test please delete

[ladymuck]

Afternoon all

The day started off cloudy but pleasant enough. Then the sky darkened. It started to rain. Then torrentially. Then hailstones. Soon thunder and lightning got in on the act. Now it's starting to brighten up again. Currently 15 degrees and the high was 17. There may be a few more showers later but the exciting weather has passed. Barometer down to 998 mBar.

Sunrise 05:59; Sunset 18:18

This morning I popped over to the farmers' market for bread, butter and cheese. After a coffee, I then drove the short distance to Ealing Broadway where I had booked the car in for a long overdue valet.

Whilst the car was being spivved, I met with a friend I hadn't seen since pre covid times for a mooch around Pitzhangar gallery and house followed by a nice lunch. It was while we were at lunch that the above mentioned weather occurred.

The rain seemed to ease up but it was a false lull in proceedings and we got very wet shortly after leaving the restaurant. I discovered that hail hurts.

Car picked up, nice job done. Not perfect, but much better than it was.

Back home to mop up parts of the flat that got wet due to me leaving windows open.

Strangely the garage next door isn't open today. Maybe it's a religious holiday of some description as there were fireworks being let off last night.

[NickFitz]

Tea has been brought to me from Nando's, mainly because I had a reward that was about to expire, and I'm not going to pass up free chicken

It's been rainy here but nothing dramatic. Looks like the weather system that brought it has settled over us and will carry on circulating into the night without moving away

[NickFitz]

Lots of wildlife stuff on today as usual. Next week, the new series of Monkey Life starts!

This evening, I started reading Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan. I've had enough history over the last few weeks so it makes a nice change to get into some contemporary literary fiction instead. It's good so far

Early night now, for no better reason than that I'm tired

Goodnight all

[DoctorStrangelove]

OM^^

This is the 2nd attempt at posting this: the first attempt disappeared as I poured my mug of tea.

Morning.

Sunday.

Dry.

Wanly sunny.

Grey.

Chilly in here at 15 deg, 15 deg in the kitchen, 14 in the leanto.

1000 mBar, 29.53 in Hg, 750 Torr, 14.5 psi, (up from 997 last night), 64% RH (Lidl electric).

Meanwhile on the 3rd of January 2020 there was discussion of deep fat fryers, Gervais, Fat Boy Corden, itchy fists, whereas NF consumed yet more of The Big Chicken with some chips and red sauce.

Walk (unabbreviated) walked in the grey gloom & wan sunshine.

Lunch: brunch.

Entertainment: the review prog on R4. I got the Lady Chatterley one and the JCB reference.

TWATO. Plus whatever was on at 13:30.

More potching in next door's shed moving stuff into the garage after I'd moved stuff about in the garage to make some space available.

Pruned 2 gooseberry bushes of dead wood. They're prickly even when they're dead.

Tea: beans on toast etc.

Entertainment: NZ highway patrol.

Beyond Skinwalker Ranch: more lunacy on Blaze though this one benefits from different talking heads to most of the others.

[NickFitz]

Morning denizens

Grey and rather misty start after a somewhat damp night. Slightly cooler at 9°C ("feels like" 6°) with an expected high for the day of just 12° - though I suppose that's still a lot better than we were getting a few weeks ago! The barometers are slightly up at 991/999mB

[ladymuck]

Morning all

Cloudy but bright. Currently 11 degrees with a high of 16 expected. Rain forecast for lost of the day. Barometer up to 1002 mBar.

Sunrise 05:57; Sunset 18:20

Off to Sussex to visit Mum today. I believe the M25 is closed around Junction 9 for a bridge to be removed, so it'll be interesting to see what alternative route is put in place.

[ladymuck]

Forgot to mention: the bed has been stripped and is airing. Here's hoping I remember to make it before bed time.

Laundry will be done tomorrow

[NickFitz]

Brunch: a fry-up

I used one of the large cast iron griddle pans to make this, as an experiment. It's so big it spans two burners on the hob, so I had it spanning one of the normal-sized ones and the small one, the latter being on as low as it goes. The idea was that I could use the less-hot end for keeping stuff warm while cooking other bits on the hot end. It worked out very well - better than I expected. I was a bit concerned about the fried egg as I wasn't sure how that would cope with the undulating ridges, but it turned out just right and didn't stick at all

[ladymuck]

I believe the M25 is closed around Junction 9 for a bridge to be removed, so it'll be interesting to see what alternative route is put in place.

Actually closed between junctions 11 and 10 (or 10 and 11).

Google Maps directed me along a decent route, which makes a change.

[NickFitz]

Tea has been a bit of leftover chicken, with chips

Accompanied by the next-to-most-recent Surgeons on iPlayer