What are you all up to
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I don't know if we are unusual in still having a landline? We had a call from our internet supplier, Plusnet, telling us that at some point in the relative near future all phone calls will have to be done over the internet. OK so we knew this was coming but not quite sure when, Strangely Plusnet are not offering VOIP so we have had to change to their sister company, EE. Not that we probably need it but the change also means we will be changing to full fibre broadband rather than our current FTTC. It will mean a faster connection and EE also offer a VOIP service. It looks as if the overall price will be slightly cheaper than we currently pay. Today an Openreach van turned up to install the fibre optic cable as far as the house. An engineer will come later to set everything up inside the house. Fortunately they didn'y need to dig anything up as the old system in MK had ducts going from cabinets and ground boxes direct to each house installation, thus far has been pretty straightforward. I think its a case of so far so good, the fun will start when they set up the connection?
David
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@Francis have you had a look in your "My Draft" link just in case they have disappeared into there?
Grand photos @Wherenext pleased to read that you have both our on your bikes, and not fallen off!😉 Good training for you upcoming trip away. 👍We come across quite a few of the old phone boxes on our travels which are now being used either as Bookswap libraries or sites for a Defibrillator.
That's a lovely looking Wisteria @milliehull
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It has been another fine sunny day, but still with a cool breeze, and we have an orange sky behind Arran this evening again.We had a good 4 ml walk around Culzean Estate, with a picnic lunch by the lake. The views out over the Firth of Clyde were clearer than yesterday.
Looking SW towards Ailsa Craig and Turnberry Point lighthouse
A new dragon in the Lake
The Pagoda, once an aviary and tea house.
The Battery, by the Castle
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"all phone calls will have to be done over the internet."
Make sure they install a battery back up to ensure you can make emergency phone calls in the event of a power cut.2 -
We are away again, football inspired trip to Middlesbrough. Stopped off at beautiful Mount Grace Priory on the way up, it’s probably my favourite religious site, so different and interesting, and the Chris Beardshaw designed Arts and Crafts gardens are superb. Found a lovely eatery in Boro. Fingers crossed for tomorrow 🤞
Lower garden and pond.
House and terraced gardens, lovely fresh growth but not much in flower yet, going to be beautiful though.
Priory Church (and a lady sat doing crochet) Look at that sky, fabulous weather.
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@DavidKlyne we still have our landline. Our system is now exactly as you will going over to soon, it works well - usually! We have a peculiar glitch with ours though when I call my sister in Scotland, the call just will cut off after anything from 10 to 20 minutes and we have to keep redialling, it’s pretty annoying and we will often use our mobiles to speak to each other these days. It has been investigated quite a few times and no one seems to know why it’s just her number, although we don’t have such long conversations with anyone else!
@Takethedogalong shame we missed you! We were at Mount Grace yesterday on our way home from Northumberland. Like you we really enjoy it there for short break in the journey. A little early for the main flower show but still lovely. Saw mini tadpoles for the first time in quite a while!
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A couple of pictures from the beautiful Ingram Valley in the Cheviots.
OH doing his thing! 😀
Like you @nelliethehooker we saw quite a few willow warblers here too. On our last visit here we saw a kingfisher but unlucky this time!
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@DavidKlyne - we're with EE - have been with them for 20+ years because I stay with them, regardless of price, because of their excellent customer service (in my experience!). I made the switch to full fibre a year or so ago - which also means having VOIP for the landline and it works perfectly. I was a bit concerned because we had heard one or two horror stories about poor connections, garbled speech, etc - but ours has been absolutely perfect. I pay for 150Mbps and that's exactly what I get😀.
@Tinwheeler correctly points out that you need a battery back-up for if the power fails - and all pensioners are entitled to a free one - so just ask EE for one and they will send it. Ours has been tested on a couple of occasions and it works well - lasting for a few hours which is usually long enough for the power to be restored. Plus, of course, you maintain your internet connection when all those around you have lost it!
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Thanks @Tinwheeler and @richardandros re the info about the battery pack and for those already on the system, glad to know it works even if there are the occasional glitches. We both also have Smartphones on different networks so hopefully we have all bases covered? Just had a message that they are coming on19th May to set everything up so will report back.
David
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Interesting re Fibre as ours here has been in use for over 4 years and no problems in fact we were connected before some larger towns and cities and we are in the countryside Orange did do battery packs but no longer and each time our internet goes down OH gets extra data on his mobile phone and done very quickly and lasts longer than a few hours usually upto 1 month no extra charge, from next year the old copper wires will be removed but still some areas to be done ie remote and mountainous areas.
Had a busy week I have finally cleared a lot of dead growth from the Salvia bed and boy was it hot as the sun was hitting the house wall and all faces south took 4 days mostly long mornings and had 5 large green garden bags full so trip to the dechetterie on Thursday afternoon and nobody there so although green waste areas filling up and OH had done his new conduit with electric cables inside and dug under all our concrete foot pads and only hit one large stone which he rerouted the conduit around it and looks much better but he did say he had aching joints and knees also I had much the same but not knees just backache from bending over and got secateur hands now so yesterday we went to a local nursery to get some plants wow the colours are always amazing there and again not many folk about but as it is in large greenhouses it was very hot phew did stop on the way and found a shady spot for a quick picnic lunch then off to a small local suermarket which sells fuel dearer than our local one but we needed the car wash as it is excellent and value for money so a very clean RAV now after Sahara sand and Oak tree pollen it was awful mine is under the car port so not so dirty and this afternoon off again to get the Landcruiser clean think we will have a quiet day tomorrow, OH has got a xray at local hospital in Cahors Monday pm and then hopefully Tuesday I can get plants sorted as we may have some rain next week hopefully as there are cracks in the ground which is very early this year.
Have a good weekend folks.
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It has been a rather busy since we arrived home following our very enjoyable weekend in the peaks, Apologies but I haven't caught up with all recent posts. Have a few minutes before the grandchildren and their parents arrive.
Thank you for the birthday wishes, and hope,all trips away are going well especially with this lovely sunshine. Some great photos too.
Enjoy the weekend folks, will hopefully catch up later when they've all gone home. 🙂
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Another glorious day here, the 2nd where that very chilly wind is absent. We've had frosty starts and mist and fog too. Including this morning.
Still no rain on the horizon. So our garden has been watered 😱. Our grass treatment was carried out almost 2 weeks ago and he said then it needed watering 45 mins a week. I pushed it as long as I could. Our grass is cracking and I can't attempt anything on the borders and beds. I filled 2.5 of our 4 waterbutts. Seems mad after all our rain, they only got used for the greenhouse at the moment and that only has overwintering pots!
I have put up, with the aid of our garden help, the runner bean support. My goodness it's never been so posh!
I put my saved seeds in and found it didn't have a new packet! Today I've just sown round carrots under there. Hopefully they'll be ready before they get shaded out. I sowed beetroot and plan to do more sowing after I've finished lunch.
Sweetcorn sowed with grandson 2 weeks ago has germinated, I sent his pot down Thursday. I'll sow some more very soon to have a succession. Finally transplanted my sweetpeas 😱 after I'd entangled them. They still look a bit sad, but improving.
I've booked a cottage , we've used before, in Norfolk at the beginning of July and just booked a Lodge at Paper Mill Lock for July. We have a family get together at my neice's on the Saturday so tagged it on to that. Visits to Essex tend to be to my brother and OH remaining uncle, in his 90s so don't catch up with friends. So can do it this way. The Pub I wanted to stay at, near where I grew up so old stomping ground, was full. Paper Mill Lock is lovely and has/had lovely tearoom. So I'll be doing breakfast if necessary..... This Lodge is a new addition since we moved. Haven't ruled out more breaks 😉.
Good to read the posts and see photos.
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Have a few minutes myself before OH returns. She's just taken a small gift to our recently bereaved neighbour, more as an excuse to see if there's anything we can do. She's had a lot of visitors from the village.
When MiL gave up her crafting the vast majority of her materials and machines were given to the crafting club for those members to help themselves. Given freely. They were very appreciative and donated some money which found its way to MiL. She was told to buy whatever she wanted with it, a nice tidy sum. Enough to have to be taken to some smart clothes shops today by myself and OH. This may just be MiLs favourite pastime but boy does she move slowly and prevaricate. I take a newspaper and sit with numerous cups of coffee and keep out of her hair.
She's now fast asleep in her chair. I'm just off to do some measuring of the cupboard spaces in "Bertie"
Hope everyone enjoying their weekend.
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@Wherenext I love your MIL and her ability to continue buying clothes. It makes me smile 😃. Love her
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It’s a lovely warm sunny day here so we’ve managed to get a lot done. I was up early today and gave the caravan a spring clean took out all the carpets and hoovered them and cleaned the floor it’s amazing the amount of little stones that get trapped under the carpets. Alls gave the toilet and shower a clean SWMBO was pleased as that’s usually her job so no need for her to do it now. Then gave my Merc a clean and valet ready for the car show tomorrow our first one of the season. Got some jobs done in the garden and with the weather being great we decided to have a BBQ so that’s what we are doing now sitting out with a beer and dinner cooking on the BBQ daughter and gdaughter have joined us too
Hope everyone else is having a nice weekend
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Up the mighty Boro! Spent most of the first half quietly cursing them for wasted chances, although the first early goal was a cracker from a free kick. I think they got a rocket at half time, lots of substitutions, and they ended up winning 5-1 so a cracking result that actually gives a glimmer of an automatic promotion place🫣🙏🙏. More realistic will be a play off place, but we live in hope. We had a nice stroll around the town after the game, still some interesting old buildings left amidst the post war rebuild. Another night in hotel here, then we shall go home over Bilsdale tomorrow rather than down the coast. Possibly do Rievaulx Abbey, Helmsley, maybe Kirkham Abbey.
Sorry we missed you @heddlo , glad you enjoyed MG Priory like we did. I could live in the little monk’s cell, so lovely. (But with my OH of course🤭)
Nice photos and posts from others. I am on a tethered WiFi here, so mainly reading.
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A cracking result for the Boro', @Takethedogalong hope they get promoted. Have a safe journey home tomorrow, just watch out for motorcycles, as there have been at least 3 RTAs involving them today in Yorkshire!! Lovely picture of M G Priory!
Hope the BBQ went down a treat @Francis after all your hard work today you deserve it.
Grand photos @heddlo there are some beautiful blossom trees about at the moment.
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More sunshine today but with some cloud cover at times, although the chill breeze has nearly gone. Spent the morning on the shore at Greenan following in the footsteps of the children with their parents on a beach cleanup. A necessary visit, after our picnic, to a filling station (diesel at 179.9) and a couple of supermarkets to replenish stocks.
A couple of view of the ruins of Greenan Castle, built around 1520 on the site of a Motte and Bailey, and abandoned in the late 1700's.
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I live 3,1/2 miles NE of Southport and walked past our local garage this morning with the dog and diesel has gone down to 189.9 as it was 191.9 yesterday. Just goes to show the variation in the price of fuel in different areas of the country, but perhaps they have put it down as they were not selling very much at that price!
ps. I really enjoy your photos.
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No frost here this morning. Cloud is burning off now. Wonderful dog walk around the fields from our door, just a tiny hint of a breeze - but so much warmer than that we had earlier in the week.
I'm loving this wonderful sun 🌞 but we are in dire need of rain. As I said previously I've had to refill 2.5 of my 4 waterbutts, that have only topped up our water feature, greenhouse overwintering plants and a few pots. This is the state of the 2nd field I crossed this morning
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We're in dire need of dry weather! Lifted some slabs to make flower beds yesterday, and the water from the lawn was oozing back up to the surface every time I knelt down … The earth was sticking to my trenching shovel in clods; good exercise but that's about the only positive … 🤔
Steve
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Good for your MIL @Wherenext Her news always makes me smile as well. 😊
We have had glorious weather here for the past couple of days. Sunny and warm although I agree with @Bakers2 that we really could do with some rain as the ground is rock hard. It was our daughter's birthday yesterday and we had a lovely day sitting in her garden in the sunshine. It is going a bit hazey here now though.
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Not long back after an excellent day at our first car show of the season it was at Sumerlee Heritage centre in Coatbridge so only an hours drive from home. Excellent weather and a great mix of lovely cars. Got the roof down for the first time this year too. Mercedes now back in it’s garage ready for the next show not sure when that will be though as we plan to be away in the van most weekends for the next few weeks For anyone staying at the club site at Strathclyde Park Sumerlee is only a 10 minute drive and it’s a nice place with a good museum and a good cafe too with some nice walks around the grounds we visit often for an afternoon walk when we are at Strathclyde Park
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We have enjoyed “drive it day” as well coming home from the North East. We came home the Bilsdale-Ryedale route, which is a stunningly beautiful road, and we saw lots of lovely classic cars and motorbikes doing the route, including dozens of Ferrari’s (mostly modern, but we forgave them🤣). We turned off to do a fantastic rural road that skirted Hawnby, and climbed down and then back up a virtual cart track to end up in Old Byland, taking in our favourite ford! Underneath of Jeep is now a good bit cleaner, great fun🤭Stopped off at Rievaulx Abbey, had a good look around, then through Helmsley, onto Slingsby for a quick glance at the Castle, drive right through the Castle Howard Estate, and then cross the A64 and stop off again, this time at Kirkham Abbey for a good wander around. Weather was lovely, got warmer as we got further South. A lovely weekend away altogether.
Great fun in a ford!
Always beautiful, Rievaulx Abbey. Our much missed Choccy Labrador was call Rievaulx, it’s one of our favourite places.
Ornate Lavatorium in the Cloisters at Kirkham Abbey
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