What are you all up to

Unfortunately there is a large annual corporate shoot taking place near us this weekend. Many will be staggered to know the number of gamebirds released in the U.K. every year for this so call sport. An estimated 47 million common pheasants! These tame birds can have a devastating impact on truly native species in the areas they saturate. Then there is the spreading of poisonous lead shot across our countryside, it is still being used despite efforts to remove its use. I know we have mentioned it before, but it still happens. My mentioning hopefully serves as a gentle reminder but I also hope it provides an insight for those that do not know of this. 

Had my Shingles jab in October and was also told that I needed a 'follow-up' jab in 6th months...  🙂

Hoping that everyone is not being effected too much by the floods we are hearing about.  The middle of Polesworth was flooded a few days ago, when the river burst its banks.  Fortunately, the River Anker seems to have settled down a bit now and the centre of the village is now passable, and pretty near back to normal....

David

That's interesting and explains why Margaret and I have only have one vaccination as we had ours several years ago as a single dose.

David

We had coffee with friends yesterday for a catch up and she showed us a photo on her phone of a friend in the village who has got shingles in her right eye and that side of the face and looks very painful and she is only in her late forties and there is no mention by medics over here to get vaccinated for shingles.

A dry day yesterday and now back to rain  so inside chores.

Our local rivers the LOT and CELE are very high but not heard of any flooding from them, we are on higher ground here but a lot of rock underneath so most water drains away although the road to our rubbish skips the ground either side can flood and there is standing water in the fields but it is the lowest area this side of the village.

"So glad the rain seems to have stopped at last, the river here is almost as high as we’ve seen it. Very glad we live up a hill as I feel so sorry for the flooded people in other areas, it must be heartbreaking to see your home destroyed like that."

Glad to hear you're OK, heddlo - since your area got a mention on Look North last night and I was wondering if you were affected.  Like you, we are also on the top of a hill and I keep saying that if we ever got flooded, the rest of the country would be in a sorry state! That said, the road out of Hornsea towards Beverley was badly affected, yesterday, and most cars were turning around when they saw it - but the trusty Touareg got me through without it getting anywhere near its maximum wading depth!

Still raining from overnight when we left home just before 10 this morning. Local roads awash with surface water and far more than normal lying on the fields adjacent to the River Dee. In fact there was water in fields that we don't normally see it in. I think the Dee can't be far from bursting its banks looking at its height as we drove over it.

Went to Delamere Forest and met up with the Nellies. It was still raining when we got there but stopped within 5 minutes so all 4 of us enjoyed some hazy sunshine and a dry walk where 2 hours later just as we got back to their caravan it started to rain. Able to have a good long natter with them both.

Chucking it down on the way home.

Hope DEBSC's static isn't in too bad of a way. Last thing you want as you seem to have your hands full as it is.

Thanks, Kjell & Mikey, that certainly clears up my question.

Heddlo  & Richard, pleased to read that you both are out of reach of the flood waters. All things considered we have been fortunate in being over towards the West for the post New Year period and that we came north at just the right time.

It was grand meeting up with the WNs once again. We were fortunate to get our walk in between the rain showers, and enjoyed our natter in the caravan. Dry at the moment so we, Flyte and I, might get another dry walk in before bedtime.

NTH, as Mikey said there are 2 types of vaccine now. My OH only got 1 when he had his 2 years ago. According to the nurse who gave me mine the single dose is 'live' vaccine where as the 2 dose vaccine isn't. I was told I would be called for my second dose by letter in 8 weeks time. Upper arm quite hot with a bump, now not as sore as last night or as hot.

Yes it will be good to see the gKids, that is once they surface for the day 🤣

Good to hear you had another meet up with the WNs. 

Been busy putting Christmas Dec's away. Took them down yesterday but put them back up in the attic this morning. 

Took a drive into town to the homeless hostel with some bedding and warm clothes, they were very grateful which made me feel guilty, silly really but that's how I felt. 

Sorted out the spare bedroom ready for tomorrow, still need to sort out the upstairs room, will do that in the morning. 

Starting to get colder here again but at least it's not raining. 

Quiet on here today.

Beautiful blue skies and lovely sunshine but we had a very keen frost overnight and the cars are still covered in frost if not in the sun. 

Took advantage of the sun on the SPs and did a big wash and tumble dry. 

Bedrooms all ready for when the family arrive.

Will go for a walk shortly before the sun goes down as its going to be even colder tonight. 

Had a lovely lunch out with friends I used to work with yesterday. We always have our 'Christmas meal' in early January when people are not so busy. Also it is something to look forward to during January. Today we took the Christmas decorations down and packed them away. Of course there was the obligatory grand and glorious clean and tidy afterwards. Tomorrow we are going to our eldest grand-daughter's to celebrate our great grandson's 4th birthday. The years just fly by. It doesn't seem 5 minutes since he was born.

The flooding is still very bad in this area. Parts of Stamford are badly flooded . The flood gates couldn't cope so the meadows including the car park down there are flooded and some of the roads on slightly higher ground are also closed due to flooding. Similarly with Oundle. A lot of the villages are still cut off and Ferry Meadows/Nene Park is a no go area. I wonder how the caravan site is faring? We should be OK here as long as the drains can cope. I haven't seen anyone clear or clean our drains for years, hence huge puddles across the road. It has been a bit of a damp and drizzly day here, also cold.

I hope you have a good time with your grandchildren TG. Also hope your MIL is OK WN. Lovely to hear that you had a good meet up with the nellies.