally lost on my son. I'd like to meet whoever made that decision and hammer some tunes on his face with a beer tray.
Happy beepmas guys. (I'm editing the Christ bit).
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**********************************************************************
Merry Christmas * Frohe Weihnachten * Joyeux noel * Glædelig Jul *
Vrolijk Kerstfeest * Hyvaa joulua * Kala Christouyenna * Kellemes
Karacsonyi unnepeket * Nollaig Shona Dhuit * Zalig Kerstfeest * Feliz
Navidad * Eftihismena Christougenna * Sretan Bozic * Gleðileg Jól * Buon
Natale * Prettige Kerstdagen * Gledelig Jul * Boas Festas * Sarbatori
vesele * Mutlu Noeller * God Jul
**********************************************************************
Last edited by: Kevin on Sun 22 Dec 13 at 16:06
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Christmas wishes to all. :-)
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and a Nadolig Llawen from another native UK language !!
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>and a Nadolig Llawen from another native UK language !!
Cyfarchion y tymor, PU.
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Can't include it my greeting though until it's EU approved. More than my job's worth you understand.
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QISmaS botIvjaj 'ej DIS chu' DatIvjaj vo' pagh
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>QISmaS botIvjaj 'ej DIS chu' DatIvjaj vo' pagh
Welcome to Swansea - Please Drive Carefully?
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Lemotöfazäli yofik e nulayeli läbik!
(Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Volapük (=worldspeak), a language wholly invented in about 1880 by a dogged - and brilliant in a way - German lunatic called Schleyer, a Catholic priest who thought God had told him to invent an international language... there are few clues to the word order in the good wishes however).
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There are other useful phrases:
Lutakujababot oba binon fulik senkafitas
means "my hovercraft is full of eels" according to this translation service:
www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/volapuk.htm
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A Merry Yuletide to all from the Vić clan.
Just watch you don't eat and drink too little.
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Right well, can't sit here chatting. Got to go and do my Christmas shopping.
Back in an hour or so...
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>> Right well, can't sit here chatting. Got to go and do my Christmas shopping.
>>
>> Back in an hour or so...
>>
>>
>>
You're in a rush, aren't you? The petrol stations are open till midnight, plenty of time yet.
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Well just back from mass, one of the few times that I actually go along.
Lots of sung carols with a keyboard player, and a lovely rendition of Silent Night with all the chapel lights out and just the candles and Christmas tree lit.
Doesn't do any harm to take an hour out, once a year to just think of others, what has happened over the last year, to think of ones that have been lost and close calls as well.
Now ready for the other Christmas spirit to commence :)
Merry Christmas to y'all !!
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Merry Christmas from all at Timbuktu
Last edited by: nice but dim on Tue 24 Dec 13 at 22:01
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Merry Christmas everyone, have a great day !
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Have a very Happy Christmas everyone!
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Have a happy and peaceful Christmas everyone. I am one of the fortunate ones, warm, dry, at home with loved ones here or nearby. Spare a thought for those flooded, with no power, hot food, or transport.
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Slightly belated best wishes to everyone: I'm a church organist and this is a very nice time to relax after lots of services (well-attended: our church at Sonning isn't one of those in decline)- until the grandchildren descend tomorrow.
And hear hear to Old Navy.
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Belated greetings to all. Had a lovely day which would have been lovelier had we been able to spend it in our own house. Power went out at 9:30 yesterday morning after two days of very intermittent supply, and we had to move Christmas. We rushed the cooking turkey and the rest of Christmas round to the inlaws and abandoned the house. Power finally restored at 7 yesterday evening. Would have been a very cold, dark Christmas not to mention a hungry one.
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Busy Christmas eve, looking after two five yr old twin boys in the morning, followed by getting as much of the Christmas meal ready as possible in advance. The evening was always going to be quite busy, I was pre-booked to take my parents to a party in the next village and pick them up at about mid-night. Also brother had booked me to take him and three of his school mates to a party in Bristol, it’s about 40 mins each way. One of his friend’s Dads was going to pick them up. So they were all around here getting themselves tarted up, place stank like a girl’s bedroom what with nasty aftershave and hair products. About half an hour before we were due to leave, the friend’s Dad had to cancel, so there were four very pee'ed-off 16 year old lads in the house, not a pretty sight. I could get them there but that was no good if they couldn’t get back. Just as well there was a kind older brother in the house :-)
So most of Christmas Eve was spent in the car, I don’t think I got into bed until 1:30am and completely sober, probably a first. Funny thing was picking my parents up at about half past midnight, my Dad was completely smashed. On getting out of the car he closed the door and then kept walking into the car, forgetting you needed to walk around the back of it first. He was fine the next morning though, although his arm was a bit bruised.
Christmas Day I slept through until about 9:30am, I woke up to a cold cup of tea, girlfriend had brought it up but I was obviously out for the count. When she heard me getting up she brought me a hot one and two pieces of toast and one of my Christmas presents, a duck-down duvet. No better place or time to try it out, we both thought :-) Really lovely it is, incredibly warm to the extent that she will stay longer in the room now, normally she only stays for me to finish my tea as it’s not unusual to have ice on the inside of the window. She used to shiver sitting on the end of the bed, now she can wrap some of the duvet around her.
When I got up it was then time to get on in the kitchen, making sure everything was organised for the meal at 13:00. It’s not difficult, I can almost do it without thinking now. It all went without incident, the locally reared turkey was lovely, really moist and full of flavour, not like those intensively reared things. There’s plenty left over for other meals when we feel the urge.
Boxing day, girlfriend was setting off quite early to see family in London, so I didn’t get much of a lie-in. I wanted to check the tyre pressures, water and oil before she gets on the M4, although it’s a virtually new car she wouldn’t know how to do these things and doesn’t show much enthusiasm in learning while she has someone else to do it.
She’s been staying with us for about ten days, now she’s gone the place seems unpleasantly quiet, in fact I’m a bit like a lost sheep not knowing what to do with myself and she doesn’t get back for three days. There are some of her things littered around the house which is a nice reminder, including a few things I’m sure she didn’t mean to leave on display. I think I might take the dog for longer walks to fill in the day and tomorrow is lads night out, some time to myself and perhaps attend to one or two small jobs I’ve had on my mind for weeks but other distractions have taken priority in recent weeks :-)
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That's it for another 12 months.
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>> That's it for another 12 months.
>>
Happy New Year everybody.
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>> >> That's it for another 12 months.
>> >>
>>
>> Happy New Year everybody.
Yup, thats it. The last of the food has just been consumed in a "Christmas dinner pie"
Sprouts, pigs in blankets, cut up turkey, carrots, parsnip, roast, along with sautéed leek and cranberry jus, all fried up - pastry cap on top.
Yummy
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 27 Dec 13 at 19:35
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>> Yup, thats it. The last of the food has just been consumed in a "Christmas
>> dinner pie"
>>
>> Sprouts, pigs in blankets, cut up turkey, carrots, parsnip, roast, along with sautéed leek and
>> cranberry jus, all fried up - pastry cap on top.
>>
>> Yummy
Still a lot left here yesterday. Cold cuts will do evening meal tonight along with fried up spuds and a side order of cheese remnants
Remainder of turkey (over half) carved up and frozen last night. Two big bags of breast slices and another of brown meat chunks for curry stir fry etc. Some will come back out next weekend though when Mrs B's brother is over from Ireland.
Turkey's bones etc are now in two simmering stockpots on cooker hob. Filtered then skimmed of fat the stock will be ingredient for lots of meals into new year.
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>> That's it for another 12 months.
>>
>>
It certainly is here. The Christmas tree has been dismantled and is back in the loft and the Xmas tree in a pot that was out the front on the drive & which actually spent more time on its side than upright this year due to the wind is back in the back garden.
Last edited by: Skip on Fri 27 Dec 13 at 12:39
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We still only have intermittent power. Nothing to do with weather apparently. It's an underground cable issue. Has put quite a dent in Christmas this year to be honest. Repeated and lengthy suspension of light, cooking facilities and heating doesn't exactly put you in the mood.
Spent rather more of our time driving from pillar to post to keep warm, and imposing on friends and family than sitting at home relaxing with the kids.
Last edited by: DP on Fri 27 Dec 13 at 18:55
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>>Spent rather more of our time driving from pillar to post to keep warm, and imposing on friends and family than sitting at home relaxing with the kids.
^This^ man needs a multi-fuel stove.
SWMBI was saying to me just a few hours ago that at least we would be warm / able to boil a kettle / toast some bread / heat up some beans / even fry an egg etc. although ... we have a gas hob anyway ;)
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Our SMUG has a gas hob and electric oven. I thought it would be a good idea in case we were cut off from one or t'other. The idea was thwarted when I realised the gas is cut off by a solenoid valve which shuts when the electric is off. D'oh.
For a safety critical appliance, I was shocked when I recently had it apart to fit a new thermostat - the wiring and the quality of the connectors and fittings were similar to those found on French cars. I found the main connector block had partially melted, the metal of the connector had softened, and the whole thing was a fire hazard. It has to go.
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In our road, the pavement was dug up a couple of weeks ago to do some electric work.
A damaged water main flooded the crater and that rather extended the outage.
All sorted, nice Tarmac ( but wrong colour).
Christmas eve , much flickering of lights and lots of neigbours lost all power.
The guys were working past midnight as the was another fault a few feet away.
We only lost all power for 30 mins as they had to just shut down the whole road at about 23.30.
Not been brave enough to enquire how long the power was off.
We have an older gas cooker so use matches for ignition and we are warm.
I even have a special gas board " efficient" kettle bought decades ago.
Smug? Me?
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>> at least we would be warm / able to boil a kettle / toast some bread / heat up some beans / even fry an egg etc.
I've just had a thought/fault/fort/fought? ... we have a private water supply ... via a borehole ... and the pump runs on ... :-(
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>> I've just had a thought/fault/fort/fought? ... we have a private water supply ... via a borehole ... and the pump runs on ... :-(
>>
A generator? ;-)
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>>A generator? ;-)
Yes, I did think about that swiss t, the pump draws about 900w for the short time that it's pumping water into an approx. 1000 ltr tank which is housed in a 200 year old outhouse that used to be the only toilet to this cottage back then :(
I believe the h20 is gravity fed from there to the cottage, I shall find out.
The other trick will be connecting the genny to the borehole pumps wiring, all good stuff of course ;)
I used to run my sun motor tester in my van via a little Kawasaki genny and, when we had a power cut in our 1 bedroom council flat back in the early 80's, I used to stick the genny out on the balcony so as to give us a bit of power being we were all electric back then, like.
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>> That's it for another 12 months.
Yep, although I see some people have already got trees, lights and decorations up for next years event. Gets earlier and earlier every year.
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Bunch of old curmudgeons. There are 12 days of Christmas. We keep our tree up until 12th night and have a party as we take it down. Loads of people are invited, it's good fun and a good way of using up the Xmas booze.
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>>There are 12 days of Christmas
I'm with ^this^ Giza.
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Our local B&Q were giving away their remaining real Christmas trees free tonight. "Take as many as you want, ideal for firewood" or somesuch on the sign. Some big ones too.
75% off the Christmas baubles and so on inside the store as well.
Now if anyone knows how to make a cut tree last 12 months...
Aye well, thought I'd ask...
;-)
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It should take root in good compost or soil.
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Worth going back and taking a couple of hundred of the beggars then?
;-)
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If you take them off their hands, they'll save money disposing of them.
Perhaps you can negotiate a fee?
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>> Now if anyone knows how to make a cut tree last 12 months...
>>
>> Aye well, thought I'd ask...
>>
>> ;-)
>>
Chest freezer in the garage :-)
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>>There are 12 days of Christmas. We keep our tree up
>> until 12th night.
>>
Also with you on that.
I always put the tree and decorations up on the Sunday in December which is seven days or more before Xmas Day and they come down on Twelfth Night.
I have a neighbour who takes her decorations down on 27th December every year. I asked her why and she said that she was fed up with them by then. I did say that perhaps if she didn't put them up in the first week of November so she was the first in the street every year then perhaps she wouldn't get bored so soon after Xmas Day; didn't go down well, never had a card from her since...... Heigh ho, 'tis the season to be jolly.....
Last edited by: Cockle on Sat 28 Dec 13 at 16:55
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We generally put our decs and tree ( and the awful outside chav lights draped on the house my wife insists upon but she's from Cheshire in her defence ) up the Sunday before Christmas Day whenever it falls and remove them on New Years Day.
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We (well the missus) put them up just before xmas, then we (the missus again) take them down some point shortly after. Don't and never had any exact dates for either.
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>> We generally put our decs and tree ( and the awful outside chav lights draped
>> on the house my wife insists upon but she's from Cheshire in her defence )
>> up the Sunday before Christmas Day whenever it falls and remove them on New Years
>> Day.
>>
About the same as us, up a week before and down New Years Day. Having the stuff up after you've gone back to work post New Year is just depressing.
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Powercuts are something you get used to out in the sticks, although they don’t happen very often. We had about a day without power when there was that bad snow about three years ago. Earlier this year we lost power for the best part of a day as well but that was because some clown was doing some drainage work in one of the fields and put his JCB through a main power cable. Lucky the JCB didn’t glow like Blackpool tower I should think.
There is no mains gas where we live, most people have oil tanks although a few people we know have LPG tanks. We have an AGA running on oil which is great since if there’s a power cut it still works but at a lower output although I think you can turn it up manually. The Grant oil boiler wouldn’t work as it needs electricity and the main central heating would be down as well as the pump wouldn’t work. But the AGA feeds three or four radiators and it all works on gravity so some of the house would still be warm.
We have two Honda generators, a big heavy thing on wheels, I think the output is about 3000W and my Uncle gave me one of his smaller Hondas which I think is 1000W. He was going to throw it out as he said it wasn’t working properly but my mechanic friend sorted it out easily, some control module was burned out. It’s great though since a while back a tree broke part of our fence down, it was about ten minutes walk away from the house so no way I could run an extension lead but with the generator I was able to use power tools and the whole job took a fraction of the time.
Also whenever there’s a power cut my Mum panics about the fridge freezer so I will connect the generator up for a short while to keep the peace.
There is also a massive open fireplace where you can burn wood and in a smaller room a Jotul wood and coal burner. That is my girlfriend’s favourite room as it’s always cosy, she will often stay in there for hours with me popping my head around the door only to take her a cup of tea and make sure the fire’s well stoked.
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>> make sure the fire’s well stoked
...without so much as a glance at the mantelpiece one can't help 'thinking'...
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It would be rude of me not to oblige if my services are called upon. The coal scuttle is quite heavy for a modest lady.
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>>Power cuts are something you get used to out in the sticks, although they don’t happen very often.
>>
You seem to have things well sorted.
What a contrast with some who have been on TV.
I am running out of water as my pump is not working.
Something as critical as this with no back up?.
I cannot use my " mobile" phone as the battery is dead.
Plug it in your car if you have a car and its not sunk !
Turn off the bluetooth ?
I have expensive backup - several battery phone chargers from Poundland ( and spare charged up batteries as I have an old type phone ).
I have a selection of LED torches including a wind up one.
Gatwick should have back up power!!!
They have some for emergency systems not for check in systems.
Ed Davey is going to ensure things are sorted and stop this happening. King Canute ?
We have lost power too, with all cables buried and in an urban area.
Fortunately not off for long but twice in two weeks.
I had better ring my MP.
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Merry Christmas - zippy
