Dreary and dull

[Mrs Ava]

What a lousy day here in Essex.  It has been dreary all day.  The breeze has been quite nippy, made me close all the windows.  Even the kids felt chilly, and they never feel the cold!  Tonight by 8, the conservatory was all locked up and it was raining and getting dark.  It is mid August.  Me and the old man should be sitting out in the garden sipping a G&T, enjoying the balmy evening air, before shoo-ing the children to bed!  Felt like mid November.  I am getting really bored of this horrid weather.  I know we have all been moaning about it, but now I am having a rant.

[Mrs Ava]

[Carol]

Yes, think everyone will agree with you Emma.  I remember the lovely 4 days holiday we had up in Skye when the sun shone for 4 days and it was warm.  This was in early June.  I have never had my shorts on this year and the heating has been getting turned on sometimes briefly to take the chill off the rooms.  Summer is almost over and we haven't had any of it.  Hope this isnt a sign of things to come and 2007 has been a one off bad summer.

:-[

[Melbourne12]

Look on the bright side.  The forecast for the next two weeks looks pretty good; warm if not blazing hot.

Maybe we'll get a late summer in September. 

[asbean]

We put the heating on this evening - it took me almost all day to warm up.  :(

[isbister]

Well I quite like this inclement weather. For one thing it's greatly reduced the stench of barbecues round my way. What is it about sunshine that makes people want to go into their gardens and incinerate bits of meat?

[Heldi]

Sunday was very wet here...we went to a museum at an old colliery. Really good. They've built a new very modern building where they hold exhibitions and have a permanent display of life in a mining community. There's an art gallery showing paintings done by miners in the 1950's.  There's a gallery of people's tattoos with the reasons why they have chosen them. There's a display of shoes and wigs...plastic bath hats supplied so we all had a try on! Loved the shoes...with the stories behind them. One pair of very spiky stilettos were worn by a lady when she dressed up as a nurse to go from her piercing shop to visit her male friend in his tattoo shop next door...they ended up married ;) She is actually featured in a huge photograph in the tattoo room..recognised the shoes! There's a pair of flowery Dr Martens bought by a lady for her tom boy daughter...they've been to weddings funerals and have been passed down the family...in danger now of being retired as the sole is coming off. I wondered if my holographic DM's would end up in a glass case one day...they are so worthy lol!They even had two pairs of Liberace's shoes donated from the Liberace museum in Las Vegas...imagine all those sequins in a colliery !!

The children made some Japanese puppets. Just gluing and sticking really but it kept them amused whilst it poured with rain outside.

You can also have a look inside some of the out buildings to see some of the workings. 

All for a £2 parking fee.  8) 

Yesterday it didn't rain but it was dull and windy. Took the old mutt down to the beach. We threw some pebbles,made a sandcastle and did a wee bit of rock pooling. Found two crabs and a tiny starfish.  Dog was sick of being wet and wanted to go home so we walked back for lunch. OH came home early so we went to a different beach. Made a HUGE sandcastle,flew a kite...but it was too windy and nearly broke it. Then he and my son took the boogie board into the waves...they obviously weren't cold enough already  ::)  ;D.  OH tried to sail in on the crest of a wave...but he just sunk and my son got a fright when the waves took him off his feet. He persevered and had a couple of proper goes but I think he had got too nervous by then so they came back to where Toot and I were sitting shivering under piles of clothes. Never seen anyone get dried and changed as quick...especially not my son...some sort of personal record he broke there

Not bad for such miserable weather eh?  Last night though I felt on a right downer. Same thoughts as EJ I guess. Looked out of the window and thought to myself...we've hardly sat out there at all  :(

Today dark,dull, damp. I really need to get out and do my front garden but it's so windy and the clouds are looking ominous. Might have another cuppa instead.  ;)

[Mrs Ava]

Lovely outings Heldi!  Puts me to shame, but after spending all our money whilst on our hols, we are having at home entertainment so lots of cooking, painting, gluing and playing games. 

The sun is trying to come out here, so I am going to put my washing on the line...guarenteed to rain then.  :-\  I also need to weed the front garden but keep resisting the urge.  Oh well, tomorrows another day I suppose.

[lorna]

Dreary and dull? Seems like we are all in the same boat. Raining here, so no gardening AGAIN, can't work up enough enthusiasm to do housework or start the decorating. My sister-in-law brought over 2 big boxes of books for Lorna to have in the Sue Ryder shop. I have pulled out several that appeal to me so maybe I will keep the dog company on the settee and have a day of reading ;D Not expecting visitors so the dust doesn't matter!!
Lorna.

[Deb P]

Yesterday it didn't rain but it was dull and windy. ....Took the old mutt down to the beach.  ..... so they came back to where Toot and I were sitting shivering under piles of clothes. Never seen anyone get dried and changed as quick...

This reminded me so much of us on holiday in Cornwall........we will go to the beach kids......advisable or not.....

I was absolutely FREEZING! Note I borrowed OH's hat, gloves etc..

[saddad]

It has to be done Deb.. Alison has been paddling at Whitby, on New Year's Day before now!
:o

[tricia]

I wish it had only stayed dreary and dull here yesterday  :(. It rained steadily all morning but at noon it suddenly became a torrential downpour. The b.........postman (not really, he is a nice guy) left my garden gate ajar and the water flooded in when the drains in the street couldn't cope. The sewage drain lid lifted too - can you imagine me standing on it in six inches of water trying to keep it down, a hopeless task?  I managed to get the gate shut, but the board along the base of the wrought iron gate is only eight inches high and the water was rushing over the top of it. By this time my walled garden was awash with six inches of water which could only escape over the low retaining wall into my neighbours garden!

I hope my blueberry bushes won't suffer for standing in mucky water for an hour before it soaked away. I was so worried about my fish pond being polluted too, but the fish seemed okay this morning when I fed them.

I now have a stinking mess stuck to the paving which will have to be pressure-washed clean. Luckily the weather forecast for the Southwest is good, so that is a job for tomorrow when my dear Gordon will be here to help me move all the heavy pots.

This is the third time in seven years I have experienced flash-flooding of my garden when the street drains couldn't cope with a sudden cloudburst.

Enough is enough - my fish pond will be made safe with a wall round it. Now I just have to find someone to do the work  ::).

Tricia

[Trixiebelle]

I'm getting really depressed about it all  :( Summer is my time to get out all day at the allotment and this weather has really knocked me (and my crops) for six.

I just want to get everything out of the ground and winter dig ready for next year. How ridiculous is THAT in the middle of August 8)

[Meg]

It is really so sad isn't it but still peeps there will always be next year.

[theothermarg]

 forcing ours selves to go out on sunday we crossed the 1st severn bridge and visited chepstow market then folowed the wye up a bit so OH could suss out a fishing water(i knew there was a method in his madness)we managed to get some fresh air and it stayed dry :o. up allotment in the drizzle yesterday want some sun to ripen my corn. ??? woke up for work at 5-15it was so dark there has been a bit of dawn upuntil now  :'( feeling like it,s autumn already
marg

[Trixiebelle]

I LOVE Autumn! But only because there are fair few crops in the lottie that I can harvest.

Not so this year  :'(

Apart from leeks. They're virtually indestructable. Good job too XX

[cornykev]

Wet and windy all afternoon :(, put heating on last night just to take the edge off in the morning 5.30am. Looks better for the next three days, seeing is beleiving.  ;D ;D ;D

[Busby]

All I can say is that as a boy/young man in the 1950s as well as the 60s the weather was mostly as it is now. Most school summer holidays were grey and wet or cloudy and we spent our time with hobbies. Everyone had a raincoat and the city was full of umbrellas, even on a sunny morning because experience gained the upper hand. Only the summers of 1947 and the early summer 0f 1958 stay in my mind as being good, otherwise any heatwaves were short and sweet.

We've just been spoilt over the last decade or so.

[Mrs Ava]

Heard on the news, it seems like Cornwall/Devon and North Wales were the places to be today for some sunshine!

[shirlton]

Today has been great weather for digging and weeding. Had an early start this morning and worked through till 5 pm . We are both aching now but are looking forward to tomorrow when we can do it all again. Have just made some blackberry puree to have with our yoghurt. me hands are purple.

[Trixiebelle]

OK!

Let's have a laugh  ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoNxEghODS4