Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

My shoulders have dropped a few inches already, honestly I can’t tell you the difference in the atmosphere here 😃 I’ll be sleeping the sleep of the dead tonight, that’s for sure! 

Yep now after the cameras I hope they’re on the radar, and fingers crossed it’s the same department.  Good news on your pause too Dusty, sounds like you’ll eventually come good eh! 

Where did you spot 2p’s rose for £2, I fancy one of them meself (the blush noisette I mean).

You don't seem to have been up so early today! It will do no harm for the council to know people are on the case with the builders. Friend lives on a controversial new build estate where a brown field site was re-purposed after much local opposition. I don't know what the locals thought would be better than houses, given it was already built on, but their vigilance has paid off in terms of landscaping, traffic-calming and leisure facilities. All the mature trees were kept and there's plenty of wildlife habitat retained on the perimeter too.

Our works aren't urgent and there's nothing likely to thwart them long-term, so it's beneficial to jump through some official hoops if it shows opposers nothing underhand's going on. They'll not be able to claim we did something dodgy. We don't think a farm track is particularly awful!

No one wants to be at odds with their neighbours. I believe having strong local networks will become much more important in the near future, though I can't say why on this forum. All the people I follow for ideas and direction point to this as a key concept, along with becoming more self-reliant and willing to share resources, skills etc. The individuals who've been at odds with us will be lost in that world, so it's quite likely they'll be somewhere else in a few years time.

YoungBlueEyes

Welcome back Arb! What do you do that means you don't see the outside? Just keep looking at this new forum, its that bright it's almost like staring into the sun 

Is it a special occasion Dusty or just a big get-together? You're sure making the effort for it, I hope you get some decent weather. Are the hens settling in then? Sounds like they've got enough room to get away from each other for a bit of peace like  

I'm glad I'm not in Thames water land if that's what they're thinking Gorse. Surely people with large gardens pay enough for their water? And those with ever-so-large gardens will have their own water supply..? Or they suddenly will if the charges come in ha haa!  Buy shares in bore hole equipment now  

How are your innards today Farway? Hopefully you're improving. Whenever Daddy's guts decided to err .....have a clear out..... (colon cancer) the doc said to get him those Activia yogurts and bottles of pukozade (the sports ones) to get his salts back to the right levels. V important apparently. That's for when you can stomach anything. This is not medical advice etc. 

OT The drunkards have given fairly heavy steady rain from about 1000, the sobers reckon 30% chance of rain for a couple of hours mid afternoon. Hmmm. 

YoungBlueEyes

No I was late up this morning, nearly 0630 before I surfaced! No walk taken, but I'm showered and dressed and face on and fully coffee'd and in fine form altogether  

Agree about vigilance, luckily there's the Oracle and I think the guy on the corner -his garden will be the one most overlooked. But the officials are aware of them now, and I just hope it is all the same dept. Or at least the depts talk to each other. 

I wish someone would start clamping down on builders. They shouldn't be allowed to throw up any old shhit just to make profit. It needs somebody with teeth to keep them in line and make them build decent quality housing. Same as the water companies - they've done sod all about leaks and sewage etc but they're paying themselves squillions ?! I'm just glad I'm not running the show cos I'd be really unpopular with one side or the other

ArbitraryRandom

YoungBlueEyes said:

Welcome back Arb! What do you do that means you don't see the outside? Just keep looking at this new forum, its that bright it's almost like staring into the sun 

Nothing exciting; just an office drone. But 90% of the time (when I'm working from home) I can take meetings on my phone and spend a bit of time in the garden or pottering around filling the dishwasher or something (I'm there to listen and be told what we need to do. No one wants me to actually talk most of the time ).

This was an 'anchor' event where we had the meetings in person, so I had to travel for 6 hours each way to the 'home office' then have 2.5 days of back to back meetings in windowless/tinted window rooms, then go out to 'socialise' with the team for lunch/after work to show willing  . Home now and never been more grateful that it's only every few months! 

Speaking of, I'm not sure my cucumber is going to make it. I'd put blue sweeties around before I went, but it's looking munched... not dead but not making any progress. The squash is looking a little better. Think there were strong winds at some point because it's maybe a little battered, but its colour has improved and it's still sending out new leaves etc. 

Today is wet. Persistently damp to be more accurate. It might turn into actual rain at some point, but it's nice and cool and fresh at least  

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

I just hope it is all the same dept. Or at least the depts talk to each other. 

I wish someone would start clamping down on builders.

Unfortunately, Planning and Building Control are two completely different depts, and there's often little cross-fertilisation. The standards and regulations are there, but enforcement is way too weak. This has a knock-on effect, because small-time developers and keen DIYers also take liberties, and then simply fob stuff off with cheap indemnity insurance when they sell. If there were financial penalties for bodging, it wouldn't happen so much.

As for the water companies, they've been bigging-up their eco plans since I was a child, but that's for another day! Time for another photo before we get too serious. How about a very tasteful Marshmallow, currently thriving in one of our driest locations!

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

Is it a special occasion Dusty or just a big get-together? You're sure making the effort for it, I hope you get some decent weather. Are the hens settling in then? Sounds like they've got enough room to get away from each other for a bit of peace like

No special occasion; it's just a chance for family to meet in a non-funereal setting! Some are already finding other things they must do, but we know the regulars will turn up.

I'll do some new hen photos soon. They're alongside the others now but behind a barrier and in separate sleeping quarters. Since becoming teenagers, they've shown reluctance in going to bed, so I'm hoping when they join the flock they'll learn from them.

We have another new addition to the family, but I'll keep him for tomorrow!

Heavy rain here since dawn.

Farway

Bouncing back this morning, with innards fully purged & decoked, sort of equivalent of the handful of walnut shells into gas turbine intakes, looks bad but by golly it does work. Note, not this is NOT advice, do not try this at home!

Just had phone call from Drs, seems things are retuning to normal post covid and annual old codger check-ups are now back. Fasting blood test is the first hurdle

Rain here and just getting into it's stride with lots of bad stuff getting strength & wind up and heading this way, so no gardening today, today would be feed & water the front pots, but I'll skip that for now

Sorry to hear about your cuc AR, I won't rub it in but this year I may actually have some cucs, I have flowers at least, and it is still growing, last year was a flop so maybe next year for you?

Nice Marshmallow pic Dusty, I was hoping to get my bean photo, but rain had stopped my play for now

I couldn't quite grasp the Thames pay more with large gardens either, YBE, but as someone pointed out, why when there is shortage do our utilities want to restrict things instead of planning ahead & providing more? 

A debate for another day, meanwhile scuttles off to count his Seven Trent water dividends

AR, your meetings brought it all back, windowless / tinted rooms, and way back smokey as well, only relieved by the tea trolley arriving and who got the Bourbon biscuit. Can't say I miss any of it

My large lilies at the front are about to pop, I do hope the rotten weather doesn't spoil them, but it's beyond my control.

pink_poppy

I still haven’t caught up with earlier posts 😳 

The latest forum home page has given Farway a name check with  a lovely lily pic 😁

Another one curious about the £2 Blush Noisette...

twopenny

Wow the photos look good on this enormous new view!

That one of Dustys is positivley a screen saver!! I have HD on my ancient laptop and I can even spot the aphids

Glad your on the mend Farway, shame you couldn't have done the fasting blood test right now and got it over with. I've got one to come but so far, don;t have to fast. May alter my diet somewhat so they don't find it's 90% alchohol.

"then go out to 'socialise' with the team for lunch" oh I remember that I used to take the dog in the car and apologise that I had to take him for a walk. Didn't go down well but it stopped me from a breakdown.

On the upside it's been raining and cool and everything is looking better. The sweet peas which I couldn't revive from a reclining position are climbing skywards, I seem to have both Bramleys and Cox on my new little trees. I was even good and thinned them.

The blue tits and long tailed tits were in the garden this morning so hopefully they've been munching aphids. They were exploring the bird box and feeding station. The birds generally are really cheerful with this new weather.

Down side is the tomatoes are not bushing out, just straight up but there is some fruit there. Just not what I usually get.

So it's rain, wind and thunder for the next 2 days. I'm pausing between numerous crisis at the moment and hope for renewed energy/enthusiasm after a rest.

May pop out and throw some BFB etc around and it's worth giving the toms some feed now there's wet ground and see if that helps.

 

This pretty stained glass effect appeared in my garden one evening. Took me a while to work out what and where it came from. Some strange reflection through the front door glass and through the patio glass.

I really liked it.

YoungBlueEyes

Ooh isn't that queer 2p, I like it too. 

I'm glad you're back on track Farway, and your sense of humour's back too

It may have been to my financial detriment, but I have assiduously avoided all jobs that include (in no particular order) team building, anchor events, mandatory lanyards, the wearing of nylon uniforms, and being sat about with a lot of other people in general. Soul destroying and spirit sucking  

I only came on to say someone must have switched off the pumps at the err Devonshire Arms cos the drunkards got it right today! Started drizzling about 1100, by 1130 it was properly raining and hasn't let up. Lovely  

Anyone else hear World at One on R4? Barratts talking about not building so many houses next year because they can't whack great big chunks of profit on the asking prices anymore something about building control vs planning people vs council something or other. So it seems like I got my wish! I might start taking requests ha haa  

Actually here's my first request - £2 blush noisettes, are you gonna give us a clue..?