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Up in Wales the weather is sunny and spring like - according to the BBC news there are flood warnings across the country - what's it like where you are ?
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sunny yorkshire should have been pelting it down all day so we put in action a major spring cleaning programme of the house and freddy the spider is not best pleased his web has been removed in the corner of the kitchen wife now concerned hes got it in for her and she an anoraky fibrer
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Cold and slightly damp in north Manchester.
Yesterday, it was very cold (about 2C), and very damp without actually raining or even drizzling. For those of us who happened to be standing outside for about 30 minutes it was extremely uncomfortable.
We decided to make a new word for it - 'Yeauch!'
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Its 8c in Sunny Cornwall, but in the conservatory its 19c with no central heating on!
This is the 2nd house we've owned with a conservatory and it certainly makes all the difference.
its only about 11ft x 11ft but it does the job.
if I had to choose between a garage or a conservatory, I think I'd go for the latter.
Wind speed - about 15mphNW ... must be them Pasties I made yesteday :)
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It's 39 degrees in the Fen ( I'm not a luddite!) and it has only just stopped raining since I got up at 4.30am.
On the plus side I love walking in the rain so Mr pda and myself got togged out this morning and went for a 4/5 mile walk around the local footpaths.
Listening to the rain was wonderful but the mud in the Fen is like nowhere else I've ever known. The local name for it is slub and you have to see it to understand why.
Came back soaked to the skin from mid thigh downwards with the icy biting wind that never stops and a tad dissapointed to find that we seemed to meet half the village doing the same as us.
The whole attraction of walking in the rain is that all sensible peole stay indoors and the solitude is bliss.
Pat
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Wet and windy in the wolds of surrey. Not as bad as promised by those useless individuals at the met office.
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Cold, wet and miserable in Bedfordshire.
I noticed yesterday the number of puddles on garden lawns. Our garden's got a sizeable lake today - must have rained a lot last night. I haven't seen that since I improved the drainage six years ago!
As yesterday was quite warm (12C) I put the old car in the garage to check it over for it's forthcoming MOT. Didn't get much done and I'm reluctant to get out there today (4C).
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Just stopped raining in Essex-supposedly the driest county in the UK.
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Bitterly cold and wintry showers in the North East - keeps the low-lifes in their cess pits.
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Cold in West Yorkshire - keeping the middle classes in their red brick prisons ;-)
rattle rattle - clang......... lights out
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North Devon clear (ish) skies but bitterly cold, as is my bottle of bomdadier!
Bottoms up!
MD
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Northants same as Bedfordshire - cold & waterlogged.
PS - Drove through the Bramptons today, has StuNorthants come over to the light side?
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 28 Feb 10 at 19:31
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>> StuNorthants come over to the light side
If any members on here know Stu's email address then you could invite him. Otherwise nothing we can do I'm afraid.
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Well, it's a lovely morning here in Southport. Sunny, light winds and not too chilly. The hound may get a run on the beach later, if he's lucky.
I really cannot wait for the warmer weather to arrive. I had no idea that my new job would be so unpleasant! Driving 28 year old open top buses with no heating is much, much colder than I thought it would be. Luckily my local Primark is selling off thermal underwear nice and cheaply...
Last edited by: Badwolf {P} on Mon 1 Mar 10 at 10:31
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and its a glorious day here in surrey too. Fifi is whining to get out there.
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>> and its a glorious day here in surrey too. Fifi is whining to get out there.
>>
Sure is but what is it like in Gloucester and along the Severn.
I am off to see the Severn Bore again again so it by headlights / torchlight tonight and several viewings in the morning.
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Ah the bore! It looks like it will be a good one too. I might toddle down tomorrow, where the best place?
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I have not been for a few years but this is what I do
I view from the west side of the river
1.Newnham Churchyard - far end. I watch from the top of the cliff as it sweeps across the mud flats.
or from the carpark at the bottom of the main street.
2. Off to the Severn Bore Inn www.pubs2000.com/severnbore_index.htm
As soon as the bore has passed quickly off towards Gloucester
3.the road runs close to the river( hidden by a high bank) park on the roadside & nip across the field ond up onto the bank.
Many watch from Over bridge by Gloucester.
4. My final favourite (please do not pass on the info)
I park Just sort of Maisemore and walk across the fields to the little weir.
This is where the bore ends. Watch the weir get drowned. It is silenced and hopefully you can then hear the birdsand the surfers have given up by then!!!
IMO the noise from surfers and the speedboats detracts from the the event. One of the reasons I like to observe it at night but I understand that the surfers are messing that up too.
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Ok henry - thanks for that. With the aid of google earth I have tracked down my two viewing spots. I am going for a spot just after the Seven Bore inn at 08:55, and do the 5.5 mile drive to the wier at Maisemore to see the bore die at 09:40 ish
will be leaving early with my flask to grab my first spot. The wife is expecting me back at 12:30 to take her for an early bird harvester lunch.
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And the weather at Minsterworth on the severn looks bright and sunny.
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Clear blue sky in NW Leicestershire this morning, makes a welcome change after seemingly 3 months of cloud and sleet/snow/low cloud/fog. Just wish it would warm up to more than 4°C!
Google ads keeps bringing up an advert for the Ford dealer half a mile up the road from me, interestingly.
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Chilly cycling into Reading this morning at 6:45 but
1. it wasn't raining
2. it was light
so a big improvement on recent weeks. Misty passing through Didcot/Swindon (train, not bike) but it's been a lovely crisp sunny morning in Bath.
Hopefully the park near the river where I walk the dog will start drying out and he'll stop coming back covered in mud. At least I managed to fix the burst pipe in the garage yesterday (yes I was surprised as well) so we can start using the hose on him again.
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>>At least I managed to fix the burst pipe in the garage yesterday (yes I was surprised as well)
Your method ? We expect a report back:-)
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It's nice in North Lanarkshire & in Glasgow! Not exactly a heat wave but really pleasant all the same.
Better than London over the weekend, got soaked through on Saturday night :-( Plus the Victoria tube line was off which was a right PITA for me!
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Clear blue sky and warm sunshine in the Fen.
It's wonderful to get out on the garden again and find out what's survived this winter.
Pat
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Question for you pat. Why does the "dog in a doublet" have such a fabulous name, yet be such a crappy pub?
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I really don't know but I thought it had closed down?
It looked as though it had a few months ago.
What about 'The 5 miles from Anywhere Inn' at Wicken Fen?
At least the meals are good and on a summers day it's heaven sitting on the decking watching the river go by.
Pat
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Doug in a doublet was our escape from work for a lunchtime bite back in the 80s. Seemed so far from the office in that weird waterside location yet only 3mls.
It shut last year and now has boarded windows with graffiti.
Here it is www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1553527
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 1 Mar 10 at 14:57
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>> Well it's a lovely morning here in Southport. Sunny light winds and not too chilly.
>> The hound may get a run on the beach later if he's lucky.
Well, normal service has been resumed. It's now pelting down with hail. Pooch ain't gonna get his run.
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I had to consider whether to wear my wide-brimmed hat, due to the unaccustomed solar glare in the Ribble Valley....Stayed dry and bright most of the day.
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I knew the day was going to be a good one, when I went to defrost the car (the backroom kettle method) I caught a fox with its front paws up on the wheely bin having a good old sniff,the fauna and flora count being improved by a barn owl (you don't realise how big they are till you see the wing span) swooping in front of the car headlights as I passed Horsell Common.
The swift journey down the M4 was accompanied by the battle 'twixt moon and sun, The big friendly old moon, large and low on the horizon in front , loosing out to the colourful light blue and orange slash that appeared in the rear mirror, accompanied by the sounds of a George Benson and Paco de Lucia playlist mix from the garish jukebox style stereo. The hug hot red sun rose up to the sounds of Entre Dos Aguas
Rising up over the hill from the City of Honda, along the route of Fosse Way, I could imagine the Tribune of the Legio II Augusta, staring across the curling misty landscape laid out in front of him as he pondered the delights of milk fed snails, an amphora of Falernian, and a warm slave girl that awaited him in Colonia Nervia Glevensium.
Anyway, due to good research on the hypnotic pages of Earthum Googleum, I found my desired parking space near the bank of the River Severn, a good spot, long sweeping view of the the lazy muddy slothful river, made more appealing by the delight of a nearby truckers burger van that sold bacon, ferociously salty and thick, egg and sausage baps.
The morning was glorious, warm and sunny, the bore was lazy, but my first so none the less astonishing in its relentless slow journey sweeping all before.
The mad rush, in the traffic, to find my next spot. The end of the bore at a weir. Not many people there, and a great view. The bore marching up to the weir, crashing on it in multiple waves, and silencing it, the sound only broken by the early morning bird song. Thanks for that tip H, it made the morning.
Then the gentle poodle home, in time to take Nicole out for lunch in a pub, and the dog for a run, in glorious sunshine.
I like this retirement game, yesterday morning I had no plans, and then the freedom to just shoot off and do as wish,
As George Benson crooned on the way down, “Never give up on the good things, Remember what makes you Happy”
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Zero, you are starting to get a touch of the Oilrag descriptives into your posts!!! Did you chew over a Thesauraus for breakfast??
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Well, I liked it:)
In fact I thought I was with you Zero??
Pat
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The snowdrops, newly born lambs, and the first glorious sunny day of spring makes me go funny.
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Its a pity Zero doesn't include in his name a reference to a nice Japanese saloon rather than a aeroplane of similar origin. Or is he taking a more aggressive view to life as a retiree?
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>> newly born lambs
I liked it too. And I was out at the weekend at saw no lambs. I hope to see some when walking in the lake district in just over a week. And if the wifi at the other end does not work I will just turn on my personal wifi hotspot that I will be taking.
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I hope you made a wish:)
I used to love parking in the lorry for the night in a layby next to a field of lambs.
With a few bales in the field for them to play on, who needs in cab entertainment.
Pat
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I saw my first of the year, last wednesday in Nottinghamshire.
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They don't have sheep in the Fen:(
Pat
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...They don't have sheep in the Fen:(...
The land's too fertile to waste on pasture for mobile woolly jumpers.
Flowers, fruit, veg, and other crops.
Thinking about it, there might be some sheep on the marshy bits because I believe you can get Lincolnshire salt marsh lamb.
Last edited by: ifithelps on Tue 2 Mar 10 at 18:55
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I was out with Milo at 6-30 this morning and saw that massive Moon as well Zorro.
Its a pity I didn't have a camera with me because it would have sure made some photo - with a heavy mist over Truro but with blue sky and that Moon above + the Crimson (King) in the Eastern sky.
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>>They don't have sheep in the Fen:(
But they eels in Mardle fen - or is that just on radio 4?
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they have been known to eat people in the areas round march and chateris.....
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Life is funny sometimes.
The borders of Leicestershire and Rutland are where my roots are and will always be 'home' to me.
I miss the rolling hills, the scenery, the gated roads across fields, having to get out of the car ( motoring link!) and move a cow chewing the cud in the road between cattle grids. I miss sitting up a tree down Black Spinney watching badgers at dusk, lambs in January. I miss hedges and the sound of the wind blowing in the trees. Going for walks because you walk up a hill to see what's over the top. Picking mushrooms from the fields and going home and having them for breakfast. I miss the community spirit we had when we frequently got cut off with snow for a day or so in the winter and the challenge of trying to get to work in Leicester over the Coplow. I miss the history and legend of King John's treasure and Guy Fawkes the village has.
Mr pda on the other hand, moved to the Fen from rural Kent and prior to that, Dagenham.
He loves the space, the big sky, the Wash fascinates him and Vermuydens work to make it possible, is a source of wonderment. He loves the sunsets and the stormy skies, the natural curiosity of the locals, and marvels at the way doors can be left unlocked and how every house has an 'honesty box' at the garden gate with a few veggies for sale. It amuses him that there are few 'dead end' signs in the Fen and that you can drive for miles down a road only to find it ends in a field!
Perhaps we only see what we want to in life.
I'm happy here now but it's taken a long time and for years the only benefit I could see, was that I didn't have to see the Quorn, Cottesmore and Fernie Hunts which were always a source of indignation to me...........but that's another subject and one we agree to disagree on!
Another motoring link.
When I first moved here I had a Ford Capri in British racing green and I took it in to have the steering checked only to find it was the cross wind blowing, but it was something I'd never experienced before!
Pat
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I don't know which bit of fen you're on, but you will find there are a few sheep about. Lots of cattle, though - shedded up during the winter, so for a good half the year.
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>The borders of Leicestershire and Rutland are where my roots are and will always >be 'home' to me
That would be Stoke Dry then. The welland valley is fabulous country, only spoiled by the cement works at Ketton.
Suggest you try the collyweston slater if you are out that way sometime. The food is pricy but fabulous.
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That would be Tilton on the Hill and Withcote/Launde area Zero:)
And we love the Collyweston Slater and The Swan at Harringworth.
Both are meeting points we use to meet family from that way when it's just a quickie meeting!
The menu is more interesting at the swan.
Pat
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I Lie, actually the best food is at The Falcon in Fotheringhey.
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...the Collyweston Slater, The Swan at Harringworth and The Falcon in Fotheringhey...
Sounds like locations for an Ealing comedy or a b/w war film.
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Zero. What a super report. It really was a lovely day and welcome to the top shelf of bore watchers.
.
I was not expecting a good bore and so it proved but we still enjoy the wonders of nature. It was predicted, predicted being the operative word, a five star.
The key adverse factor was much too much land water also no wind behind the bore.
We watched it at Newnham then just north of the Severn Bore Inn and then at the weir.
Sorry we did not get to at least say hello. SWMBO stayed behind the barrier while I went down the bank.
The crowds were enormous especially for a weekday. We only just made it to the weir in time. The weir is usually a nice bubbling weir not the swirling state it was in so the switch off was not as dramatic as normal.
We watched a bunch of nutters kit up with their little lights on the heads and paddle out in the dark Sunday night. Then we watched them paddle back having achieved nowt.
Should have looked similar to
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YJAjpMiRCQ&feature=related
We watched from Newnham church yard and approx 100 guys paddled out and less than 10 got any significant ride as can bee seen on the BBC clip taken from Arlingham .
This is a view from Arlingham the English side
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8544902.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucestershire/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8544000/8544243.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucestershire/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8545000/8545694.stm
These sort of photos that are rare
tinyurl.com/yksdvgg
Click on Photos only at the bottom and then blow them up.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtUmLLlm7S0&feature=related
Not good quality but a better idea of the force /size
An “on board” video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dva-J8VNOio&feature=player_embedded
We then went on to Ashleworth and The Boat Inn ( too early, they had not opened.)
Then to Shapwick in the Somerset Levels to see the starlings roosting display which was amazing. Dinner with a friend who lives in the area and a quiet late plod home completed an excellent weekend for us too.
ps A high def view
vimeo.com/9252141
Last edited by: henry k on Wed 3 Mar 10 at 15:46
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Maybe we did, I only just made it in time to the wier as well, didnt chat to you on the path briefly on the way to the weir side did I?
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Cancel the last thread cold easterly in N Wales this morning - cold as a cold thing.
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Bright but cold here. Fifi got a long walk along the Wey Navigation, followed by a snooze next to the fire while I had a pint.
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That's the leisure time "they" promised our generation AE
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40 degrees C when we left Cape Town on Sunday.
40 degrees F at Heathrow on Monday morning.
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Nice and warm inside the car today for the first time since October - temperature heads towards the giddy height of 9 C - Spring like.
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>> Maybe we did I only just made it in time to the wier as well didnt chat to you on the path briefly on the way to the weir side did I?
>>
I think you are right. SWMO cannot rush around anymore, so IIRC we waved you on.
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I was at the seaside today. Blackpool and St Annes. Very pleasant, sunny, early Spring weather if a little cold. I was working unfortunately so no time for buckets or spades. Stopped and sat on a bench in Blackpool to eat my butty at lunchtime and was joined by two Glaswegian winos. They were personable enough if a little smelly and chronically foul mouthed but it was clearly their normal method of communication so I didn't feel the need to be offended. They were kind enough to offer me a swig of their Buckfast which I managed to politely decline.
I asked them how they had managed in the really cold weather and they filled me with horror by their matter-of-factness on the privations of sleeping rough in winter. Of course I allowed myself to be tapped up for a donation, hopeless cases I should think and I'm certain it would have gone on more booze before the day was out but jeez....sometimes I forget how lucky I am. They were clearly not lacking in education and spoke widely and interestingly on a variety of subjects while we passed a half hour on that bench. I wonder how they got there.
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Where is there? They probably had no idea where there was.
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There, but for the.....................
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Spent the morniong with SWMBO and our two girls !! at Dunham Lawn cemetery interring MIL's ashes after nearly a year in a box. Put some flowers on little grandson's stone while we were there. SWMBO's birthday today but it was the only day we could get together and even then Son had to work. House is full of flowers now !
Bit Fen-like round Dunham, only a half mile west of one of the busiest urban roads in the area, the A56 Manchester to Altrincham. Rich flat farming land, once the Mersey flood plain.
Lovely weather, a bit cold but the sun was warm in the shelter of the hedges. Stopped for a bit of lunch at the Christie Fields on the A5103 in South Manchester.
Modern place but you always get a good feed there although the Cumberland bitter was off and I had to have Tetleys.
Took youngest daughter home to Stockport, called at Lidl on the way back and just chilled after that.
Nice that it was still quite light at 6.30. Can't wait for the hour to change !
Ted
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Very sad and a bit uplifting too. Grandson??
Very best regards......Martin.
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Eldest daughter's, lived 2 days...would have been 6 now.
Ted
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So sorry mate. I must stop complaining.
Best, M.
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Don't do that, Martin. I find complaining is one of the great, free pleasures of life !
Ted
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>> Don't do that Martin. I find complaining is one of the great free pleasures of
>> life !
>>
>> Ted
>>
Leave it to me. Things ain't gonna improve 'til we start shooting a few people. (Alf Garnett)
Best reg's...........M
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Spring in the air.... - Bellboy
