What are you all up to
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Not many beaches here in North Devon allow dogs in the summer months, unless you can find little out of the way ones or estuaries, like Crow Point or parts of Instow. As for people and traffic! that’s why we don’t venture far here in the ‘silly season’. Went to our ‘local’ last evening, huge beer garden but by 7pm not a table available so we drove home back through the village, a car came haring around the corner heading for the pub nearly hit the wall, top box on so a holidaymaker, no local would come round that corner at that speed. Last year our police put out a message to holiday makers, ‘Please make sure you know where your reverse gear is’ made us smile. But a necessity on Devon roads.
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Sorry to hear about your beach trip ordeal DSB, it's a marathon in some places at this time of the year. We stayed on a nice coastal CL east of Salcombe and nearby Gara Rock was good for a beach visit and coast path walking. The trouble with the nice bits of Devon a mass of tiny lanes have to be negotiated and a walk is often required! Hope today has gone better.
Well it was farewell to Blue Anchor Bay, although not the height of sought after coastal destinations the THS there was lovely, surrounded by farmland, with nice footpaths (the coastal path was diverted via the edge of the site.) I can recommend Home Farm which runs the site (if you don't mind simplicity and grass) and also has a CS and camp site. There is also a motorhome stop over adjacent at the Smugglers Arns.
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It hit 29C here but the farmhouse has two feet thick walls so it's very nice sitting inside. A short trip to Denbigh Castle which is worth a visit and one of my favourites from yesterday.
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Very nice CS.
Two interesting "facts" about Denbigh. One true, one well... Firstly John Rowlands hailed from here. Who he? The man who uttered the words "Doctor Livingstone I presume". Secondly Denbigh's name is thought by some to be derived from a Medieval Knight slaying a local dragon. The knight was reported to have 2 thumbs on one hand and slayed the dragon who was terrorising the town whilst the dragon was confused about counting the Knights thumbs. The Knight returned with the head of the dragon claiming "Dim Bych" which means No dragon in Welsh.
End of history lesson. No charge.
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Wow…..lovely photos. We used to holiday in North Wales regular as children, had an uncle who lived in Blaenau Ffestiniog, so we got to know that coast and area well. Folks must be enjoying some superb weather up and down the country at the moment, it’s fabulous here in Yorkshire.
Sorry to hear about the less than successful beach visit DSB, doggy beaches are often hard to find at this time of year without a long walk. Some folks are totally unprepared for some of the narrow lanes in the SW as well.
The pool is proving to be a huge success, really enjoying it. Think we have our very hot weather well into next week, so it’s a great way to keep cool, and have fun.
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Blue skies and full sun for the last 2 days ☺️
Its been nice and warm most of the summer but with cloudy skies, so nice to see blue skies.
Yesterday we had a day out in the MH, took a drive up to Loch Tay then followed the road around it. Sadly there are no places to stop and enjoy the views or Loch. Then onto the falls of Dochart, very busy there but the Maragowan site didn't look to be that busy, Killin site did though.
Stopped off at a few places for a look around then headed for Loch Earn for a late lunch, plenty of off road parking laybys. Found a nice one and had a nice picnic lunch sat right by the waters edge, quite a few wild camping around the Loch but it all looked clean and tidy.
Today we finished chopping down our flowering cherry tree and got it away to the recycle centre, having dropped the main trunk down to the Men's Shed, one of the men there will use it to make things from it.
I've kept a few bits to make toadstools to place around the garden and I've placed a whole load of branches and twigs in the bottom corner of the garden by the big hedges to see if it encourages a hedgehog, I've got a hedgehog house but no takers yet.
Good to hear folk having a good summer and getting out and about. I'd love a pool but fear it wouldn't get much use given our weather for most of the year.
Hoping to get away in the caravan towards the end of the month just need to decide where.
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Aah the little devon lanes DSB I remember them well!! We holidayed in N.Devon for many years with our children. We stayed near Combe Martin and travelled to Putsborough beach nearly every day and had some 'interesting' journeys with many traffic jams and the cars were much smaller then.
We had a U3A church visit this afternoon to Glatton (near your neck of woods Bakers2). We had a very enjoyable afternoon in a really beautiful and also beautifully cool church listening to a very interesting talk about the history of the village and church. Apparently Edith Cavell's father was vicar there for a while and he and his wife are buried in the churchyard. I knew he had been a vicar in Norfolk but had no idea that he ended his life in this area.
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Milliehull sounds like a lovely visit, I wish I'd known I'd loved to have joined you 😉. Its where our son married. Did you meet the vicar? I love her think she's a cross between the vicar of Dibley and Rev Kate Bott.
Had our hedges trimmed today, our bank balance is loving it 🤣🤣. I had approached 5 or 6 companies for a quote, only this one came back. Was going to wait a bit longer but decided let's get it done whilst it's dry and the flower borders are already very poorly looking. A great job of them he did too. Blow me down one local chap came back to me tonight - his delay was arrival of a baby in the last week or so. Talking of which the cul du sac had a new arrival this week to, and very beautiful she is.
Had another lovely if busy day yesterday with Essex friends. I think the daughter will remember it for a long time, we harvested carrots, tomatoes, plums and pears and finished it all off picking and eating our grapes. Jolly nice they are too. All thriving on sheer neglect. Of course an explore of the house revealed so many places to hide, such excitement, oh to bottle that.
New lounge curtains and cushions arrived today. Love them, only seen online. Misplaced all our Allen keys 😱 can't recall using them in this house. Son will bring his Saturday, but we have grandson to ourselves so doubt I can do them then. I need to 'release' the curtain pole to get existing show ones off. All other poles have had to be replaced but one lounge window requires one of 4m plus, I'm just trying to match the finials, just round ones, on the other window - as I say house that jack built 🤔🤐😉. I think I've found a pole that will do, we didn't notice during viewings or first 4 weeks! As my late mum would say a blind man would be glad to see it. That's the penultimate lot of curtains required, hope to recycle the existing into the sun room for the time being, I expect I'll be thwarted. I know the show curtains will barely cover door or be correct length, but I dislike, nay hate, bare glass when it's dark, but the smaller lounge window is a similar size to sun room one.
As we have curtained bedrooms I didn't need Heath Robinson's help upstairs, with pegs towels and venetian blinds this time.
If it hadn't been so hot might have been extra grumpy rather than miffed by the Allen keys being AWOL, we have a large container of themcollected over the years, So once again Heath Robinson came to the rescue and we have a duvet cover pegged, not matching colour!, between the 'show' curtains and over the pole. We have white roller blinds at the bay window but they do little to keep out the light or heat as we learnt when temperatures rocketed before, so wouldn't be sufficient in a winter, and certainly not the coming one! Managed to put it in place before the sun reached the bay and consequently kept the lounge at 27c.
I haven't decided where to site my indoor/ outdoor thermometer but did put it in the front porch which doesn't get sun until very late afternoon at the moment. Looked at it about 1730 and was staggered to read 56c out and 36c in. Quickly moved it before it expired!
I washed my new to me wheels today 😀 and found this label unbelievable.
Sleep tight folks
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I had a feeling that was where your son was married B2 that was one of the reasons why I mentioned it. No we didn't meet the vicar although she was mentioned very fondly. I think it was the church warden who spoke to us and showed us round. I LOVE the label on your new car 🤣🤣.
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Milliehull how lovely of you to remember. Thank you. I expect you had refreshments, but I'd have supplied some 😀
Possibly my bad, (down with tge kids there 😱) the label was in a pair of trousers!
This greeted me in the shower this morning. I don't mind spiders at all, just as well I can't recall a morning in this House when I haven't walked through a gossamer thread, but this one is biggest so far. Popped it outside but I'm expecting him back 😉
Going to be another hot one. Never met so many folks on a dog walk at 6am 🤣🤣🤣. Luckily the fields are stubble so the odd few gave Dora a short game of chase meaning she had a good run and I didn't need to do all the miles this morning. She's on her cool mat now. No I don't let her run excessively, but a 2 year with so much energy needs to get rid of it somewhere! Although they played chase it was very short busts, she was lucky we met several at various points, so little at a time.
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Looks like it could 41C here today, had a short dip in pool yesterday morning it was lovely but pump not able to work now due to low level of water grr.
Like the label Bakers2 and the new car ha ha as to alum keys we have sets of them in the house in both cars and OH has 2 or 3 sets in his shed I did ask him why do we have so many the answer you can not have enough tools no comment.
Glad tda you are enjoying the pool and your OH as well, I did manage to get some gentle exercise yesterday but not to splash about got to save water.
We have bowls at all sinks to save as much water as we can for the garden and it is working well do not need so much from the water butts for the plants by the house and we did some watering from our last remaining water butts early and hope the predicted storm arrives tomorrow evening and looks like we may get rain for most of next week fingers crossed.
Again more wildfires from the Gironde area and they are saying that the previous one did not go out as the area is a peat area and the fire was still going underneath and houses have been lost with the latest fire we feel so sorry for those people, we did have a strange cloud come over early evening yesterday so did wonder whether it was the smoke from the wildfire as it was a odd colour.
Keep cool and stay safe folks.
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Redkite we too have at least 3 of every tool, similar discussion in our house. As he didn't do any sorting or unpacking 🥲 he'll not have noticed there maybe less. I passed off lots of every type of tool including gardening ones to Mencap before we moved. BUT I know the Allen keys came with us, they are in a Luzacade Sport box, from son's football days.
Don't envy your temperatures at all. It feels warm enough here. About 10c lower than the 40c we had, but feels warmer I presume because the ground is holding the heat?? We are told to use waterbutts, had lots at the last house but only a small one we found under shrubbery which wasn't connected to the downpipe - house that jack built 😉, but you do need rain to fill them! Despite being frugal they never lasted a summer unless it was a wet one where we didn't need to water 🤣
Stay cool as safe folks
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So, Yorkshire is officially in drought. First time in nearly 30 years. Hosepipe ban to be put into place……..wait for it………..in two weeks time! I can see the queues forming now at the car washes. Next weeks forecast is for rain storms here.
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We're at 34C again but not in a drought area, Wessex Water say they've not used a hosepipe ban since 1976. However river water levels are very low. Some of our water comes from underground aquifers so we are lucky in that respect. It's too hot to get jobs done, attempted some ironing but have given up. Not much sleep in store with such a bright full moon and heat radiating off everything. Hope those affected are coping!
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Been lovely weather here most of the week very sunny and hot so we haven’t done too much. Last night we took our day van a drive along the coast to Largs and had fish and chips overlooking the sea which was which was nice. Busy weekend ahead as we are at a family BBQ tomorrow around 40 people expected so will be noisy and busy luckily the weather is still expected to be nice.
Hope everyone else has a nice weekend
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We are now officially in drought conditions in Hertfordshire we already had the driest village in the UK rain may arriving on Monday and a lot cooler ,well 29c when we travel home
via our camper dealer to have our awning rail repaired that together with our fiammastore was damaged in last week's very strong gusty winds
guess most of the garden wiil have shriveled
Did Tesco Express at 0710 this morning it was really busy with people before it got too hot
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Just to say Tda not sure if you have a cover for your pool if not try keep it covered as it helps with loss of water due to evaporation as we know here our is just a round shape to fit the pool a double layer of blue bubble wrap which works very well.
We did get to 39.9C today and a bit cooler tomorrow, had a lot of cloud about earlier but it is all disappearing typical had to have all shutters and window shut today so a bit like living in a warm dark cave as we are trying to keep the heat out earlier today it got to 29C in the bedroom but now cooling down a bit hope it is better for sleeping as we only have 1 bedroom but have found that taking a chilled water bottle to bed helps a lot and found that idea on the NHS website awhile ago.
Still 36C outside and weather station now showing rain on the way yippee.
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We are now offically a drought area as well, but I think we had already worked that out for ourselves! No hosepipe ban though .... yet. Perhaps they should appoint a Minister for Drought. When they did that in 1976 it started to rain a few days later and didn't stop for months 😁
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Hooray, brown bin collection day today so we have empty bins at the moment, although we do have 3 old style black bins waiting to empty into them.
I think we might be near to starting on cleaning up under the various bushes we have in the front garden (not many flowering plants there) and then.... we can start again! Had a 2 hour session this morning before it got too hot. Putting bark down tomorrow.
The way things are going we might have to look around for a gardener that will give us at least 2 hours every fortnight. Have to have a good chat in autumn about it.
Try to enjoy your weekend folks.
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Was it Dennis Healey or Dennis Howell Millie? Probably Howell as Healey had bigger things to be getting on with I seem to recall.
Watered everywhere tonight. Can't understand Ttda's lot waiting fro a fortnight to introduce it. Strange decision.
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Watched some of the European Games at Munich this evening and got a terrible shock
!Saw the Women's Triathlon stage ending the cycle part and 'transitioning ' to running when even the Common Tater thought there was a fountain by the track ~~ but no could not believe our eyes, Honest
It Was Raining on the competitors, not for long I grant you, but it reminded me of what is yet to come !!1 -
WN It was Dennis Howell. As it started to rain (and rsin) so soon after he was appointed he became known as Minister of Floods 😅
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It was Dennis Howell. We were discussing this yesterday. I think it was literally only hours after his appointment the forecast changed and as Milliehull said the rain arrived. I remember being at my parents and dancing outside as it fell and ran down their lane. Probably certifiable!
No hosepipe ban but I don't understand why, and can't understand 2 weeks notice before Yorkshire's kicks in. Listened to an 'expert' on the radio who said many don't realise we don't manufacture water - really?? Have we really raised generations that have no idea where their food and life sustaining elements come from??
Redkite we have an afternoon with new neighbours, she'd made lovely homemade cakes in this heat 😱. I took some homegrown grapes and told her she's welcome to plums, but she'll have to pick them when it was cooler. Felt guilty for my comment when she produced the delicious cakes 🤐
Our fruit trees are in the front garden and they are laden, sadly from sheer neglect this year, but those and the grapes are plentiful and delicious. I digress....... She said they have been cold filling hot water bottles and frozen them, placing them in the bed and are delighted with the cooling effect. We don't possess any.
Tomorrow we have our grandson from late morning. So much energy, too much heat, I'm really feeling the heat at the moment as is OH. Hopefully he'll have one of his long after lunch naps 🤞
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It does seem a stupid decision to be honest, the next two weeks will see all and sundry desperate to wash cars, fill ponds, this that and the other🤷♀️ I was out and about yesterday around some of our big reservoirs, and yes, they aren’t full, but neither are they desperately low. That’s only here in South Yorks, but I think we are the most parched bit of Yorkshire, being inland. We have storms forecast for Monday/Tuesday, but that won’t fill the reservoirs, needs hours, days of it up on Moors.
On a plus note, finally, finally after no doubt loads of calls, the leak that is puthering out of a road close us us, (been running for at least two weeks now) has signage around it for “road closed”. It’s an ex Fire Hydrant that our over zealous Council decided to put a speed hump over. All the thumping of cars going over it, cracks it every so often, with the resulting leak. As Council’s go, ours is the “camel” variety.
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As Council’s go, ours is the “camel” variety.
One hump or two?😂
Hooray, finished clearing the ivy at the bottom of the garden this morning. Can't stop it as it comes in from the wood at the bottom but have now sprayed it with SBK. Area now has bark on it to slow weeds down. There's a Holly tree that shouldn't be there so I'll have to take that down when the weather cools a bit. Otherwise it's just keeping on top of it.
Only 90 minutes hard labour and both of us are wobbly knee'd.😱😂
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Forgive me for asking, TtDA, but are they ' one ' hump or ' two ' Please
The reason I ask is just so that I can boast [!] about Cheshire East Council, honest
We have a nice slightly sloping road passing a couple or three schools as well as the College ( well that's what it was called in my middle years !! ) To restrict traffic speeds they have installed speed humps but mainly just above the drains so that when it rains, as it does, puddles form on the up-slope side { Always excepting the one with the grid actually on top !} so that the kiddies get nicely dampened down as the mothers screech to a halt, three deep across the school gates, I do wonder if local council staff have connections to Dry-Cleaners at all ?
OOPS, sorry I was taking too long composing my thesis and some scamp got in and pinched my joke
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I had my daughter in 75, only remember bits of 76, two babies under 3! 75 was a very hot summer as well, so it might be the same next summer. I remember a kind neighbour asked if our son wanted to join theirs in their paddling pool, I was so grateful, and the boys became best friends for years. We used to have a huge cupboard in the dining room, it was very cool, so I used to wheel the pram in there. Our daughter still says I put her in the cupboard! I did leave the door open.
I was almost glad to go to Tesco today with their air conditioning, I didn’t rush around. Went at 1pm cos I thought most would then be on the beach, that worked. Neighbours are all out, taken the kids to the beach. Out with granddog at 6.30am She will need to go again, will try the woods later tonight, the only place likely to be cool, and she’s not happy unless she’s running. Saw a chap walking a puppy dashound around outside Tesco, it’s poor little paws must have been hot on the ground.
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Definitely Bactrian. The “humps” have a tendency to lean under stress. I worked for this Council for 25 years, so have full insider information of all the goings on. I got out eventually, valued my morals and sanity too much. 😁
Just had two hours in our pool, it’s a very hot 32c here, with no breeze at all. Tomorrow supposed to be ever warmer, then possibly, thunderstorms on Monday. Hard to remember when we last had rain. Seem to be an awful lot of jets overhead today as well……unless they are “pool viewing”…🤣🤣
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Sitting outside, beautiful sunset, anyone seen the shooting stars, didn't see any last night.
Stood in our hot kitchen today making a large cake for a local event tomorrow, 5pm message came through cancelling event due to heat. Anyone fancy a piece of sponge cake filled with strawberry jam and buttercream?!
Also decided to use up some of the garden veg and make a pan of Ratatouille, will eat that tomorrow and have a none cooking day, 34C as usual today.The forecast for thunderstorms keeps moving around, basically no rain for the next two weeks.
Keep thinking I can hear rain, the hedges are full of night flying insects and the young sparrows spray bird seed everywhere. Very different sounds just now due to the weather.
Last night an owl decided to hoot outside our windows, no reply so he just kept on and on...🦉
Have a good night folks.
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