WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Cathy]

All this hot weather you are having, imagine it being even hotter and lasting for 1 or 2 weeks, two, three, four times each summer. .

[PanBiker]

The fact that I had to ring KB Tyres to confirm something that I was told only last week! I booked a slot for an MOT on the car and was given tomorrow (Tuesday) at 15.30. Nowt wrong with that apart from when I wrote it on our kitchen calendar I put the time and note for the MOT in the Tuesday box but prefixed the note with MON. Couldn't remember for the life in me whether it was Monday or Tuesday. I rang to confirm and have had Tuesday confirmed and have since received a reminder text as well to reinforce the point. Doh!

[Wendyf]

Still no power, Northern Power grid hoping to get it fixed by midnight.

[Stanley]

Cathy, that thought hadn't escaped me but don't forget we aren't geared up for this heat. Things will have to change eventually.
Not a good time for that Wendy, I hope you do get power back as soon as possible.
I heard a report of changes at the BBC again and it reminded me that I keep forgetting to complain. They are merging World Service News with the regular UK home service and sacking about 200 staff.... That's not going to help content or service. (Have you noticed how bad even local connections with interviewees is?)

[Wendyf]

Power still off....hoping to get it back by 10am. The Earby side of the Clough got theirs back at about 7pm but the Kelbrook side is proving more difficult to fix!

[Big Kev]

I've just checked the CCTV at Chez Kev so the power must be on there.

[Wendyf]

I've just checked the CCTV at Chez Kev so the power must be on there.

There are about 20 properties off coming up the hill from Kelbrook. Now being told 3pm but somehow I doubt it!

[Stanley]

That's a bummer Wendy and I am thinking of things like freezers thawing out and well pumps that aren't working.... The sooner they get you back on the better! (Colin will be sat there thinking dark thoughts about emergency generators.....

[Tizer]

All this hot weather you are having, imagine it being even hotter and lasting for 1 or 2 weeks, two, three, four times each summer. .

Cathy, reaction to hot weather depends very much on what you're used to, and that applies to individuals and to countries. While working as a postdoc at Bristol University I had some colleagues come round to my flat in the evening for some food and beer. We had to put the gas fire on for one of them and he sat by it all evening wearing a puffa jacket. He was was a Scottish lad but had spent many years in Townsville doing his PhD and postdoc work. It took him a long time to get adapted again to the different temperatures here (and I think he dreaded going back to Scotland!).

[Wendyf]

That's a bummer Wendy and I am thinking of things like freezers thawing out and well pumps that aren't working.... The sooner they get you back on the better! (Colin will be sat there thinking dark thoughts about emergency generators.....

The battery system is just about coping with the freezer and the water pump at the moment, though I think Col has just switched the freezer off to save the battery. It should survive a while if we don't open it.
I worry about my neighbours up at the farm with 2 sheds full of M&S pigs....

[PanBiker]

I hope you get the power back on sooner rather than later Wendy.

In my part of the forest I got a missed call and voice mail on my mobile this morning. KB tyres regarding my 15.30 appointment and asking if I can get it to them earlier. They want to finish earlier. No problem to me, I'll finish my chores then take it down.

[Big Kev]

How's the power situation? Has it spread further? My CCTV is offline.

[Wendyf]

Not that I know of Kev. Nothing on the outages map, but are you in the Northern Powergrid area?

[Wendyf]

Power just restored!

[Stanley]

Lovely, so glad to hear that Wendy. I can settle down to reading PE now with that not weighing on my mind.
I was thinking this morning, imagine life in weather like this with no fridge....
(I have just finished stripping my chicken and it's all in the fridge, nice and cool...)

[Big Kev]

Not that I know of Kev. Nothing on the outages map, but are you in the Northern Powergrid area?

I usually get Northern Powergrid messages, not had any today though. I think it might have been the dodgy public wifi at the Bluewater shopping centre, CCTV connects fine with 4G.

[MickBrett]

Ian

I hope your son's bees are coping with that heat you are getting

[Stanley]

Morning Mick, I think the bees will be much happier today, back to more normal temperatures. Much cooler in the night as well and I overslept but who cares!

[Stanley]

Normally I would be going in the shed now but it's still too warm for comfort so I shall ignore the screams of protest from the public and will decline any useful activity....
(I don't feel at all guilty and there is nobody who can order me in there. That's the beauty of being retired!)
See THIS report of £195million being won in the Euromillions lottery. Is this a blessing or a curse? I am perhaps kidding myself but I wouldn't want that amount of money....
(I am reminded of the old joke where the winner was asked what he would do about the begging letters. "I shall continue to send them out" he said.)

[PanBiker]

Ian

I hope your son's bees are coping with that heat you are getting

Thanks Mick and good point. I believe under normal circumstances the bees have a cunning plan for climate control within the hive. 36.4 degrees in our back yard yesterday didn't seem to bother the ones that are regular visitors to our pots. No doubt our Jack will be keeping an eye on them.

[Stanley]

I was thinking only yesterday that it was nice not to have to worry about the effects of the weather on my dog.
Having said that, I had a bad dream a couple of nights ago, I realised that I didn't know where my house cat was crapping and of course it never goes out. I woke and worried for a while until I had a thought, "Hang on Stanley, you haven't got a bloody cat!". End of worry...

[Wendyf]

[Stanley]

I thought you might like that.... Funny thing is it was a very real worry when I first woke, dreams can be very real!

[Tizer]

As a young child I once had what has probably been my most frightening dream. I was in a town street with houses burning around me as bombs fell and I had that awful fear that the next one could be close to me, but there was nowhere to escape. What made it so very frightening is that it seemed so realistic and not a dream. I can only assume that I'd seen that scenario on TV and it came to life in my dream.

[Stanley]

I love what my friend Susi called 'eavesdrippings', snatches of conversation with no context heard in passing.
I heard one this morning in Town Square as I passed a group of pensioners chatting on the pavement. "....and after that we'll have a week in Jamaica....".