Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

Sun's out, but I said that yesterday morning, and before I had chance to toddle around the garden it started raining and stayed all day Which meant I never had chance to check on Judas seeds or try Canna photos

Dunno what I've done, but my left knee is playing up, it was fine during middle of night plumbing inspection, but this morning I'm Long John hobbling around, sans parrot. Most odd, I'll just have to sit around recuperating.

Lovely abelia pic there Dusty, not a shrub I'm familiar with but looks nice, I shall investigate further

Not got smart meter, but do get nagging letters, which I ignore. As YBE says, pop over on Energy board, but beware, they rarely take prisoners regarding Smart meters, so go in Stealth mode while you find your way round.

Views range between Wonderful to the Devil's instrument sent to enslave us.

Hope you are starting to feel improved, Dusty, so annoying when jobs to be does and weather suitable but flesh is weak.

No gardening or even hobbling round the garden today, I may try for Canna pic because it is just outside the front door

pink_poppy

Thanks all for the smart meter comments. The letters do feel slightly threatening, which gets my back up, I hate to feel like I'm being forced into getting one. I would love solar, but would need a new roof, so that's not going to happen anytime soon. We're all electric here, with ancient and useless storage heaters, but we can charge them up overnight on a slightly cheaper rate. I'll look in on the energy board, but won't post, I CBA putting my thick skin on...

YBE, my heart was racing while typing that post about the scary road and reliving what happened. I've had a couple of panic attacks before, but never while driving. I slammed the brakes on at a 'passing place' on the single track road, so must have felt subconsciously 'safer' there. I still blame my DH   I know that's unfair, because he's a good driver, but precipitous roads, or even him thinking there's a precipitous road ahead, gives him the heebie jeebies and that now makes me feel anxious too.

Hope the knee improves soon, Farway.

Another photo from my hols - this was in a memorial garden and I thought it looked a bit like a sea holly, but the one I had in my last garden never looked like this...

pink_poppy

Forgot to say, the Vital Spark is docked/berthed (whatever you say) at Inveraray, Dusty. I've probably got a photo somewhere, but not to hand. I didn't see the original series, but seem to remember watching a bit of the one with 'Rab C Nesbitt' in the lead role (that's not the actor's real name, I think it's Gregor something). We watched the original 'Whisky Galore' film a couple of months ago and would probably watch it again, now that we've been in the area where it was filmed, see if I recognise anywhere   

greenbee

If you're all electric with useless storage heaters than a smart meter may well help, particularly if you can get your head round Time of Use tariffs. I've just switched to Octopus 'Agile' and while it isn't a particularly cheap day, I'm putting off some planned electricity use until my old tariff swaps to the new one as it'll be up to 8p cheaper a unit. You'll be able to plan any heating top-ups at the cheapest possible time. There are lots of very helpful people on the energy boards, so don't be too scared!

There's nothing sinister about smart meters, just a way to enable people to engage in help load balance and manage their costs more effectively. It's no easier for you to be cut off (still requires a long drawn-out formal process that would most likely result in a pre-pay meter not being cut off from the grid), and load shedding is all done via agreements with big commercial users - my 6kWh/day isn't going to be much use I started with a 3-period tariff (both import and export) and have just switched to half-hourly import with fixed export. The smart meter means it will have been about 2.5 hours from applying for the tariff to being moved to it. 

alicef

Dusty - sorry, one pressing a year is quite enough for me!   YBE we bribe people to come and help us, luring them in with offers of lunch; previous year's cider and as much apple juice as they care to pasteurise.   We have found that this approach seems to work.  We try to get a mix of 'old hands' and newbies to the pressing.

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

Sorry you're feeling carp, Dusty.

I didn't feel too bad today, thanks, pp, though I'm not up to much now!  Mrs Dusty had to visit the big hospital for a procedure on her hand, so there was no time to post here in the morning. I had to go with her and drive home, but the hardest bit was parking the car! Normally we park 10 minutes walk away, but Mrs D decided she'd use her blue badge. It was a nice theory!   Eventually, she had to bale-out, leaving me to cruise around the jam-packed car parks....loads of them. Then, I noticed her phone was still in the car.....She'd have no idea where I'd pitched-up! My plan to have a wee sleep for an hour or so, turned to toast!

I won't bore you with the rest. I’m not a great fan of phones, but they have their uses. At least the weather was pleasant, and the system for navigating the big hospital was well-thought-out.

Smart meters? No problem, unless you have tyrannical government administered by sociopaths. How likely is that? 

It's a shame your knee has gone all uncooperative in this decent weather, Farway. Hopefully, it's just a temporary blip. I'd forgotten about the Judas Tree seeds, so thanks for remembering. Do you think I've still time to grow one before they hand me my 30 CBDC pobble tags?

wort said:
Dusty I can see my Abelia from here,through the front window it does very well with neglect and is in an old half whiskey barrell so poor soil for years. I have the variegated version at the back. Agree it’s so pretty up close.

Once they get going, they thrive on neglect. People can shorten the few extra-long branches that form in a season if thy want Abelia to look tidy. Lots of types, but I like the ordinary one.

YoungBlueEyes said:

Your friends saying goodbye to their favourite beach made me gulp... why is that so poignant 

They loved it here. The beach is on the estuary, so dogs are allowed. They're going back to Derbyshire though, so not too shabby, and they qualify for a LA bungalow now.

It is a Sea Holly, pp.....either 'Miss Wilmott's Ghost' or 'Silver Ghost.'

twopenny

Funny old system on here, I didn't get to see the toadstool and had to go back pages when it was mentioned. Wonder if that pretty colour bleeds out into water for dying?

I've been suffering from aches and pains in the legs again + lethargy, itchy throat, sneezing and headaches, basically the lot. Thought it would have gone by now. So there's been no running around the garden while it's dryish   So like Farways prob, it will just have to wait.

The fuel companies have been told to get smart meters out or suffer a penalty. However I succumed to an electric one when I had to read it once a month. Also being alone if I was whisked into hospital or something and no one to pay the bills I'd be stuffed. My 80yr old neighbour had one in from the beginning. Got to say for all my reservations and grumbles it's been great (so far) and the little gadget in the kitchen really useful to see how much lights, fridges and such use. I can actually have more lights on than I thought for 1p and the electric fire's not so bad and so on. It made me get a hob kettle again though.

One thing happens around here, people who have had them installed in cottages they don't work. The signal doesn't get through the thick walls or something.

Greenbee you sound very clued in with all this. It just makes my head spin with all the different tariffs so I just stick with what I've got and use less when necessary.

Wort, finally got the washing dry - in 2 days!

Poppy, what Aurora site do you use please? I have a friend who's just moved out to the wilderness and wants to start looking out for it. I can pass him on to the thread about star gazing apps.

Glad things are improving Bluey. I looked though my 'wittisisms' I collect for something to cheer you up. This I decided on

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/473370610819217775/

Dusty, yes gargle with sage, make a tea and gargle when warm. Salt water for sticky coughs. Or if you want the one my farming GGGrandfathers almanac specifies - Dark treacle and vinegar! I tried it once and it works - but tastes disgusting and lingers

Alicef, we have 2 villages do apple days though they aren't what they were. Incommers don't have the knowledge and aren't used to manning stalls and shareing chat - another they've got rid of the craft stalls that used to make it a buzzing day because of the insurance.

But here's a view of what it used to be like

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all. Damp and dark but mild out there this morning, lots of sunshine promised. 

Right. Which one of you lurgied heathens has been up here snogging my car? I was out yesterday and it's got a soar frote chesty coff filthy rattle *sigh* 
I tell ya, if anything else goes wrong I'm gonna wreck this whole place!

Whatcha done to your knee Farway? You might have to give up the midnight raves for a while... Will I send you Cissie?  

I like that plant pp, and the wee orangey ones round it Gregor Fisher/Fischer (?) played Rab C, brilliant actor imo. Absolute ersehole in real life though apparently, same as Rigsby off Rising Damp. Other opinions are available.

That does sound like good craic alice  I'm shamelessly bribe-able and I'd offer my services if I lived nearer (I'm guessing you're nowhere near me cos we don't have that kind of thing round here).  

What's up with MrsD's hand then Dusty? Nothing serious is it? I hope your friends settle in their bungalow. There's a sharp lack of beaches in Derbyshire   Any news on your sick van..? 

Sorry to hear you're back off kilter 2p Is it a ride it out thing or a get to the doc thing? I was thinking of you last night - on my local news was a piece about a local park getting 2 Shetland ponies, and the next piece was about a fellah extolling the virtues of table tennis. He'd played it his whole life and just loved it, he did seem a happy soul I'll have a look at your link in a min. 

Well I've been that long writing this it's dawn out there now :rolleyes: Handsome perambulationing today, which should be nice in the sunshine. I missed that little s0d last week.

Edit - I love that glow worm line 2p I read all the ones beneath it too, they're nearly all pretty good

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

Morning all. Damp and dark but mild out there this morning, lots of sunshine promised. 

What's up with MrsD's hand then Dusty? Nothing serious is it? I hope your friends settle in their bungalow. There's a sharp lack of beaches in Derbyshire   Any news on your sick van..?

Some sunshine forecast for us too, but I'll not anticipate too much. Despite the usual MSM warnings of “Arctic blasts” and “Snow bombs,” the good weather emergency looks set to continue for a while yet.   We've not burned a single log.

Mrs Dusty has arthritis and needs the pain dulled by an injection. It's a straightforward process, but the machinery giving accuracy is complex, so a big hospital's required, and long waits.

Derbyshire has other benefits if you're in the right bit, which our friends will be, and with family support nearby. It's all good. What isn't good is the number of people locally, suddenly stricken with illness, or worse.

You may have missed the return of the van. It's now going up hills again and road legal for 12 more months. I plan to part with it as soon as the tip recycling runs are completed.

twopenny said:

I've been suffering from aches and pains in the legs again + lethargy, itchy throat, sneezing and headaches, basically the lot.

Dusty, yes gargle with sage, make a tea and gargle when warm. Salt water for sticky coughs.

Thanks. :)TBH, I enjoy growing the various sages much more than consuming them!  Happily, the cough is already on its way out, and the sore froat never really got going. I seem to be seeing the bug off, though I'm still not sure if it's the "mumbo" or the "jumbo" that's effective. Hopefully, your chosen approach will also yield results, although legs are tricky things. Mrs Dusty noticed yesterday how I was swinging mine in and out of the car with gay abandon, instead of wincing. There's no reason I can think of for the improvement, except perhaps, 2 weeks off from tough walks. Might be a clue! 

I took photos yesterday of our nerines. Back in summer, the stems went all squidgy and collapsed, so I expected nothing, but new stems with flower buds appeared. Maybe that's normal? Anyway, here they are:

Very jolly things!

Thanks for the info on Para Handy etc pp.

Working_Mum

Good morning everyone,
I've been a bit AWOL from here but have been reading along and loving all the pics.

I would love to support an Apple Day up here 2p & Alice - it's such a shame that these lovely old traditions are dying out isn't it    - it's one of the reasons I like to try and support the various Open Garden events we have in our area (wouldn't have met YBE if I didn't would I!!).

I've been slowly sorting my garden for his big sleep - tidying up and sweeping the leaves and talking nicely to my compost heap. I genuinely love this time of year but wish it had a couple of hours of extra daylight to get everything squeezed in (now that I am back working fulltime). The soil YBE gave me is being used to pot up some spring bulbs and I used a few bags to add to my soil to bring the levels up a bit and be a mulch (I hope). I've got a couple of bags of manure too to throw with wild abandon on my beds when the time comes. Living life in the fast lane eh

The Nerine look amazing Dusty - and answer a question for me. I pass a garden with these in on my way home from walking R0meo and they look stunning in the autumn light - I wondered what they were but they were too far away for me to be able to take a pic. I think I will plan to get some in for next year. I hope your jippy froat etc are on the wane. 

One of the gardens in my local OG event has a Judas Tree Farway and I adore it - it's truly magnificent in May when we visit. I dream of having one in my little forest (copse?? ) I'm growing in pots for my patio area.

I've got onions and garlic to plant out in pots this weekend - they're the start of my growing area for next year. I will use onions so like the sounds of zero food miles from field to fork! I've also got some bulbs to plant up in the new bed I installed earlier in the year. This Saturday I'm looking forward to having a day of just following my nose and being in the garden during daylight hours. 

OT this is the beautiful sunrise I witnesses as I walked the dog this morning - I've  loved walking this field at the same time each day as it has made me see and appreciate the moon so much more - he has been in different areas of the sky each morning and not always where I thought he'd be.....started googling to understand more but just ended up more confused so have decided to go with unadulterated wonder each morning.



Wishing everyone a healthy and productive day,

WM