Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

Can anyone find evidence of anyone who has been sued as a consequence of clearing a pavement.

The online advice from gov.uk suggests it is ok as long as you are careful and don't do anything to make the pavement more dangerous.

Edited February 28, 2018 by Tony_S

[bluebottle]

The first snap below was taken from my back window yesterday evening, the sun setting the sky aflame over Wadsley Common. "Ah good, I thought, shepherds delight!"

The second was taken from the front window at about 5 a.m. today. Oh well...

 

 

[grandadbob]

'ello.

Came home from a splendid night out for Joe's birthday (even though the cabs were charging extra because of the "extreme" weather conditions*)  and found a freezing cold house.

Our newish, just over 2 yo boiler, appears to have died! Message left with our friendly boiler man and we just hope that he's not off on one of his frequent skiing trips abroad.

 

* "extreme" weather conditions appears to be about 2" of snow. What a f#cking joke. Trouble is there was nothing we could do apart from walk about 2.5 miles home so I suppose the extra was worth it.

 

Pissed off Ice Man of Sutton.

Edited March 1, 2018 by grandadbob

[bluebottle]

Can anyone find evidence of anyone who has been sued as a consequence of clearing a pavement.

The online advice from gov.uk suggests it is ok as long as you are careful and don't do anything to make the pavement more dangerous.

 

There's a person who lives just round the corner from me who clears his drive, then carries on shovelling across the footpath to the road. So, when I come along, I'm faced with two parallel knee-deep banks of snow to clamber over. I'm sometimes tempted to fake a fall, so that next time I get a cold call asking me if I've ever had an accident that wasn't my fault...

[laurenceb]

Lifted from our local rags website:- https://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/burton-news/legally-clear-snow-pavements-rules-1277768 Incidently do any of our boffins know a way of stopping TM loading those blasted videos with news items, I realy do not need to know who has been locked up last month 20 times!

Good to see Debs on form

Take care out there

Night awl

Edited March 1, 2018 by laurenceb

[Two_sugars]

'ello.

Came home from a splendid night out for Joe's birthday (even though the cabs were charging extra because of the "extreme" weather conditions*)  and found a freezing cold house.

Our newish, just over 2 yo boiler, appears to have died! Message left with our friendly boiler man and we just hope that he's not off on one of his frequent skiing trips abroad.

 

* "extreme" weather conditions appears to be about 2" of snow. What a f#cking joke. Trouble is there was nothing we could do apart from walk about 2.5 miles home so I suppose the extra was worth it.

 

Pissed off Ice Man of Sutton.

 

Speaking as a retired taxi driver  . . . . . GREEDY THIEVING T**TBAGS. . . . HOPE HIS 'NADS SHRIVEL AND DIE. . 

 

Seriously, I have never heard of that one before. . .There was certainly no clause in our local by-laws that would allow it.

 

Weather . . . . Blizzards interrupted  by short clear spells. Pleased I don't have to venture out over the next couple of days. . 

 

This weekend Birtley show has become a weather casualty.

 

Liked the Harbour shots, Bod.

 

Special thoughts to all who are ill, recovering or grieving 

 

Goodnight all. . . sleep well. . . .and . . STAY WARM..

 

 

jJohn

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Barry O]

Goodnight those in the frozen wastes..stay safe and warm!

 

Today we visited the treaty signing museum and grounds in Waitanga. A deal was struck then the UK politicians and civil service got involved..nuff said.

 

The tour includes a mini haka and dancing, singing and demonstrations of Maori singing and training. They are on the ball!

 

A bit of rain and a strong breeze. Cruise ship had followed us from Aukland..Sun Princess. A block of flats laid on its side painted white.

 

Sleep well

Baz

Edited March 1, 2018 by Barry O

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. More overnight snow. Wind has picked up. Stay safe and warm. I’m off to the House of Fun.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is a little "warmer" this morning.  Only -6°C - but the wind is absolutely biting making it feel colder.

 

We don't have any snow.

 

Time for a coffee - Have a good day everyone...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all and bore da to those who mark Y Dydd Dewi Sant.

 

The delivery brat confounded expectations last night and brought the local rag at 6 pm.  That I had been out in the morning and fetched one for myself is either a shocking reflection on me for not having faith in today's young people or a wise precaution based on bitter experience.  The white stuff is not too bad in the locality, or wasn't last time I looked, but within not too many miles was of sufficient gravity for my meeting last night to be cancelled.  Did I use the unexpected gift of time wisely, you ponder.  Up to a point: I have tidied the magazines after far too long an interval and looked out some books to be given to the charity shop.  In bed I read the excellent tribute to Dick Hardy in the latest Steam Railway, having already decided that most of the back numbers will have to go.  I am pleased to report that the poltergeist had a night off.

 

Last night also I threw caution to the winds and left the heating on at a low temperature.  This morning British Gas, trading as Stand & Deliver, informed me that my monthly payment will rise by £10.  I was wondering how best to deploy the forthcoming increase in the state pension.

 

I might do the fodder run today if the buses are still running and if there is anything apart from milk that I really need.

 

It is good to read the encouraging news from Debs.  Warm thoughts to her and to all who are ailing, recovering and missing.

 

Chris     

[AndyB]

Morning all from a snowy Hampshire. 

No snow overnight but it is now a steady flurry resulting in about 1" so far.

I've elected to work from home today as I didn't want to get into the office and find I was "Johnny no mates" and everyone else phoning in for meetings. 

And so, as technically I don't need to start work for another hour I may go and check out my duvet. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A bit windy this morning, so windy in fact I at first thought it was more snow falling but its only being blown about by the wind. Fortunately the fences I had installed a couple of years ago have the effect of stopping the drifts from covering the path. Bin day today but at the moment mine are the only bin bags out for collection, nothing on the local council website re. cancellations. The heating has been running 24/7 and seems to be struggling to keep the temperature up to the one set on the thermometer. Great to hear from Debs and best wishes to her and other ailing ER's. Thats it for now, be back later.

[roundhouse]

Morning from a very cold Surrey. No snow overnight but it’s snowing now.

 

Our train just a few minutes late so no change f m a normal day so far. No Reading services today due to a fractured point near Wokingham.

 

Still debating whether to still take tomorrow off work or cancel it but if I do cancel then can’t get into work I will get a load of grief. However it may well allo me to go and get a repeat prescription as otherwise my tablets will run out when we are across the pond. Also it will allow a bit of clearer my out and a trip to the recycling centre then beers in the afternoon.

 

Update

 

The driver of our Thameslink train (who sounds like he should be a pilot) has apologised for the ‘inconvenience of the leaking Conveniance’

Edited March 1, 2018 by roundhouse

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Here at work, a bit late...

4 hours sleep in bed but then woken by a complaining back with a wind howling round the house and playing tunes on the overflow pipes...

 

At Morning ablutions I noticed when I pulled the plug out, there was a gurgle and the water dropped an inch and then it stopped. This is the peril of old lead outside drain piping.

Once ready to leave ( sailing winter waterproofs, hat, gloves, boots) I got steps out and a kettle of hot water and played that onto the bends in the piping after most hot water was gone I heared a gurgle and the water flowed away.

 

We appear not to have had any more snow last night, but the wind had created some impressive shapes to the snow drifts, as I was not the first through to day it was not so hard to get along our road. however after clearing the last drift you had to be careful as there was a line of cars parked tight to the hedge where owners decided to walk the last mile down to the estate by the beach.

 

Further on where the road to the cremated Swan is, I came across a recently stuck MPV, this required some interesting turning round in a foot of snow unable to see where the ditches are....

So it was off round the long way peering through the blizzard being blown off the fields trying to stay between the deep ditches.

 

Eventually I reached the the A149 noting there doesn't seem like much traffic, I was just in time to hear the Radio womble reporting that the 149 Was blocked in Several places, One was 7  of miles to behind me.... it was blocked by the gritter  / plough coming partly off the road.

The others were luckily for me,  after I left the A149 on to the A1151, unfortunately with the gritter stuck behind me, the snow had created drifts every time there was a gap in the hedge, in places the road was down to one lane only which was interesting when we met cars going the other way. There was also a Berlingo spun out into a drift. Eventually I reached the NDR, now this has been built as an enviromentaly protective road, in other words, it has high earth barriers  or is sunken onto the surrounding ground. so guess where the snow collects...it was down to a single lane and appears not to have been ploughed. while in the car the raido reported it was blocked by Norwich Airport But I turned off before then.

 

Other reports from the radio say that Cromer is cut off, which means the man who sits at the desk behind me won't be in, (he Models live steam 2.5 inch guage)

 

Time to...  wander down the lab and see if anything has been down to fix the lab A/C...

Edited March 1, 2018 by TheQ

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a white village with it being blown around a bit. I think that we've had about 4" overall. However the bin is out in case it's collected. We're due to go into Morley this morning to sign some papers regarding our house sale. The traffic is flowing OK at the moment past the house so once I've cleared a path to the car I hope that things will go OK.

 

Not a lot else on the agenda so some more boxes may be filled.

 

In the meantime watch the weather forecast as three of us are planning to go to the O gauge Guild show on Saturday. I am also on call to take the step dragon in law to a hospital appointment tomorrow.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited March 1, 2018 by jamie92208

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, a chilly -2c sur le rock, with wind chill down into double figures apparently.  Storm Emma has cancelled the ferries today, not sure who gave her that power, but it is no more than a force 4 or 5 here currently....odd.

 

I can hear the woodpecker is busy in the abandoned orchard over the back, he must be drilling for a warmer place to hide!

[jamie92208]

At Morning ablutions I noticed when I pulled the plug out, there was a gurgle and the water dropped an inch and then it stopped. This is the peril of old lead outside drain piping.

Once ready to leave ( sailing winter waterproofs, hat, gloves, boots) I got steps out and a kettle of hot water and played that onto the bends in the piping after most hot water was gone I heared a gurgle and the water flowed away.

That certainly brings back memories of my late father doing exactly that when we lived near Settle in the winter of 62/63.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Ok! Stay safe you lot in European ER land!

Baz

Fighting the mozzies

[New Haven Neil]

Ok! Stay safe you lot in European ER land!

Baz

Fighting the mozzies

 

I recall sandflies as being the issue in NZ!  Horrid things.

[TheQ]

Ah Real snow in 63, but I remember ploughing through on foot, the 3ft of snow at RAF Boulmer while on patrol / remote building equipment checks in the 1980s. According to the 18:00 news last night up to that point the most recorded snow was at... RAF Boulmer.

 

 Oh the A/C has been fixed, have now started some work...

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Bleak here, there are snow showers and the wind from the Urals is windy.

Gulls are circling overhead. We saw a fieldfare in our garden yesterday. It was having a good meal on the crab apples. It was alone, not in a flock.

Following our local council's online advice I have put the recycling bags back out. They are going to attempt collections today. Local schools are closed.

News from Ireland. People have been advised to be home by 4pm. Bread is running out. Matthew's uni is closed until Monday. Matthew is making a Russian fish stew for the weekend!

Take care

Tony

[Horsetan]

[AndrewC]

 

Greetings from Tuktoyuktuk the boring borough. A bit chilly this morning. Path gritted, bird bath thawed, shed heater switched from frost-protect to toasty. At the moment it looks like the Epsom Freemo is still a go so I need to get some last minute checks and preparation done. If I have enough time and the wombles de coque aren't out in force on the roads, I may sojourn to the local Maplin for some more 6 wire telco cable. 

 

Nice to see the c**twaffles at Southeastern covering their backsides again. On the metro routes in morning peak the loading is normally around 118% of capacity. Today they've reduced their "service" by 78% on most lines to 2 trains per hour. That means less than 1 in 5 will be able to get on a train to work this morning. SE don't give a rat's a*se as they save buckets of cash by not paying for paths. No delay repay as the trains aren't scheduled to run. They still get the revenue though as more than 80% of all peak journeys are on pre-paid tickets, travel cards, season tickets, etc. Lucky for me, my day in Bracknell was cancelled before I set off this morning. SWMBO on the other hand is once again on a bus to Woolwich, then hand to hand combat to get on a DLR to Bank. Oh, and to top it off, since SE are running a "service" TfL aren't accepting her season ticket. Effectively she is paying twice to commute today. The sooner these walking turds lose the franchise the better. 13 months left of this circus. With Stagecoach and Abellio the only alternatives, I don't think things will improve much. Even Connex wasn't as sh!t as this fustercluck of ineptitude. 

 

Rant over, blood pressure returning to normal, coffee refilled. 

 

Great to see Debs returning to normal. 

 

Today is my Friday. Meeting was cancelled so it should be fairly quiet and I can catch up on things. Enjoy your day.