P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Splice the mainbrace]

44 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

It has been raining here all afternoon so I just texted our bowling captain to see if tonight's match was off.  She said that she has called the opposing captain and was told "the rules say that both teams have to turn up and then the captains can make a decision before the game starts. 

We all know the rule but common sense says playing on grass will be slippery so there is a high chance of someone slipping and hurting themselves.

We had a dry morning here where I managed to get some gardening done. It came on to rain at about 12.30 and we’ve had 1/2 inch of rain since, at one point it was raining so hard that my satellite signal went off. Some of the garden plants that have grown so fast in the last month or so have flopped with the weights of water on them, they should spring back once they dry off🤞

[purplesea]

Have had a lazy day reaeding in the garden as it's been a nice sunny day, although a bit breezy. We do have a weather alert for thunderstorms in place though!

 

[yorkshirephil]

We have had a drive to Filey to see friends who moved there last year. There was a sea fret till lunch time then it cleared so we went for a fish and chip lunch prior to a nice walk. Donkey's years since I last went to Filey so it was a nice change.

 

[Snow Hill]

6 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Well it’s scorching hot here today so I’ve been out in the garden weeding, weed killing the drive way and generally tidying up.

 

We got a new hot composter (refuse to pay the new charge for garden waste collection!) and have been filling it with the grass cutting and stirring once a week. Well I opened the lid today and was nearly knocked out by the smell of ammonia, it stank. I’ve looked up some gardening advice and apparently I dont have enough “brown” material and all “green” like grass cutting will smell.

 

So I emptied the shredder contents into the bin, mixed and watered a tiny bit, several hours later and the smell is gone. Are any of you expert composters, anything else I need to know? (Ps I’m not putting any food waste in as we do get a collection for that and I don’t want to attract vermin).

I have a hot composter as well as a standard dalek composter, grass cuttings I have found need to go in the composter in small amounts I have found, so about a quarter goes in the composter, to which I add the partially compost bark, shredded paper & cardboard (brown material) give the newly added a layer to mix, I occasionally add a handful of pelleted chicken manure. 
 

I don’t add food waste, other than green food waste, chopped up into small pieces as recommended. You need to “feed” the composter a few times a week to keep it going.
 

My 25 year old dalek bin is about to be exterminated as the side has cracked, extermination will mean being thrown in skip I am due to get in a couple of weeks, the contents will be transferred to the dalek replacement, which is square. 

Edited May 16 by Snow Hill

[Snow Hill]

Tried to book a Villa holiday in Menorca today, it comes with car hire, seeking some clarification around the size of car included I tried the chat, after a few minutes of annoying the chstbot go connected to an agent, who went through what type of car we could expect, and we could upgrade should we wish for an additional sum. I asked was there an upper age limit, was told they impose an upper limit of 70 years of age as this is what rental companies impose.  So I couldn’t book as I would be 72 and my OH 71 when the holiday would be taken. I noted who they booked car rentals with and contacted one of the who said after checking they don’t impose an upper age limit in Spain. So why are the red smiley tour operator imposing at 70 limit.

 

Tomorrow I will drop into local travel agent and discuss holiday options with them, if unsuccessful we will go back to original plan of booking a cottage in France and driving there ourselves.

Edited May 16 by Snow Hill

[lincslady]

Sadly, this might be the best solution.  My neighbours, aged 86 and 83, are about to go in their campervan to France and maybe Spain, for several weeks.  He told me the insurance for him (or maybe both of them) to drive abroad  is pretty high, but is with a reputable company.

 

(Yes, awake early again this morning, but 4 a.m. is not too bad).

[Josy1953]

I have been awake since 4:20 but I can't blame the birds today,I  think that they have seen the weather forecast and decided that they don't want to come out in the horrible weather.

I was supposed to bowl last night but 20 minutes after the match started  torrential rain made the green so wet that it was getting slippery. The captains decided that after the people who were already playing had finished their games the rest of us wouldn't play until Tuesday evening.  Tuesday is the only evening that the green is free.

Have a good day.

[grapau27]

Good morning.

It is 11°C but misty this morning.

I woke up at 5am as it was light outside.

I hope everyone is well and we all have a lovely day.

[Eglesbrech]

9 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

I have a hot composter as well as a standard dalek composter, grass cuttings I have found need to go in the composter in small amounts I have found, so about a quarter goes in the composter, to which I add the partially compost bark, shredded paper & cardboard (brown material) give the newly added a layer to mix, I occasionally add a handful of pelleted chicken manure. 
 

I don’t add food waste, other than green food waste, chopped up into small pieces as recommended. You need to “feed” the composter a few times a week to keep it going.
 

My 25 year old dalek bin is about to be exterminated as the side has cracked, extermination will mean being thrown in skip I am due to get in a couple of weeks, the contents will be transferred to the dalek replacement, which is square. 

Thanks very much for that. I have just been dumping all the cuttings in at one time so that’s obviously why it’s not working properly. At the moment I have a green smelly mush.

 

Do you use an excellerator? I bought the powder that you are supposed to sprinkle on after adding a new layer but it doesn’t seem to achieve much (could be user error of course).

 

Edited May 17 by Eglesbrech

[kalos]

Morning on thiswet/dry/suunny day wherever you are.

Almost the weekend  again and after  a nice breakfast time to ponder such strange and wonderful  things like...

If you were doing your house up and a burgerler was to break in and leave his fingerprints in wet cement.

Would the police consider  that to be concrete evidence?😊

Have a good  day and take care!

[Josy1953]

We have bright sun this morning,

@Kalos I wish I had time to ponder the wonders of life in the mornings. I usually just manage to throw my breakfast together and eat it before I leave the house to do the school run.

 

This morning I have to visit my friend because I forgot to post her birthday card for tomorrow, fortunately she lives about half a mile from the school so not a problem hand delivering the card.  It may be several hours of listening to all of her problems though because she is not in the best of health.

Have a great day everyone

[Megabear2]

Back home and guess what ..... yes it's been raining, yes it's cold, yes I'm bloomin' fed up already!

 

Packing today.  Looked at the forecast for my destinations two days ago and sorted stuff accordingly.  Just looked again and everything has changed.  So deliberations.  Do I really need my big raincoat or will a hiking one suffice, are three sweaters and two hoodie over the top, is it jeans or should I risk my lightweight trousers and skirts, boots, trainers, sandals ... aaarrrrggg

[Eddie99]

Morning all.  We have mist this morning, just to add to the wonders of *Weather 2024*.  It’s certainly not been the greatest year, so far, and seeing as it’s nearly half gone (can you believe it? 😳) it had better buck its ideas up.

To the cricket field/fish van for our morning walk. This afternoon the town walking festival continues with us joining a guided walk of the Roman. aqueduct. - Pah! What have the Romans ever done for us?

Sun & warm forecast - we’ll see 

 

Enjoy your day everyone.  Bon voyage to anyone about to start a holiday 

[Snow Hill]

Truely bizarre, someone has found a dead octopus on a large grass verge according to a post on community FB page. We are at least 80 miles from the sea at the nearest point.

[Splice the mainbrace]

9 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Truely bizarre, someone has found a dead octopus on a large grass verge according to a post on community FB page. We are at least 80 miles from the sea at the nearest point.

Mind you that’s only 10 miles per leg.

[Snow Hill]

33 minutes ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

Mind you that’s only 10 miles per leg.

It made a change from the usual dead cats, badgers and the occasional muntjac deer that are usually posted. 

[zap99]

At a well known Surrey garden centre, after looking online.....Where are the bird tables, over by the bird food, but it looks like we don't have any. But online it shows you have several in stock....sorry. We had a look at the plants...loe and behold we found the bird tables and chose one...at the check out the helpful manager looking bloke said...oh I checked the stock on the system..they are outside ( he said to the customer holding a bird table ). Zap said thanks, as you see, we found them ,but thanks for your help. Death of retail shopping...I wonder why.🤔

[kalos]

4 minutes ago, zap99 said:

At a well known Surrey garden centre, after looking online.....Where are the bird tables, over by the bird food, but it looks like we don't have any. But online it shows you have several in stock....sorry. We had a look at the plants...loe and behold we found the bird tables and chose one...at the check out the helpful manager looking bloke said...oh I checked the stock on the system..they are outside ( he said to the customer holding a bird table ). Zap said thanks, as you see, we found them ,but thanks for your help. Death of retail shopping...I wonder why.🤔

Maybe the bird tables are that popular they were flying off the shelves to be outside 🤔?

That's retail shops for you!

[zap99]

3 minutes ago, kalos said:

Maybe the bird tables are that popular they were flying off the shelves to be outside 🤔?

That's retail shops for you!

Our old  one fell over and broke in a storm before Christmas. I put the new one out and within minutes they were stealing the food. I hadn't even officially opened it. There's wild birds for you..no manners.

[Angel57]

A beautiful morning here after the early mist.
We went for a walk at Hengistbury Head (near Christchurch) it was just glorious and surprisingly warm. To park the car for 2 hours was £5.80 tho 🙄

 

[Eddie99]

[Adawn47]

7 hours ago, kalos said:

If you were doing your house up and a burgerler was to break in and leave his fingerprints in wet cement.

Would the police consider  that to be concrete evidence?😊

Mortar the point, will it render the floor useless?😁

Avril

[Purdey16]

3 hours ago, Angel57 said:

A beautiful morning here after the early mist.
We went for a walk at Hengistbury Head (near Christchurch) it was just glorious and surprisingly warm. To park the car for 2 hours was £5.80 tho 🙄

 

One of my favourite walks and a few years ago I used to run up that hill , have a quick swim the other side and run back the tree lined path . Looks like Freddie is enjoying it 🌞

[kalos]

2 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Look a talking  dog 😊

That got me thinking?🤔

If aliens saw us walking our dogs and picking up their poop, who would they think is in charge?” 🤣

[Snow Hill]

9 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Thanks very much for that. I have just been dumping all the cuttings in at one time so that’s obviously why it’s not working properly. At the moment I have a green smelly mush.

 

Do you use an excellerator? I bought the powder that you are supposed to sprinkle on after adding a new layer but it doesn’t seem to achieve much (could be user error of course).

 

The chicken manure pellets are one of the recommended accelerants, don’t use the powder ones, they don’t work in hotbin composters.

 

Another accelerant is fresh grass, but in small amounts and mixed with top layer.

 

You need to get the temperature up into the red zone on the thermometer and ensure any liquid is drained off. I use mine as a liquid fertiliser mixed with water.When I get a few dry days I will be emptying mine, using the composted element on the garden and the partially composted back in the bin once cleaned out.