cheers

How is the drought up there in the Lake District?

Cheers

curleytops

I resolve never again to bitch about the "45 degree" incline we live near the top of since it apparently saved our bacon. We stayed dry which is more than can be said for the poor souls in Cockermouth. I saw the sun for about 5 minutes today; that must be some sort of record over the past 6 weeks or so. It's really weird, it can pour all day long with heavy grey skies then in late afternoon things clear and we have something like a 2-minute sunset.

lf1

I've been thinking about you and I'm glad to hear that you are ok. What a weekend! Terrible state of affairs over your way.

Perth

First person I though of was you when I read the news. Glad to hear you were spared the worse. Would you like me to send you some sun from the sunshine state, USA?

curleytops

Thanks for the good wishes, was thinking about you too as I hear Corbridge and Hawick etc. got it as well. We're dry inside here but hubby''s away on contract at the moment and was delayed a day getting back to work with the rail lines being shut down.

Thanks Perth, that would certainly come in handy. This is by far the worst early winter we've had here, I've not been past the door in weeks with the high winds and rain (hubby ventured out the other day & nearly got blown down). I feel so bad for the people affected as they've been through it before and after the last time they got new flood defence which obviously let them down badly this past weekend.

Mummy in the foothills

Nice to hear you stayed dry Curly.
It's weather like this that makes me happy we live at the top of the hill too. Now come the icy weather I'll change my mind.

lf1

We had lots of wind, rain and flooded roads, but nothing like Hawick and the western borders. I was supposed to go up to Glasgow on the weekend to spend it with some friends, but early Saturday morning I decided against it. I was concerned that the trains would be unpredictable and I thought it best to be at home should things get worse. Sorry to hear about hubby and hope he is now safely at home.

Speaking of Corbridge, I went there recently, for the first time and really liked it. It is a lovely town with lots of independent shops and has a nice atmosphere. I love Northumberland.

curleytops

Funny, that thought crossed my mind as well Mummy. There is an old fashioned dry goods store in the town where I lived in Canada that used to sell chains for the bottoms of your boots to help traction. I've seriously considered asking Dad to bring hubby and me a pair each next time he comes to visit.

Wise decision to stay home If1, apparently travel was grim. Hubby's due home tonight until after Christmas so I hope he has no bother this afternoon. Fingers crossed.

I got my first look at Corbridge this past summer and fell in love with it. We've decided that's our home in the unlikely event of a lottery win (on higher ground of course . I was keenly interested in visiting the area as that is where my Great Grandmother lived after she retired in nearby Chollerford. This would have been her view from where her house once stood:

Mummy in the foothills

You can get those clip on ice shoe things I saw them last winter in Aldi, I'm sure they have them in all the outdoor pursuits clothing retailers in town.
Amazon has lots of different kinds.

curleytops

Thanks for the tip, I'll check into Aldi next week, and Halford's is on the same park so I should be able to get fixed up.

cheers

I wonder how Sallysimmons is doing in North Yorkshire. I'm sure she lives up on a hill but she may have some issues with flooding when she has to go down the hill.

Cheers

Mallory

I can't get into the xmas spirit. We are down in Charleston, SC, having lunch at an outdoor restaurant, with temps in the mid 70s F. There is an xmas boat parade tonight across the harbour. Lights on the palm trees are pretty.

Mallory

Ended up being 79 deg F. Going to the beach tomorrow, supposed to be 80 deg F. Haven't done any xmas shopping. Will get a dried up tree on Wednesday. Need a blast of cool air - too many people in shorts and flip flops!

BEVS

Made me giggle.

I've always found the summer Christmas a bit hard going. It's summer and warm here but the wind is tremendous so no good for the beach unless you want to lose all your skin.

I've donned the flip flops , otherwise known as jandals, and the shorts.

Even after over a decade I still do the turkey and trimmings for us both. MrBEVS wouldn't have it any other way , although we do sometimes go to the beach during cook time.

I hope everyone in Cumbria and the like are warm and dry. MrBEVS cousins live up that way and although flodding was near to them , they were not directly affected. Except for one cousin that is , who went to Scotland for a funeral and then couldn't get back home for 4 days.

Pollyana

Christmas never seems right in the heat. This year I am working right through it, thank goodness
I have a mate who move to Aus from Manchester in 1960 He has only been back once, 1981, and is Australian in every way except his accent However he says that even after all this time if someone mentions Christmas he gets an instant image of snow, ice,pine trees etc. He reckons its bred into us as kids and you can't really change it. Someone says August you automatically think summer, beaches, heat. Mention December, you automatically think of cold, ice, Snow.