Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Thanks Sue....
I shall be playing out as usual in the shed.

[David Whipp]

Community Action Day with Barlick in Bloom today; just going to start preparing soup for later.

Later: soup ready for the hob now...

[PanBiker]

End of half term so time to return our Ruby to Stratford. All the way for us today as her mum is working. The delights of the M6 and food on the hoof are our lot today.

[Stanley]

I hope you have a good run!

[PanBiker]

It was horrible weather all the way down, heavy rain then driving heavy sleet turning to snow at times. Traffic kept moving though although rather slowly. Visibility not good and most behaving themselves apart from the number of complete idiots driving with no lights! I can't get my head round that particular driving fault, it costs nothing to turn your lights on. My car does it automatically but even so. Downward for the 170 miles took just short of four hours.

Serious question would it still be the following drivers fault if you rear ended or clipped someone driving around in such conditions without lights?

We noticed on the way back that the Southbound M6 carriageway was gridlocked from just the other side of the A500 junction (Stoke area) the tailback was up to just south of Thelwall. Deep joy for those heading home, 40 miles of slow or stopped traffic or thereabouts. It was just the odd shower on the way back, we made it home in just over two and a half hours.

[Tizer]

Serious question would it still be the following drivers fault if you rear ended or clipped someone driving around in such conditions without lights?

I imagine it would be, because the driver without lights (in those conditions) would be breaking the law.
We nearly got caught up in a major jam in Bridgwater yesterday. An otherwise quiet Sunday morning, little traffic in the centre of town, then suddenly two fire engines racing by and stopping just ahead of us, followed by police cars. We were on Broadway which is a dual lane stretch running past Morrison's and B&Q and with a major road junction and traffic lights immediately before the entry to the supermarkets and traffic lights right after it. In this short stretch a car was upside down on the inside lane and we read afterwards that it was a two-car collision and the road was shut for about 4 hours. We were lucky to get by in the nick of time and not get caught in the jam, which was on the main route through the town and which is already affected by all the works for the Hinkley Point building project. I've no idea how the car came to be on its roof - you can't go fast on that stretch because of the lights and the traffic but there were comments on Facebook about drivers `cutting in' from one lane to another on that part of the road.

[David Whipp]

In the 1970s, soon after the requirement to put your lights on in bad weather came in, I was driving up Fernlea Avenue in our Morris 1000 van (my Dad's) with headlamps on in heavy rain.

Going over the Rainhall Road crossroads, which at that time had notorious 'STOP' lines on the Rainhall Road junctions, a vehicle drove out of the town centre leg, striking my van just behind the drivers seat... first I knew about it was facing the other way with the back end against the Chinese Takeaway on the corner. If I'd been a second later, I probably wouldn't be here typing this, the driving seat would have taken the full force of the impact.

(The experience was a strong influence on my campaigning for traffic lights at the junction in the 1980s...)

Although my lights didn't do me much good on that occasion, they are put on religiously when the sky darkens for whatever reason.

[PanBiker]

Serious question would it still be the following drivers fault if you rear ended or clipped someone driving around in such conditions without lights?

I imagine it would be, because the driver without lights (in those conditions) would be breaking the law.

Sorry Tiz I don't quite understand your banter here?

[Moh]

Kitchen Spring cleaning today - man came to mend my oven so I gave it a polish before he came, and that led to washing cupboards down etc.

[Stanley]

Funny isn't it Moh, I call it the 'might as well do....' syndrome. It often overtakes me in the shed, I do one thing and that leads to another and before you know where you are you are on a completely different schedule! There is usually some sound logic behind it. I've just remembered the syndrome that overtakes me often nowadays. If I have to get down on the floor for anything I always check if there is anything else I could do while I'm down there!
Guess where I'll be today.....

[Sue]

Awake early as Bob left for Anglesey at 6.00 to miss the rush hour traffic on the M60. Workmen have let us down again and didn't turn up last week to finish the plumbing. Bob is going to chase them up ! Any way had a brew and lay in bed finishing my book. I had never read TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD, so decided to do so. I was too tired to finish it last night. I enjoyed it, such vivid characters and an excellent moral story, I can see why it has been used as a GCSE standard text. I am looking forward to Harper Lees new book, if that is what we can call it.

[Stanley]

The staffing of the shed is no problem Sue, the workforce are always in there as soon as the household tasks have been accomplished!

[Wendyf]

A few keen history society folk (including me) are meeting up with John Clayton this morning for a walk around the old water mill site(s) in Earby....hopefully the start of a project to celebrate the society's 20th anniversary this year. Very excited!!

[Sue]

After a degree of complaining we had wall to wall plumbers and the job is completed, just electrician, plaster and joiner to finish now but at least we can start decorating

[Stanley]

Wendy, give John my regards....
Sue, marvellous what a few well placed nips with sharp teeth will do.....
Milling with sharp cutters....

[Sue]

Off to Anglesey to start decorating and clearing out workmen rubbish . (Not rubbish workmen )

[Stanley]

Such a busy life! I shall be avoiding distractions and concentrating on engine fitting......

[Stanley]

Same again. Sounds one track I know but I love my shed!

[Stanley]

Being boring in the shed but I may have a small unusual task, drilling very small holes in tiny pieces of jet....

[Stanley]

Shed as usual but I have to give some thought to writing some articles for the paper, they are catching up!

[Sue]

It's our grand daughter Erin's first birthday today and there is to be a small family gathering. How quickly a year goes, it seems no time since both Erin and Claire were in intensive care after a traumatic birth.

Today is also recovery day. We have just returned from Anglesey after three intense decorating days. The new carpets and flooring are ordered, just a few little jobs need to be completed by workmen ( needless to say the electrician didn't come when expected) . Then there is a little outside work to do including repairing the shed. Hopefully the cottage will be up for rent by early next month.

[Stanley]

I was an hour late getting up this morning! No worries.... Actually it's a good thing because two of my ladies who I meet regularly on the morning walk have been getting worried because they haven't seen me for a while. I am about as soon as I can to get more time in the shed. So I shall be later this morning and will perhaps see them both. I wrote one article yesterday and might give more writing priority over the shed....

[Sue]

Back to anglesey to finish off, bringing back some curtains to shorten. The new central heating radiators are a goof foot higher than the old wall mounted electric heaters. Then we shall clear out our own rubbish and one battered book case and all is done ready for carpets next week

[Stanley]

It's all go Sue! I admire your energy....
Saw Betty yesterday of course because it was she who alerted me to the fact that Jean Bradley was worrying about me. I went out later and saw Jean in Butts. She was out early and I was out late! She was really pleased to see me and we had a good natter, nice.....
The shed has won. I am going in there now.....

[Marilyn]

The usual bucket of blood shed this weekend, with Febby fitting a new vanity/plumbing to bathroom.