Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

chris_m

SingleSue wrote: »

Ah but not if you live in my part of the country and go to Norfolk

True, the M25's not a problem (unless you're going from the middle of the south coast), but what about all those tractors and combine harvesters?

Pyxis

chris_m wrote: »

True, the M25's not a problem (unless you're going from the middle of the south coast), but what about all those tractors and combine harvesters?

I remember once I was driving from Bath to Norwich. The journey was reasonably quick up to Cambridge, but after that, it took forever and ever and ever!

Another time I was in Suffolk and decided to 'pop' up to Ely to see the Cathedral. Hadn't planned the route, or timed it, as it was a spur of the moment decision.
Pop was deffo the wrong word! I couldn't believe how long it took! I'd forgotten how big Norfolk is! I only just made it to the Cathedral and was able to have a quick look round before they shut! :rotfl:

chris_m

It's a bit like that up here this week with grockles. I had to go up to Ambleside for something and decided to give the repaired A591 a try and come back via Keswick and Buttermere.
On the road up to Coniston I got stuck behind a dirty great campervan which had to do several backwards/forwards manouevres in places to get past oncoming traffic. At least he was considerate, as soon as he found a layby he pulled in to let the eight or so cars behind him get past. Beyond Coniston it was the 25mph grockles, the sort who won't pull over for anything and who love to see the view from the narrowest parts of the road so slow down even more.
The A591 repair work is very good - apart from the 40mph speed limit the g1ts have quietly slipped in ;(
Most of the way from Keswick down through Borrowdale, over Honister Pass and through Buttermere on the way across to the A595 coast road was yet more of the 25mph grockles - except most of these were the sort that have to come to a dead halt whenever anything comes the other way, even when there's room for two cars and a foot of space either side of both.
Still, it should be a bit better next week, when the bank holiday week is finished - I hope

SingleSue

chris_m wrote: »

True, the M25's not a problem (unless you're going from the middle of the south coast), but what about all those tractors and combine harvesters?

I'm more likely to see them in my village (at the bottom of the road in fact, stopping me from getting out onto the main road), than on our journey to Norfolk..no the pain for us in the multitude of blooming roundabouts near Woodbridge and Melton, pain in the rear to be honest and really adds to the journey time.

We have to brave the M25 (and the M40) for eldest's uni, now trying to convince youngest he really wants to go up the country for uni rather than across it!

SingleSue

Pyxis wrote: »

I remember once I was driving from Bath to Norwich. The journey was reasonably quick up to Cambridge, but after that, it took forever and ever and ever!

Another time I was in Suffolk and decided to 'pop' up to Ely to see the Cathedral. Hadn't planned the route, or timed it, as it was a spur of the moment decision.
Pop was deffo the wrong word! I couldn't believe how long it took! I'd forgotten how big Norfolk is! I only just made it to the Cathedral and was able to have a quick look round before they shut! :rotfl:

Our problem is small roads and lots of villages along those small (but considered main) roads. I can get to the M25 quicker than I can get to Great Yarmouth...takes around an hour to get to the A12/M25 junction (64 miles), an hour and a half to Yarmouth (55 miles) in optimum conditions.

michaels

I think DW and DKs still find it a bit of a novelty to travel on a national speed limit stretch of road or a road with no streetlights - completely different from how I grew up where speed limits and street lights were very much in the minority.

SingleSue

Mine find it a novelty to be driving along in a very built up area, mainly because I became a wuss and stopped doing it.

GDB2222

I know it's just a fence, but DW and I are absurdly proud of having built it together.

michaels

A truy wonderful fence - and not just a fence but a fence on a slope which is considerably harder.

Not sure this is the moment to ask but did you consider fitting a single weatheboard (I think that is the name for a rot proff plank) at the bottom to protect the panels from rotting?

SingleSue

Having a very tight week this week financially (worse week of the year due to how the dates fall - had to scrabble together pennies from the jar as I was minus £11 for my direct debits due to go out), so we are having some very interesting combinations from the freezer. Anyway, I am ashamed to say I very rarely make mash, I tend to buy the packet stuff and go from there because the one time I attempted to do it many years ago, now ex hubby swore at me, told me it was rank and threw it in the bin.

Tuesday night, I had three small tatties I had picked up from the weekly charity food thing jointly run by the vicar of my parent's parish church and a local charity (buy a carrier bag for a £1, maximum two bags per person and fill them up with food - fresh fruit, veg, bread items, tins, toilet rolls etc. It's based on food parcels but is open to everyone, no forms, no referrals, no questions) and James suggested mash to go with his dinner. I gulped, got stressed (over mash!!) but did it anyway remembering the tips picked up on Masterchef.

James declared it the best mash he had ever eaten! Said it was just the right amount of creaminess, not lumpy with perfect seasoning. Silly how relieved I was over mash, anyone would have thought I had won the lottery.

He also did well at the charity food thing, they were also selling things from the rectory and he got a griddle pan and a milk pan for a £1 (they said 60p, he gave more) and then a huge dining service for £2 (they wanted £1, he again gave more), handy as there have been a few light fingered students this year who have walked off with most of his plates and bowls and ruined some of his pots and pans.