What are you all up to
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Just got back from a lovely New Years break at our Sons in Watford. We took our daughters two eldest girls with us so the 5 teenagers, well the eldest is 21 now, had a great time. Played all the remote games on the tv. I’m quite good at bowling but rubbish at tennis. Managed Trival Pursuit ok. A bit wet for walks but we did manage to visit the town and lunch for us all in Wetherspoons there. Watched a few films in their cinema room. Lovely to spend time with all the youngsters before they head back to Uni and college.
We had a decent journey home, not too much traffic, an hours stop for lunch. More than can be said for the poor folk going in the other direction. It was a car park from just passed Tiverton to Bristol, three lanes nose to tail all the way, it did just move very slowly in just a couple of places but otherwise just stationary. Motor homes, some caravans, lots of top-boxes, guess all staying in the West Country for New Year. It’s not always good but we haven’t seen it that bad since one August bank holiday weekend. Unpacked now and the washing in the machine.
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Had a very pleasant day, mostly in sunshine, albeit cool out of it. Did rain a little on our first short walk this morning but lovely this afternoon for a longer walk.
Also had a long chat with my widower brother in France. It's coming up to the anniversary of my SiLs passing and I was quite worried about his state of mind so it was great to have a long, diverse, and sometimes, funny, talk with him. He keeps in touch more often since my stroke, about the only benefit of it I can think of.
RK, we always found it strange that Sales were regulated by the government in France. DFS would never survive over there.
DEBSC really enjoyed your pub tale from yesterday. I could imagine the teacher being a tad concerned.
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Fffffreezing here today, - 8c when we went out to the MH this morning to give it a run. Really thick frost that did not lift all day.
Had a walk around the village in lovely sunshine this afternoon but still very cold.
I'm feeling so much better today
I set up my knitting machine and made 2 hats. OH is still a bit rough but he will get thereStarting to make plans for our spring trip
WN, good to hear you are getting out for walks, also good to hear you had a good chat with your brother.
I wish someone would regulate sales in this country, I'm sick of seeing all the adverts on TV, if its not furniture it's holidays
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Good day yesterday down at DD's, we were there to occupy the children from 14.30 while the parents prepared dinner. Other guests arrived about 16.30 and drinks were dispensed, DD had found a very large bottle of Prosecco that she had won in some competition in her office several years back!
Dinner was excellent, the steak pie delicious, and DD had made a very tasty chocolate log, and home made vanilla ice cream, and after the other guests had departed and the children eventually went to bed, the 4 of us played Trivial Pursuit, which SIL won, as usual.
It was a very chilly night, but we were snug in our sleeping bags on the sofas until abruptly woken by Callum at 07.30. Nathan slept on till almost 10, while the rest of us had pancakes for breakfast.
We used our new heating app to warm up the house before coming home with the left-overs to have for our dinner, as DD and family had a dinner invitation.
The new heating controls are working well, though OH and I are not always in agreement as to what temperature the thermostats should be set to!
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Just got our December fuel bill from our supplier, while more in money, and despite the very cold weather recently, we have used 35% less gas, and 55% less electricity than the same period last year.
The former presumably due to the new, more efficient, boiler.
The latter will be because we have turned off the drinks fridge, helped by using an air fryer rather than the oven most of the time, but mainly because we have stopped leaving any heating on in the caravan over winter!
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Thankfully a fine day, and quite warm in the sunshine. Morning visit into town as OH wanted a few bits from Primark. The whole town centre was very quiet, very few people about and quite a few shops not open. Drove onto to park by the canal for lunch, in the car, and then a good walk. There were nearly as many out ON the towpath as we saw in town!! Last night here before we start our homeward bound route in the morning. Considering that the weather has restricted the amount of getting about in the area the time has passed pleasantly enough. Hope to get to visit a few more places as we head back north.
TG that has been some tragedy in the hotel in Perth today. Is it a holiday type hotel or a residential one, seeing that a dog was one of the unfortunate victims?
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WN good to hear that you are getting out for walks. I hope 2023 brings better health for you and a steady improvement so that you will be able to get away in your caravan before too long. I so enjoyed meeting you and Mrs WN a few months ago and would like to think we could meet up again sometime and have a longer chat over a cup of coffee. We might also include OH if he promises to behave himself😏.
We had planned to take the Christmas decs down today and have a good clean afterwards but changed our minds when we saw the weather. It has been a lovely bright, sunny and dry day so we went for a short walk this morning and then did some much needed tidying in the garden this afternoon. It now looks a lot better although there is still a lot to do.
Glad to hear you are feeling so much better TG.
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I think this has been our quietest festive season for a long time but we've handed back two extra dogs tonight and will be free to get out tomorrow! Such a nice day today so we took all the outside Christmas lights down, dried everything and got it all packed away. Even swept up leaves that came down very late and things look tidier. Our son and family might be here later in the week so that will liven us up for a few days, in fact I'd better enjoy the lull!
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Walrus watch update……Thor is staying in Blyth at the moment. Hope he stays safe👍
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Kj
Your new boiler apart( which obviously is more efficient than the one it replaced) I wonder if many of us will see a reduction in gas/electricity use but bills similar or bigger than the same time last year. Not had the December bill yet, usually comes about the 5th of the month, but the previous two months have seen a reduction in usage but the money element has been bigger. Glad for the universal Government support but that ends in April with no indication yet that something will be put in its place. Fortunately as pensioners we got the extra help and, I think, that will be in place for next year as well? We didn't benefit from the Council Tax rebate as we are in Band E, can't have everything I suppose! Fortunately we have a healthy balance in our energy account at the moment but I can see that being whittled away depending on how cold January and February are?
We have taken our Christmas Decs down today and packed them away in the boxes we temporarily stored in the Conservatory and we have moved them upstairs prior to them going up in the loft. I decided today to order one of those telescopic ladders as I am fed up with the old steel frame steps I have had for years which are very heavy. Hopefully it will be good for cleaning the motorhome roof as well? I think the old steps are going to the dump and my extending ladder might be sold in the Spring.
David
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David, I doubt there will be any reduction in fuel costs for a long time the way things are going, we will just have to hope that some government help will be available after April. No Council Tax rebate for us either, but the £400 plus the Winter Fuel £600 this year has certainly helped, as has the FIT payments for our PV production.
Normally the FIT payments would have more than paid all our fuel bills, but now they do not even cover 50%. OH checked our remaining credit today, we still have over £1200 in reserve as we have been using much less than our DDs have been based on.
I finally got one of those telescopic ladders a couple of years back, after wanting one for ages, they are very handy for taking in the car when required. But for loft access we have an insulated hinge down hatchway with a folding ladder attached, which I feel is much safer than using a "loose ladder".
Very little in the way of decorations to take down here, so we will wait a day or two yet.
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Not forgetting the £66 p/mth subsidy👍🏻
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I was sent an interesting article yesterday about the family who design and install the NYE fireworks at Sydney. The article mentions that business increased after the 1980's decision by the Australian States to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public. Maybe it is time for some similar action over here.
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+1, I’ve believed for a long while it should be licensed organisations only holding Firework events. Every year there are injuries to Humans & wildlife, the Farming community suffer too. It’s the only way to legislate for the idiots who throw them at folk & the latest craze-attacking moving cars with them.
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Absolutely. It was like a war zone for ten minutes around us on NY Eve, never known as much noise and money going up in smoke, and all from private gardens😡 Should be organised events only, no sales to private individuals. We had flocks of distressed birds wheeling around the houses close to us.
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Some of the bangs leave my ears ringing. They reverberate on & on🤷🏻♂️
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The Fireworks at Cromer have except for the covid two years when they were cancelled,,always been on new years day starting at 1700hrs
The thing that we really noticed this year was the amount of people that had dogs with them and when I spoke to two couples who had dogs they did not seem to acknowledge the stress it might cause one couple had only got their spaniel during lockdown and said they would find out when the fireworks started ,and the dog was trying to hide when they did but the "owners?" just kept tugging at its lead
Ps it took ten minutes to get to the Runton Road car park from the site we were on and over an hour to get back to the site mostly because of stupid parking on the roads instead of paying for the car park
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The site we stayed on over Christmas and new year was not busy and nearly £30 cheaper than the nearest cc site per night but the owner did say his electricity is on a contract that runs out later this year and the cheapest commercial tariff he could get as now was over four times more expensive than what he is paying now ,
We are still booked to stay for another three visits this year
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Agree 100% with Rocky and TtDA posts above. Although we didn't have an awful lot near us this year (possibly because of a well timed downpour just before midnight), those we did have were excessively noisy but with little visual display - pretty pathetic really, but enough to disturb both the dogs.
Time to call a halt to this and allow organised, time limited, displays only, preferably away from residential areas.
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Feel for you Brue, we were looking at the photos of Muchelney. Must be terrible for anyone trying to look after children, elderly relatives and with pets and stock to care for. We have heavy rain today up here, after a gorgeous day yesterday. I even managed an hour at home in my garden.
Had a Christmas card arrive from a very old friend, we grew up together a few houses apart, and she went to school with my OH. We’ve always kept in touch, but not seen a great deal of each other for various reasons. But we have promised a meet up soon. Last time I saw her was Dad’s funeral, not the best time to catch, so looking forward to a better chin wag.
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I think some dog owners don’t have a clue sadly. All our dogs, bar our two Labradors, were seriously stressed by fireworks. Didn’t matter what we did to try and keep things calm, it was heart rending seeing their fright. Horses were the same as well, and we never let our cats out Bonfire Night. Rabbit, hutch and all went into garage. Our Lab is something else, never bats an eyelid, don’t think he even notices the noise. But we still wouldn’t dream of taking him to a fireworks event.
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Whilst I would prefer that people didn't use large fireworks in house gardens where the spacing does not really allow for their safe use in my opinion I think we have to be a bit careful about suggesting a total ban. Whilst traditionally fireworks have been used in November and New Years Eve there are other religious festivals where fireworks also seem to be used. It is quite possible such communities are not large enough to support an organised event so I could see difficulties.
David
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Miserable, grey day here so far. Some rain, but no deluges thankfully, but still very chilly. Heating turned back on.
Every time a smart TRV turns on or off it gives a little beep, which could become a bit annoying over time. I have not yet found any way of turning that off.
Our package of the final 4 smart TRVs is apparently on its way to us, so those should stop the hall radiators coming on unnecessarily. Overnight OH heard the heating in the kitchen running off and on, so it must have been pretty chilly outside overnight. I think we will need to turn down the overnight setting there.
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It’s what religious folk do-they think of others who suffer. They will accept the law of the land that is set for the majority not the minority. The Dog wags the tail👍🏻. I’m afraid you can’t condone pain & suffering for many to appease a few🤷🏻♂️
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We have a large Asian community in our town, and yes they use fireworks for Eid and Diwali, and weddings. So it means we have further random letting off of fireworks. I wouldn’t call for a blanket ban, happy for organised, licensed events to go ahead.🙂 But no matter the culture, religion, whatever, if it takes a ban on private sales and use, then it needs to include everyone. It just needs some control to prevent injuries and stress.
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When our kids were young we bought a puppy Springer Spaniel, her parents were both working gun dogs, we didn’t buy her to work but because we fell in love with her. Good job that we didn’t, the slightest bang and she was terrified. My Dad and I used to target shoot at Bisley, we took the very young dog but within 30 minutes I had to take her home as she was shaking. Some gun dog. Firework night was a nightmare, she would rush under the bed and I would sit up there all evening with her, playing music and talking gently to her.
Our static site does a firework evening and going out last year to watch it from a bit of a distant vantage point I found myself standing next to a woman with a westie on a lead. I said they do get quite loud, looking at her dog. She explained that the dog would completely ignore them and wouldn’t react. Sure enough it sat there throughout quite happily as though they weren’t happening. Agree with others it should be displays only, they are dangerous things.
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Our 2nd Springer did not bother about fireworks we used to take him to the local do and folk were surprised he did not flinch just looked at them as if to say they are pretty only thing he did not like was thunder but ok with the lightening he used to try and put his head under OH's armpit or mine which was nearer so funny to see.
Shopping done bought a few extra things heyho, stopped on the way back at a local Dolmen walk/park and had a picnic lunch very nice so will go and have a walk around later in the year when the hunt season is over. A nice sunny afternoon now after the rain of last night and dull this morning with fog, amazing how many folk drive without any lights on and it was quite foggy!!
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We always feel it when Bonfire night and New Years Eve roll around, having had our West die in my arms from a heart attack brought on by panic on 5th.November. We couldn't sedate her that year as she was on other meds so took her for a long ride in the car. Got back at gone 1 a.m. when a neighbour set off some fireworks. So I for one would gladly ban them, not going to happen, but they should be better regulated.
Millie - Be glad to stand you a coffee, even 2 if Mr.H joins us, if we can get down your way again. Obviously we haven't planned anything at all for this year and will take it as it comes. We love East Anglia too much not to visit again so will keep our fingers crossed.
Wet day up here today but feel for those around Brue who are experiencing flooding yet again.
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