General Chat

Evening all, anyone want a boakin for a scarf LOL

They are all loose and on their way back LG!! Sweet Pea has been up gto his tricks again!!

It's thawing here and milder thank goodness, although very wet!!!

I've been a busy girl doing all the unmentionables and I am now snuggled up for Dancing on Ice and Wild at Heart. A whole evening of absolute heaven!!

Good morning. Had the aircon on nearly all night. Have just been outside and taken the washing off the line. It is 31C. Our forecast today is for 42C with strong winds and catastrophic fire warnings in 10 of our 15 fire districts. All our firemen are ready with their long hoses. Oh heavens I hope they aren't needed. We had three deliberately lit grass fires within 5 km of our area last night. I'd like to stick them lot in the catapult and zoom them to the Saraha desert.

First day back at work today. Gee I pick my time well don't I.

Hope you are all surviving your wintry conditions as comfortably as possible. It sounds like the cyber pets are gradually making it back to Nut Lodge. I think RMS probably had a hand in all that. Might rename her RMSA (Secret Agent). If we have fires over here I'll send for a couple of boakins. We can use them as fire beaters. What?? They're running away and hiding! Oh well I was going to offer to dip them in water first!!

How can people be so stupid deliberately lighting fires. It is beyond my comprehension.

I am on my way Aunty. The call of the firemen is just too much to resist!

Hope you enjoy your first day back at work.

Calm down YG you will do yourself a mischief and will have to be hosed down LOL. Welcome back Aunty hope you had a good trip.

I will have to wait until Wild at Heart has finished before I go! I'm losing myself reminiscing about my life in Africa!!

So YG is dreaming of fireman and the Savannah...what a mixture!

Why are you going back to work Aunty? Thought you had 4 weeks off.....which surely means you have at least another week and a bit + the days you've gone in voluntarily. Perhaps that's why OH dragged you off to the back of beyond out of internet range...to try to get you to slow down - lol

Having a quick wander around, will check back, then an 'early' night.

Tat Tah

It goes like this. I can have up to 5 weeks off. However, the work does not go away. It takes a certain stressful amount of time to cope with the end of one year and the start of another. Anything I can do in those 5 weeks makes my life so much easier. If my work is done I can sit back and answer the two hundred and three thousand stupid questions I am going to receive when the others return.

If I am very lucky, and I have been this year I am able to negotiate to be paid for the additional time I work. I hate boredom, I hate having to work under pressure, I love money. QED.

OH learned many years ago that taking me away to relax is about the silliest thing a man could contemplate. I have 25 devious ways of smuggling "things to do" in with my holiday packing. And slow is not a word I understand. I am two modes - operational or sleeping.

Hey YG!! I've just had a visit from some electricians who will be working on cabling between buildings in the next few days. Dressed in their construction site gear and ready to connect things up. Sigh!! What do you think I should serve for morning tea??!!!

morning all i am sitting here waiting to hear if we are in or not today lol
it is very wet outside from the snow melting but its to freeze so we will see

Morning all, quick look in today to make sure everyone is ok. Loads to do so catch you a bit later, have a good day.

Good afternoon, just. Hope all are well.

As the massive snow fall failed to materialise over the weekend, I've just returned from a few hours staring into space. At least it was warm - the CH system is past it's best to say the least and frequently springs a leak.

Hope the various CP are keeping YG warm, and not nipping off down under to get in the way of bronzed, tooled up electricians.

Hi you lot. I am here. Up to my neck in the vat of pink custard.
No actually I'm working on the tree. Trying to catch up for the last few days. Lots of lovely info to sort out and put into its correct place.

I haven't had any decent info for my tree for ages, I keep getting cold matches on here and I'm stuck with most of my branches. I'll have to send for a few certs to see if anything fits into place.

We've had the snow plough here today!!!!!!!!!!!

As soon as the 3 inches of ice (that was under the snow) melts, we'll be able to go out - might take another day to get rid of it.

hello well its still thawing here slowly but it has the potential to freeze again ,I think any way we were at work today so that is good
never thought I would be pleased to wash some large tins at last lol but I get paid then lol

Hurray for Pauline.

Aunty, chuck some superheated pink custard over to her roads right now, and re direct a bit of your sun to make sure it doesn't cool too quickly.

Maz, you sound just like YG did at the end of the Christmas break...couldn't wait to get back. Bet she is regretting it now - lol

Yes, sort of DET!!! I'm definitely regretting the £220 it has just cost me because my exhaust gave up the ghost this morning, plus I needed a couple of new tyres.

If I could have found some burly firemen they could have lifted the car and carried me to work in style!!

Aunty, I'm not into electricians!!! I'm back on firemen, as nothing was doing with the air/sea rescue mob!!

Pauline, pleased to see that you may have some freedom over the next couple of days. At least we won't have to confine you to the padded cell in Nut Lodge!!

I see you lot are starting to thaw. We have had our expected drop in temperature over night. Hope it keeps falling, still in the very high twenties.

YG. I thought electricians were a better bet than ASR. And firemen are well and truly back on the job again over here.

Why do you have road and footpath damage when it freezes. It is to do with the fact that the ice expands the ground/cement etc and causes the cracks. Like putting a bottle of amber liquid in the freezer and forgetting about it. Do you keep your beer and wine in the fridge to stop it from freezing.

Oh, lol, Aunty!! We don't need freezers here at the moment. Even the milk on peoples' doorsteps is freezing. The bottle sits there looking very pretty with three inches of solid milk sticking out of the bottle neck with a pretty silver, gold, green or blue cap on it!!

Just received this. Oh dear, and how many of you can identify with the sentiments. It comes with a little dancing piggy.

Twas the month after Christmas,
And all through the house,
Nothing would fit me,
Not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled,
The chocolate I'd taste
At the holiday parties
Had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales
There arose such a number!
When I walked to the store
(less a walk than a lumber),

I'd remember the marvellous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt...
I said to myself, as I only can,
"You can't spend a Summer, disguised as a man!"

So, away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie.
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good diet.

PS It is raining here. Very persistent precipitation. Heavy rainfall. Roads and streets are mini lakes. The electricians are sitting under the verandah, heads resting on hands, looking mournfully out at the torrrent.

It is now about 26C.