A Saharan Ski shop & even more rain

A Saharan ski shop?

It probably sounded like a good idea all those years ago when the excitement of skiing on sand in Niger was a tourist thing.
The owner of the shop had the idea after seeing Europeans skiing on the TV but after some initial interest and what with the current political climate in Niger its a no no - - -



House prices are rising again  its "official" this time not some Daily Express headline.

 well thats what this article will have us believe.
It does have the title of "House prices: the biggest bubble since the last one" The articles idea about generating tax revenue sounds quite reasonable though - - -




Meanwhile the real Daily Express headlines have yet once more caught my eye.

This one a "New way to fight dementia" you would hope to be credible

While this one is linked to a story published in January and repeated by the Daily Mail Yesterday shows the stupid situation we have been forced to accept!  No wonder UKIP scored heavily on the recent EU elections - - -








There's an interesting video of a balloon flight  to the stratosphere

The contraption looks a little "Heath Robinson" but the results are very good - - - worth a look - - -





Closer to home 
The weather - - - what else in the UK, dominates conversation with all the rain we are having.  There have been however a few bright patches where

The squirrel who last year had the almost hairless tail for a while raids the peanut feeder.

Sainsbury the Tabby cat watches us while catching a few early morning rays on top of the porch roof.  This used to be a favourite spot for old Tom when he was around

A brief sunny spell and this years trees are starting to be felled

and the last of the wood for next winter is stored safely away.  This is the front portion of Boris's car port.  with the real wood store just on the left of the pic.

While the curret pic on the "weather cam" makes me think it might be a "make and mend" day.
Back to the Fun Factory tomorrow (Matlock Sainsbugs) where there's a rumour about not getting colleague discount nor nectar points on alcohol - - - investigation needed! - - -

Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam

Mentally strong? & bits

Its gratifying to know that someone is happy with the rain

A vineyard in Essex is predicting a good harvest due to the mild and wet winter.
A spokesman from the RHS indicates that although the seasons can be variable in when they arrive the trend is that seasons will get a little earlier - - -


Are you mentally strong?

I think I was looking at something completely unconnected from this article  " 20 things mentally strong people don't do" it said and I couldn't resist clicking on it - - - a refreshing list of what to avoid - - -



Here's a bloke who is mentally & physically strong!

He falls into a huge crevasse while collecting snow samples.  Landing on a ledge 70ft from the surface breaking some ribs and an arm in the process.  It takes him 6 agonising hours to climb out of it and a "few hours later" reached his tent.  It was the next day before he could be airlifted out to hospital - - -


"Best by" dates on food being ignored by Supermarket Chiefs 

says the headline in the Times story.  why does The Times insist on you paying for their news? you only see so much of an article unless you "subscribe?" 
Only at home though prompts the writer! - - -




Closer to home
The weather continues to be rather dull but careful study of when the rain was going to arrive yesterday allowed me an hour or 2 up at the logging site.

Today there's a small promise of some bright patches but i think you might have to be an optimist to subscribe to that theory just now

The current view on the weather cam doesn't look too promising!
Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam

Smart guns! & Boris gets new tyres

Smart gun technology

You can only fire the gun if it is within 10 inches of the watch in the pic which has an enabling system.  Sounds like a good idea? Not if you are the gun shop owner in the US who has received death threats from "pro gun lobbyists".  Something to do with "a threat to their rights to keep and bear arms"
One quation asked in the article is "can it be hacked" ?!   I suppose the gun is only as smart as the person who's holding it - - -

Sri Lanka - - that far off place we used to call Ceylon

hot and steamy at the best of times and having had many a book written about it
Here's one that is being dubbed Sri Lanka's forgotten novel "The village in the jungle" was published back in 1913 and written by Leonard Woolf a one time "Assistant Government Agent" of Hanbantota province.  The fascinating thing about the novel is that its written from the perspective of the indigenous point of view rather than the British colonial one, might have to get it! - - -
I now know what a "Slattern" is

Well at least if you believe the Mails article by Richard Littlejohn
I cant disagree with what he's saying about "White Dee" "surely a racist phrase lol" with her attitude to living off the state.
I also like his comments in the article about an, "over the hill" ex model,"Pouting Portia" who kicks out the bloke who her children call dad so that she can claim more benefits! - - - a good read if not good for the blood pressure! 





The express

comes up with "revelation" this morning about "migration being out of control" - - - stating the obvious really - - -
The top banners are interesting though.  The recently sacked Man U boss thumps a 23 year old in or outside a bar.  No doubt the "young man" said something that he "thought amusing" and Moyles didn't! - - -

UKIP might trigger, "A political earthquake" .  Obviously riding upon the wave of popular support from yesterdays election results, I fear it might just turn out to be, "Same old balls different racket" later - - -



Closer to home
The tedious rain is still falling this morning as it did yesterday
Having said that there was time yesterday to take Boris up to the logging area and test out his new front tyres.

 I had been warned at his last MOT that the front tyres would need to be replaced and even driving him down the semi metalled track near the logging area he would slide around.  So shod with his new tyres i ventured down a very steep slope to the area in the pic.  Its an avenue of Hawthorn trees that tend to overhang the track and need clipping back to avoid scratching Boris's paintwork.  He performed admirably! - - -

Sainsbury the tabby blotted his copybook last night by letting a mouse free in the bathroom!

I have set the humane trap by the tiny gap it disappeared under the bath at! - - -
Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam

Cat deals in cannabis & its raining!

Having blogged a number of times about the things our cats bring home we have never seen what a cat from New Zealand dropped on its owners doorstep

The cat must hasve liked the smell from inside the package and promptly carried the cannabis! back home.  The concerned owner then phoned the police - - -




Potentially disease spreading Mosquitoes are moving into the UK's Urban environment

great pic  the breading areas for the Mosquitoes are being increased by people having water butts in their gardens according to the story, although the "Heat island" effect of cities is helping things along.
We trawl a fine net through our water butt now and again and dump the "wrigglers" into the pond for the fish to eat - - -


Ah the good old days

The old half penny  became a menace when we moved to decimalisation in 1971
It was 13 years before the then chancellor Nigel Lawson finally got rid of it.
One amusing fact in the story "Supermarket chains promised to round prices down rather than up" - - - yeah? - - -

As usual the front page of the Express provides us with "interesting facts" although it would have been kinder to give "A true hero and an inspiration " a little more of the space

The on - off debate about statins is finally! "resolved" by another Express headline that says its "Official: Statins are safe"  No doubt they will become "bad for you" over the weekend.








Closer to home
For my break day during the shift pattern

I had intended to take a colleague from the shop, lets call her Debbs, up to see the loggging area but the rain had other ideas so we decided to walk a bit of Froggatt Edge .  Here we are doing a selfie just before the end of the edge.  Sally was busy at the time of the walk but we all met up at the Grouse for lunch and the sunshine graced our outside table with its presence!

At the fun factory fallout from the "Labour Matching" is still affecting the place.  Not enough people on the night shift mean we have to work the overnight delivery and rumblings from other departments have necessitated an "Induction" course of "New recruits"  lets see how many remain in a month!

As usual because I am at the end of my shift pattern its raining quite well at the moment

as the surface of the pond shows here

This snail on the kitchen window looks set to dive into the Pansies below!

and the garden, although colourful has a distinctly soggy look about it.

Maybe a make and mend day is in order!
Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam

Cat saves boy from dog! & Overnight rain

Great video this one

A family cat sees a dog attacking one of the children and Launches itself at the dog forcing it to let go of the boy and flee!
A follow up to the story is that the cat is going to throw the first ball in a baseball game.  - - - hope there are no dogs around!



Another "escape" story this one

a young child manages to squeeze through the railing on an 11th floor balcony and plunges to the ground.  The child cheats death by inches landing on some garden mulch rather than the concrete path only feet away.  - - -




Attacked underwater!

This is a pic  of a diver approaching another (woman) diver who has a video camera running.  The approaching diver pulls the regulator (air supply)n from the woman's mouth before swimming off.
The attack happened in Hawaii and its believed the attacker and one other, seen in the video were stealing coral or reef fish! - - -


Closer to home
My round of shifts at the Fun Factory (Matlock Sainsbugs) have been the usual mish mash of tedium and amusement.  The weather while I have been trapped in the shop has been fantastic prompting a rush on anything that could help with a barbecue!
Today (Tuesday) is a day off and in the night the rain came with a vengeance!.  I was hoping to get back to the logging area today where the trees are being felled but it looks like it might have to wait a day or 2.

This is how I left it on the 2nd of January.  The general idea is to carry on down the hillside clearing the bushes and trees.

In the garden

this time of year we get some nice views of the early morning mist in the valley

while early evening we spotted the Virgin Balloon with its passengers flying by.

in the front garden the Laburnum tree is in blossom and looks pretty good this year
Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam

Low energy light bulbs - not good for you! & some nightime entertainment!

I have long held a belief that sooner or later "everything is bad for you"

Age old "good food" the way we do things etc etc etc all these things seemingly will pop up as being "not good for you"
So here's one for the record books "Low energy light bulbs" could  Cause skin cancer and blindness !
The evidence is supplied by the "expert" in the pic John Marshall a man of some note in the ophthalmology field.  He even has a stock old fashioned light bulbs and will not use the new type at all!  - - - Lengthy article with lots of facts - - -

With the world cup in Brazil not far away - - - assuming the stadiums are finished!

This article discusses the Brazuca which is the name of the official ball for the competition. who came up with that name i wonder?,  "Experts" say the ball has improved "touch and accuracy".  The article is peppered with facts figures and opinions - - - just like a football game really! - - -


Following on from the "Handy" article yesterday by the BBC about "are you an owl or a lark.  Here's another pictorial extravaganza about "How do you find a good tradesman"

Matt Allwright (with a name like that he should be a self employed plumber!)
from the rougue trader programme presents the article which is quite informative.
We have first hand knowledge of a couple of local "tradesmen" who we imagined would want to have a go at renovating our bathroom.  Contacting "Number1" in October 2013 and going through the work which we wanted completed while we were on holiday in Feb 2014 in fine detail we.  Sat back and awaited the quote.  "Don't worry I haven't forgotten about you" he texted in Jan 2014.  Losing confidence in "Number 1" we e mailed  "Number 2" who 3 times said he would visit us "over the weekend" to "look at the job".
The holiday came and went and still to this day neither "Number 1" or "2" have bothered to contact us So "How do you find a good tradesman?" - - - DIY!
Having saved up the considerable amount of money for the project we looked around for something to spend the money on - - - Another holiday!!! - - - result!

The express 

had a good headline about our weather changing from its rather damp trend of late the other day- - - here's hoping they are correct










Closer to home
I had a bit of "nightime entertainment" courtesy of Sainsbury the tabby last night.

 as on most nights he was abroad terrorising the local wild life and as his his wont, bringing them home before devouring the poor things.
He announces his triumphs, mice in this case, with a few raucous mews as he bounds up the stairs and then "the fun begins"
Demonstrating his hunting skills he will let the mice go and then bound around the landing and bathroom in hot pursuit.  One of last nights poor unfortunates managed to get up behind a radiator which i had then to unhook from the wall to stop him scratching at it like he was playing a harp! The second one was a sprinter, spending time running from hiding place to hiding place with Sainsbury in hot pursuit for a couple of minutes! Finally peace and tranquillity descend and i drift off almost to sleep as the alarm go's off!

Having got soaked on my walk the other day i recovered my age old Ex Army waterproof from the attic yesterday and in the hope of giving it a fighting chance against the elements washed it in some "Tech Wash

This is another of those supposedly good products for making your "Waterproof" even more "waterproof"  so on my next day off when it rains i will give it a good testing!
- - - Don't you just admire an optimist! - - -









Tomorrow my shift pattern begins once more at the Fun Factory so i am taking full advantage today of what is forecast as a "sunny day".  Only a couple of little jobs to do before lounging in the sunshine! - - -
Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam

Owl or Lark? & very wet walking!

Owl or Lark? the age old question gets an airing in this BBC Health article

It has an interesting way of presenting the facts and there's a tick box questionnaire to tell let you know which you are, owl or lark! - - -





 Apparently not an unknown fact but dolphins can eat themselves to death.

The story of Monty eats himself to death  is explained here.  The article relates that after a post mortem it was deduced he had a full stomach with another fish stuck in his throat which eventually blocked its nasal passages! - - -









An odd tale this

This is the home of a "British Millionair" in Spain where the man allegedly held a harem of models against their will
The whole sorry saga only came to light after a c"domestic disturbance" when the local police were called.  The bloke was arrested then released on bail while the court decides "what to charge him on" ! - - -


Closer to home 
For years now a collage of pics about the early landcsping of our garden has been without glass after it fell from the wall and the glass borke.
We determined to fix the problem and bought a frame from "IKEA!"  dreading the trip around IKEA i felt lucky to get away with a bill for only £40 for "a number of other useful articles" which we picked up.
The frame was a little bigger than the old one

here i am attaching the wire to hang it by

only to find when i turn it around i have it upside down - - - the best laid plans!

I completed another training walk for the Snowdon horseshoe attempt in June yesterday and it looked decidedly like it would be a wet one right from the start!

The view from the car park was not the sunny one like my last walk a few weeks ago.  The rain had been going for some time but it wasn't too heavy

As I got up onto Froggatt Edge, going the reverse of my last visit, the weather reminded me that "essential clothing was necessary!" Having my trusty Jack Wolfskin""waterproof" on I was dressed for the current weather and forged on.

I came across 2 Canada Geese with 2 Goslings!  A strange sight on the edge because the nearest river is far below in the valley.

Half way around the walk and above our favourite lunch venue at The Grousei turn directly into the wind and rain.  The view up ahead looks a little daunting.

The rain gets harder and harder and i curse my very expensive Jack Wolfskin jacket as it lets in the water and my equally expensive Wolfskin boots fail to keep out any water.   

10 minutes from the end of the walk the rain suddenly stops and i squelch my way back to the car! I have long held a theory about "waterproof goretex fabric" and my soggy clothes unfortunately prove it right.  It doesn't really work!  

I promise to try another of my theories - - - a couple of "layers" under my years old Ex Army waterproof would be more effective - - - watch this space! - - - 

A hint of sunshine this morning so its off to the logging area before the rain returns later! 

Enjoy the day
Follow this link to see  our weather website

Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam