Awful weather - typical Brits talk

YoungBlueEyes

Thanks 2p It's not meant to look like that, the paving was meant to meet the top of the sleepers but that wouldn't have given enough of a fall for the drain along the back to work Said the lad who came to cut the slabs (thank god we got him round!) So I don't know what we're doing with that lip now. Maybe paint it so it doesn't stand out, or grow something on it like ivy to hide it, or just leave it. Dunno. I will have to start a thread about that I think. I'm just so pleased it's finished. 

How's work progressing with you? Did tea and biccies placate the workers?

Bladdy warm and sticky here last night, it'll be desperate today they say. Only a couple more days and it's turning though so I can stick it if it's only that long. 18' here already and that's as much as I need!

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

Weatherwise... urgh, too hot. It's been in the high 20s inside at work all week, hitting 30.1 on Thursday I seem to remember there's no maximum temperature where you're allowed to down tools, but there is a minimum temperature you can, not that my employer took any notice of that during the last freeze...

I love the new patio, YBE - I bet the pattern took some working out.

 People downed tools in some places during the 1970s, and that was before global boiling. ;)There was a different distribution of power then, and I'm not talking kWh. Note I didn't say 'balance of power.' Have we ever had that? I know where it lies now.

Anyway, I recall the temperature on the shop floor was then a smidge over 35c, and we carried on in our shorts, unlike the car workers, for example, who just walked out. It was in the Sun, so it must've been true.

And later on, when I was teaching in my overcoat and we'd all run round the playground when the kids' teeth started chattering, no one gave a monkey's either. Shops & Office Act didn't apply to us.

But I digress....what a splendid patio, Bluey! I wish we had one, but all we've had for years now is the hardcore base. We have the dosh, but only enough to do that or the new access, on which all else depends, so the choice is kinda obvious. I recognise that pattern. It's the one we were going to have in the conservatory, until our builder chap said it was more difficult than plain and the tile people said, "Supply issues." Very nice.

YoungBlueEyes

I didn't see you'd commented pp, sorry! Well I'd like to claim credit but it was the lad wot dun it. He has a funny maths-loving brain and he did it without even thinking about it really. He cut the bits and laid them out and himself set them in where they lay. We've quite a few slabs left though, so I dunno what we'll do with them. They'll be pressed into service somewhere, at some point.  

I think (from memory) you're right about working temps. There's a min but no max. Where himself works is basically an oven a hangar with a set of double doors on the front. He'd think 30' was cool! But the boss/owner doesn't work there therefore it is not illegally hot

I remember being at school and complaining I was cold, I was maybe 5 yo ish. I was told to do my coat up!   #ThingsThatHappenedThatKidsTodayWouldNotStick

ArbitraryRandom

Off topic, but I think important given recent weather trends:

AFAIK, there's no law that sets a max OR a min, but theres a H&S a duty on employers that the workplace is 'reasonable' and employees not at risk of harm. The min is normally said to be somewhere around 13-16 (because some jobs are active so the site can be colder and still comfortable) but the max is harder because whats reasonable for a bakery is different from whats reasonable for a warehouse.

People can strike, or complain, but I'd say the best thing they can do is use the system that's there to protect them - if it's so hot you're having trouble concentrating, or feel sick, or have headaches, or any other of the early symptoms of heat stroke - report it to your boss/HR in writing (ideally with a proposed reasonable solution) and it should spook them into 'investigating' so their bums are covered. Multiple official reports from different people and it will be very hard for them to argue not doing something (and if they do something one year, then harder for them to not do the same at the same temp next year). 

But it does require you being willing to speak up for yourself and to know your rights (or there being a mouthy person in the shop who's willing to 'make a fuss' so they shy person doesn't have to ). 



On topic - a bit late in the year to worry/do anything about it, but for the week or so (predating the horrible heat) the male flowers on my squash have been falling off (right at the base of the flower) before opening. No wilting or sign of physical damage. The females (about 4) have been opening/flowering fine (I've been opening up the males and trying hand pollination just in case). Only other thing I've noticed is that the older leaves are a little yellow (which I understand is nitrogen deficiency?) but I assumed that was due to switching to a fert which was higher relatively in potassium. 

I've been watering twice daily (most days) into a pot sunk by the roots, so they've had about 2L give or take going about 15cm down (there's holes in the side of the pot to let the water out through the soil). They get a cap of fert in the water once a week (normally Sunday).  

Again, probably a little late for this year, but any advice for next year's plant? 
 

Farway

Lovely patio Blue, I reckon the sleepers will soon "blend" and become invisible to you once they weather a bit. I'd avoid painting unless you fancy a lifelong job, which will get harder as bendy parts no longer bend and toppling into borders is the order of the day. Been there, done that, T-shirt collected etc

It's going to be a scorcher here today, I went up the volunteer place early to water, just in time because the cosmos were just starting to get the droop. all sorted for another few days at least.

I noticed self seeded Shoo Fly has shifted into flower with this weather, not fully opened, but I'll try for a pic during the week. These are in pots, self seeded from last year, and stunted due to lack of nutrients & neglect

They seem to like it there, their ancestors started life a good few years ago in the "dead to clear" section of a GC, since then the seeds have been liberally sprinkled around by me and usually a few pop up somewhere

Too hot to do anything strenuous in the garden, I notice the &%$*£ plum tree leaves are drooping again due to drought, hose time later

I remember in 70s, I was on my tools in unionised factory on an upper floor under tin roof and we negotiated a ten-minute hourly break to go into a cooler area on the ground floor. The foremen etc were also on the same upper floor, so didn't take much convincing

Talking of water, found two chaps in high vis clustered around my outside mains stopcock, with a listening rod and stirrup pump thingy. There's a leak somewhere , and I'm now a marked man , with yellow sprayed lines on pavement. 

Not sure how this will pan out and who gets any bill, depends on where leak is eventually traced to, I'm not metered so can't say if it is before or after SC

Fingers crossed everyone please

Today's pic, in volunteer border, rose hips starting to show.

YoungBlueEyes

All fingers firmly crossed for you Farway. And fingers crossed they don't force install a meter 'for your convenience'...

I agree with you Arb, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Everyone thinks everyone else is gonna speak up so in the end no-one does. Be the change, people!

Jeez it's bladdy hot out there now like. The drunkards' roll is over - they gave vicious thunderstorms/rain+hail/threat to life and limb in general from 2pm but there's no sign of it. Not a breath out there and not a cloud in sight. So far.

My mono-petal cupcake cosmos is battling on, and a couple more of the buds are coming out. One's a pale pink and the other might be white. When I see lovely neighbour I'll ask her for very specific instructions on how she took the cutting. 

I quite like the natural look of the sleepers, the wood is a beautiful colour close up, and the smell when the sun gets on them is lovely. They'll need a bite taking out of them for the steps going down into the garden but that'd be it for me. Himself is still thinking about what he'd like. This isn't thinking weather!   

Do you do anything with those rosehips or are they left for the birds...? 

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

All fingers firmly crossed for you Farway. And fingers crossed they don't force install a meter 'for your convenience'...

Like the bill that's in parliament now proposes for leccy? Powers to break in and fit a smart meter if deemed necessary? Fines of up to £15k or imprisonment for missing a building's efficiency target?

So far, 19 thoughtful MPs  have not given it their support. That leaves a lot of...spine err....others. 

I 'think' they can't give us a water meter, due to our agricultural status, but if farting cows and belching sheep continue to get a bad press, who knows how rules  may change? Oh well, we have a huge number of grasshoppers this year, even if I can no longer hear them chirping-away. The crane flies are on the march too. Perhaps we can be an insect farm. Free-range cricket burger, anyone?

OT: The inebriates got it about right here today, but further down the road things are not panning-out as they said.  Looks like rain in small but significant doses tomorrow before the wind goes around to westerly. Gah! They knew I was hoping to wreak havoc with the atmosphere and have a bonfire!

Dustyevsky

P.S Like Farway, I think the Sleepers are fine too. (Resists temptation to post link to one of my favourite films!) I presume you aren't going for the infinity horizon look; more sitting and lording-it over all you survey (or the end of the garden if that comes first. )

As this picture is already posted elsewhere, I may as well drop it in here as well, in my 'berries, but no cherries,' series. 

YoungBlueEyes said:

Do you do anything with those rosehips or are they left for the birds...? 

Farway's probably grown beyond homemade itching powder now!

YoungBlueEyes

Pffft! What’s that saying? Little boys don’t grow up, they just get bigger?  

I reckon I’d be up for a cricket burger, hardly be the worse thing I ever put in my mouth 

And I think I’ve seen the film wot you haven’t quite referred to, I think. 

Next week (when it’s not 35’ in the shade!) I’ll start a thread on my garden cos I’ll need properly thought out clever things to say to himself to refute whatever nonsense idea he comes up with ha haa! 

Farway

Dustyevsky said:

YoungBlueEyes said:

Do you do anything with those rosehips or are they left for the birds...? 

Farway's probably grown beyond homemade itching powder now!

Yes, big boy now, and I don't think I could chase anyone these days to stuff a split rose hip down their shirt. Very mild mischief in those days, probably be chasing with a machete now

We leave the hips for the birds

I was just hearing about the bill mentioned, seems very nasty hidden clauses on page umpteen, subsection whatsname, still it seems once in the slammer for failing to fit heat pump it's a doddle to scarper

Warm & muggy, no sun and seems grotty stuff, including thunder, is on it's way later. It's with Dusty according to Ventusky. Be good in some ways, break the humidity a bit. No gardening planned, if it doesn't rain I may need to water again

Only thing I'd like to do before the weather breaks is trot down the garden & check my last two pears, Beurre Alexandre Lucas. They were looking good a few days ago, but not ready to part from the tree. 

The link gives warning "In storage, they have a tendency to decay in the core whilst looking perfect on the outside" sounds just the sort of pear I'd gormlessly select, prone to manky with pollination problems