What are you all up to

Cooler here in North Devon yesterday, at midday very cloudy and 17c. A friend in South Devon said it was hotter there, as is often the way. 

That’s one of the things we love about the SW. Because it’s coast on three sides, you get such variations, little micro climates. We used to head to Dartmoor on the scorching hot days, find a river, lovely. I think if I had the choice, Dartmoor would be my top place to live. Our kind of place.🥰

We had 30degs yesterday and Lee on the Solent even made it to the national news on BBC1, lovely again today but only 25 degs, lots of people on the beach, but not too crowded, we have very little sand mainly pebbles so that puts a lot of folk offr, but good for us never gets over crowded, low tide was at 10:30 hrs today so should be ok for a swim, water looking real good just now and you dont get the lanolin sliks (sun tan oil) you sometimes get in the popular Med areas, yuk, Spanish daughter at their holiday cottage near Loja, 49 degs yesterday, too hot for me.   

It's scorching here on the east coast.  Just been out in the car and that's saying 29 degrees - and the same in the van on the drive - with all the roof lights open. 

Had a pond cleaning company come and clean the pond today - not been done since I re-lined it about 10 years ago and it was in a bit of a state.  The water was full of algae and looked like pea soup! No doubt the massive build up of silt in the bottom had something to do with it. Was fascinating watching them work - all the fish transferred to a massive tank with some of the original water from the pond - pond pumped out and cleaned and then fish back in the pond and filled it up. Dread to think what the water bill is going to be this quarter since about 20,000 litres have gone in. Good news is that the official verdict was that, despite the apparent state of the water, the fish looked really healthy.  Just needs the pond-clear and chlorine remover to do their stuff in the next 24 hours and we should see a total transformation.

Assuming you have a pump and filter, do you have a UV filter?

Supposed to be raining early this morning but we set off just gone 9.30 and it was still dry. Stayed that way all the way home. We stopped for coffee at Rhug Organic Farm Shop near Corwen on the A5 for a break.

Really enjoyed the 2 night break. Some photos that have finally emerged. The car was at Plas Brondanw and being driven by an elderly German accompanied by his wife. They were touring in style. It's a 100 year old Bentley. You could tell that they came from a wealthy background. Good luck  to them. They were enjoying their tour of Wales.

The bridge is still a toll bridge. There is one of the lovely CL.

Everything fine at home. Some developments taking place at the wreck that is next door. Might be seeing the last of the problem, fingers crossed.

Raining here and cool. Sorry for those caught up in the heat and humidity.

After a couple of weeks of feeling below par I seem to be returning to being 'normal'. No idea what it was, my get and go had got up and gone! A bit achy, very unmotivated, some things tasted odd. Covid? I have no idea we no longer have any tests and I wasn't engaging with anyone. Bare essentials done and very short, but off lead dog walks.

Been to darned hot. Stupid hot 🔥 for a few days, so more essentials only, sunlounger cool drink and the draughty spot in the garden. A very pleasant 28c today, such a relief after 34+ yesterday. Almost demanded a turn in takethedogalong's pool! Made do with lying in a cool bath. Can't imagine how our poor daughter in law feels at 8 months pregnant. She's making good use of the cool mat I bought her. Designed for a large dog she has several options on how to use it 🤣

Good to read others news and see photos. Wishing those, and their, relatives who are poorly better.

Harvest started here saturday, could have been Friday but supersistion said no. Didn't help as one load in the shed, combine went bang..... Trip to Nottingham for the part. Turned out it was user error, my family not involved, phew. Luckily the part back on the farm for 1730. Son on call after his day job for carting. Quick lesson on new tractor with a joystick 🕹 as they are DIL down. Not needed last night so hopefully it will continue. I keep my head well down.....

Fabulous reflex session, just what the alternative doctor ordered,this afternoon. Chose not to use the A1 anx had a pleasant shadier drive there and back. 

Stay cool folks. Oh Rufus I so envy your location at the moment!

Quite warm here in Bridlington today, but a noticeable cool breeze in the shade.  Off home tomorow, so spend a little time packing things away.  Decided to go out for a hot drink and cake this afternoon - that failed!!

First stop Burton Agnes Manor House (English Heritage).  Heard that there was a cafe there....  turned up and found that the cafe was owned by Burton Agnes Hall (private - not EH).  Got free accsss to the Manor House, as EH members), but they wanted to charge us £10 each (garden fee) in order to have a drink at the cafe, which we had to walk through to get to the EH property!  We declined!!

Thought we would go to the farm shop & cafe almost next to the site.  Arrived just before 3pm only to find it closed at 3pm..... so off we go to the little cafe counter at Danes Dyke.  Here the large signs 'Cash Only' was no good for us - we were intending to pay by debit card!!  So we gave up!!

In the end, a visit to the local Co-Op for a packet of jam doghnuts and back to the caravan to 'put the kettle on' had to make do and, (apart from the money we spent in fuel,)  worked out cheaper!! 😀

David

Got up to 25C today. Had a slow puncture repaired on the car this morning and then picked up the grandtwins for a sleep over. They reckon they will sleep in the tent 

Burton Agnes is a funny one DSB, having the EH Manor House right in the grounds of the new Hall. To be honest, you didn’t miss much this time with the Cafe, everything is being refurbished in that block at the moment, and they didn’t have much choice when we were there last week. There’s a nice cafe called The Cowshed at Fraisthorpe Beach, just South of Brid.