Early Winter Bits and Bobs - 2021.

A place to chat about anything you like, including non-gardening related subjects. Just keep it clean, please!

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oldherbaceous
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Well we are starting off with a right old mix of weather, So I wonder what this Winter has for us this year!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

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Westi
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The answer from me is erratic! Minus temps one day (yes even down here in the tropics - OK only -0.2), & then +12C the next. I am doing my visits down in relation to the forecasted higher temps as still have weeding, clearing, digging etc to do so need the soil unfrozen. The phone weather tells me I have a few days over the next 2 weeks but who knows after that?

I do though - the burning! Pyromania mode building along with the burn pile & frozen soil not in the mix! ;)

PS: Nothing from Monica yet - shall I send her a note for permission to share her address via pm to anyone who might be able to help or just contact her to know how much she is missed???
Westi
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oldherbaceous
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It would be lovely to write a few lines to her….do miss her not being on the forum!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
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Primrose
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Yes, please do Westi. Monika is much missed and I wonder how she and her husband fared in the recent storms.

I was dismayed this morning to wake and see, from the open crack in our curtains snow pelting down in the light of the street lamp post outside our house. Thankfully it has now stopped but the rooftops are covered and the sun is desperately trying to shine although I fear road and pavement surfaces are going to be quite icy. I suppose that will mean a lot more casualties arriving in A&E. It will probably also mean a greater determination for Robo's hungry rabbit ? to pay him a few return visits.
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Primrose ,I haven’t got a hungry rabbit if I had I would be making a rabbit stew
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Primrose
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Well robo, maybe you have to raid the bottom of your fridge for any bendy vegetables which might be lurking there and put them down thereas an easier alternative distraction for whoever is causing the damage
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Storm Barra set to arrive on Tuesday, with a yellow storm warning for pretty much the whole country south of the Great Glen Fault. Tie everything down!
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oldherbaceous
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I feel sorry for those people in Scotland then…
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Primrose
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Talking of winter storms and power cuts, has everybody on here heard of the Priority Services Register if they have elderly disabled friends or relatives who may be vulnerable?

This is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations (such as power supply interruptions,)  and is offered by energy suppliers and network operators.  They all keep their own registers. Registering is particularly important if, for example,  your medical condition requires electricity to power medical equipment at home. 

You can register if you or someone in your household:

relies on medical equipment
have refrigerated medicines
have a serious or chronic illness
have a disability
is living with dementia
are of pensionable age
have children under five in your household
have mental health difficulties 

If your  electricity supply is compromised and cut off, those on a Priority Services Register can receive extra support which may include

-  a priority number you can ring 24 hours a day
-  text or voice message alerts advising you of power cuts or interruptions to water supplies in your area  
-  specific practical support like simple meals or  notifying relatives
-  in severe cases, temporary alternative hotel accommodation if your home is incapable of being lived in 

OFGEM has a summary at:

www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/ ... s-register.     

This will help finding utility suppliers in your area.

Electricity:
www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/power-cut/pri ... s-register

(This website incorporates a link enabling you to sign up for the register)
Westi
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I bet not many know of this Primrose. Funny how all these things that would re-assure are not found in the open on their sites, but you have to dig around. I've been very impressed at how stoic the folk who were severely affected have been bearing up & still have consideration for the welfare of their neighbours. I do hope Storm Barra doesn't undo all the work the electric companies have done replacing the thousands of poles taken down.
Westi
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Rain, drizzle, mist, damp, wet, soaking, mud, mud, mud........
Bleeuurrr. :( :roll: :evil:
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Thinking the current power failure and a electric car does not go together.

Another thought how good is an electric car during floods, I hear the battery is weakened when temperature is below freezing.
Diarmuid
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For many years now I have wondered why the electric supply companies have been allowed to run their supply lines above ground when all other utilities have to run underground. Like the wind farms, I suppose that it's the easy option.

Storms are going to become the norm it seems, so it would make sense to run electricity supplies underground and the countryside would benefit from the lack of pylons and telegraph poles.

Oh, and by the way, wind gusts of 151kph were recorded at Fastnet, in my locality, yesterday. Schools and shops were closed, busses not running and nobody traveled. It was like the Lockdown all over again. Luckily we suffered no damage.

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Der.
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Geoff
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Not heard anybody saying it but I wonder if the power companies did less maintenance in recent months. Less tree cutting and pole replacements. The crews that worked round here were mostly East European, have they gone home? Covid has hidden what a disaster Brexit was - been convenient to blame Covid for everything including mis-management.
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Good point Geoff.

We still have some Polish guys down here, working on some new company cable laying down every road or track in the area. I expect they have a UK wide contract as a big job just here, so probably this is going on all around the country. They dropped a letter through the door but didn't really understand the stats they gave to encourage me to change to them. 'Eastern' something? It is a bit of an inconvenience but they are doing a much better job re-filling their dig & evening out the footpaths from the last lot (Virgin I think). All the trip hazards gone & the bumps in the road gone & so polite - one guy even walked the elderly (very) lady at the end of the close to the corner shop & back carrying her bits when they were digging here. Not seen that before!

Also the fact this company has so many with the appropriate work visa's says they might be going national as the building guy we wanted to convert the garage couldn't get the visa's for his team. (I wasn't brave enough to discuss Brexit with him though as he was not happy)! ;)
Westi
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