Bits and bobs No3.

[Geoff]

Monika : have you got a barometer? Ours went down to 27.7 (must get a mbar conversion) 'T' of Stormy this afternoon, the hour before lunch was beautiful springlike sunshine but rained all afternoon.

[Monika]

Sorry, Geoff, for the late reply: yes, the barometer was exceedingly low, 970mm which is probably the lowest I have ever recorded in the almost 20 years I have kept a small weather station here.
It has been vicious on the allotment the last couple of days. Anything remotely movable has been moved! Luckily, we expect this every year and don't really get gardening in spring until well into April. Everything is coming on well at home, though, in the house and the greenhouse.

[Geoff]

Can't work out what my 27.7 is - there is no scale on the family heirloom of a barometer that I have. Looking for it I have noticed that the "Made in Gt Britain" label is not exactly at the bottom of the dial either so something might have moved. I know an atmosphere is 760 mms of Mercury so that doesn't fit with your 970 but 760 mms = 29.9 inches so mine might be inches of Mercury like I thought it was. I think an atmosphere is 1014 millibars so your 970 might be millibars which I think would be 28.6 inches. I'll have to compare with weather charts if we ever get a stable period of high pressure so I know what the official figure is but I think you have to correct for height. All too complicated, unless there is an expert out there I think a trip to the library is needed!
Each side of my greenhouse has four rows of panes. Last year I lost the end ones from the top two rows on one side at one end. In the first blow I lost the same two on the other side, I replaced these and "stuck" the four offending panes in with clear silicone. In the second blow I lost the end ones from the bottom two rows on one side, I replaced them and added silicone to the bottom rows on both sides. Survived the final (dangerous word that) blow Tues / Wed with no damage! Neighbours lost a shed roof.

[Monika]

Geoff, I meant to write 970 millibars, not mm! Today, at 18.25, it's 1003 mb and all is still outside.

[oldherbaceous]

I'm going to be working all day today, anyone else going to work.

[Weed]

I planned the day off today primarily to plant some spuds but as has been said elsewhere its too wet and cold.

I have a feeling that my Governor will have a back up contingency plan list of jobs.. she is very thoughtful like that

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Weed, glad Governor keeps you on your toes.

Didn't know if you might be out listening for the Cuckoo again.

[Chantal]

I've already been working, answsering my overnight emails; I'm not going in to the office though.

The sun is shining here right now so I may pop up to the plot a bit later, just for a look around. It's quite windy out there and it looks pretty cold, so it may have to be the greenhouse today.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Chantal, the wind is bitter out there this morning, so be sure to wrap up warm.

[richard p]

it depends how you define work, if you mean something someone else will pay me for, then not planned any for today, however my trailer needs new wheel bearings one wheel and the others checking before i can collect some fence panels next week. ive got a scrap fourtrack that needs firing up to see if the engine is worth putting in the road legal one which blows its water out after 10 miles or so, half the black currants havent been prunned yet, and the early spuds should be in, and the missus wants me to go shopping after lunch... looks like a typical restful bank holiday

[Chantal]

Rather you than me Richard.

My greenhouse is heated OH, so there's no need for the thermal knickers etc, but thanks for your concern.

[Clive.]

Hello,
Well we have the shopping sorted...first thing whilst it was all quiet
I will visit work at some stage to check that all is hopefully well..

Meanwhile I am listening online to http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/ as it is live from MV Ross Revenge this weekend http://radiocaroline.servemp3.com/ http://www.rossrevenge.co.uk/

I perhaps ought to be driving out to our meadow fields to cut some Ash Pea sticks but so far have jibbed at that idea. ...however the other option seems to be a hint to sort the piles of paper/magazines that tend to build up by the 'puter here
Clive.

[Weed]

Dear OH

My Governor knows me too well after all these years ...its frightening... we have already been to the shops and I have nipped into my office on the pretence of doing work on a training presentation I am doing over the next few days....little does she know that it is already done and ....I am hiding!

Cuckoo...what are you implying young man... my hearing has never been in question...my birdcall identification is another matter...I still reckon that I heard one!

[pongeroon]

I'm at work today, but not too busy as yet...so checking up to see what you are all up to.

I would quite like to be shovelling horse poo to go on the allotment, but it will have to wait until Sunday. We have aquired a huge supply of well rotted horse poo for free, but the owner regrets that he cannot deliver it cos he got his trailer stuck in the heap last week and took ages getting it out. So we shovel into bags, bags into car, across the road to allotment, out of car, over fence, tip out, do it all again. Tedious, but not unpleasant really.

[Clive.]

On my way back from calling in at work I called by the local stables...I was really only dropping off some empty bags...but there were some full ones standing there so could not resist and loaded up 5 bags of stable clearings..that will see good use incorporated into our compost heap.....and I will have to call by again and drop off some more empty bags now.
Clive.