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Here we are again, ladies and gents. All the news that's fit to print (except politics, which belongs in the S&G, please!)

"I haven't tasted the road yet" is not a phrase you often hear...

No, I can say that I've never heard it. Although English is a curious language, so I think I understand what's meant...

Ah, but you may be surprised to hear it wasn't meant metaphorically - DH was contemplating taking one of the Austin Sevens to a New Year's Day meet, and wanted to know if the roads had been gritted

Glad to hear that DH didn't actually require a napkin, fork and spoon and that the Austin 7 had the pleasure.

Gaah! Back to work...

Hope everyone enjoyed the break.
Is anyone having the pleasure of snow? DD Orianna was most disgruntled that Medway, Maidstone & Canterbury had a dusting, while we missed out entirely ringed as we are by towns that got snow. I would love for new kitten Toby to experience it.

Regards,

Richard

Just a dusting here, while surrounding villages are covered (as is my home town. Sigh.)
The friends in Scotland who took me swimming in Loch Vaa last June sent pictures of the loch after they had taken an axe to it to enable them to swim. Not very far as they didn't manage to break very much ice.

!!!!!
To be honest, I find the idea of swimming in water that had Ice on it to be completely potty.

Regards,

Richard

Agree with you Richard. If we'd been meant to swim in frozen water we'd have the skin for it.

It has been blue sky and no wind here almost throughout the entire holiday. Gorgeous. Very cold, but no snow -- much to Younger Son's disgust. North of us is entirely different and a friend in Brora (in Sutherland) has literally feet of the stuff. It did try to snow sometime this morning, but it's not left much but a few flakes, and I suspect what we'll actually get today is sleet.

There's just a dusting here, but this picture from my home town in the Netherlands made me smile, it looks rather, erm, not-Dutch

I appear to be a free man. Well, one without the encumbrance of his dad's house to worry about. Completion went through selling it this morning. I am VERY relieved.

The completion was due before Christmas, but I found my dad hadn't got completion certificates or electrical checks for the extension built while he was there, nor the lift he had installed, and the appropriate inspections had to be done (electrical and buildings inspector) before exchange of contracts. I also had to find the HETAS certificate for the multi-fuel stove in the extension. The two stoves in the house were installed before a certificate became required, and I had to prove that that were installed prior to 2014 which meant digging out the sale particulars in 2009. Then there were last minute queries about planning permission from before my dad got the place. The queries were regarding the small conservatory (planning not required, permitted development, had to supply permitted development government document from the time before my word was accepted), garage (original build of house), workshop (granted 1997) and finally the house (granted 1983).

Can I advise anyone selling a house to deal with Solicitors harshly when they ask irritating questions. It won't help, but will make you feel better.

Regards,

Richard

Glad everything has gone through, even though it did take a bit longer than you'd hoped. It must be a weight off your shoulders!

So relieved that your dad's house is now off the books, out of your hair, done and dusted, put to bed and any other cliche I can think of. I'm raising my cup of tea to you whilst I sit in the S&G.

Thank you. It is a relief. It wasn't a place I had any sentimental attachment to apart from the fact my Dad lived there for 15 years. It is a 1980's house and has many 1980's problems. Parts of the upstairs flooring grade chipboard has turned into Weetabix, and is not very good as a floor anymore. The house really needs proper floorboards, which won't cost much more than new chipboard floors. The upstairs waste plumbing hasn't got adequate drop to make the waste flow away fast enough. The windows are good, but have 10mm air gaps, not the current 25. The loft insulation is good for a 1980's house, just not modern spec.

Basically it needs work and modernisation. The 40yo fittings are more worn out than Victorian ones would be. It's OK, but I wouldn't want it. And the fact it's up a private road over a private bridge owned by someone else.. no thanks.

Regards,

Richard

But someone DID want it, so it's all good. Huzzah!

True enough. I think they got good value for money. Needs work, but they should get a good deal out of it in the end. And, given the storms we have just had, the fact it's in the shelter of an old quarry should help enormously.

Regards,

Richard

Been chugging away at various projects and lost track of how long it had been since my last check-in. Gonna get some pics uploaded in a bit to update my various WIPs and finishes. Just wanted to pop in with a hello.

Just to let you know I would love to be able to up date my stitching but the site is still blocked on my PCs due to phishing. It is over a month now and I have been forced to use the iPad to do this. No way could I post anything useful using a touch screen

Jo

How annoying for you Jo! Hope it gets resolved soon.

Steam.Jo wrote: Mon Feb 02, 2026 4:32 pm Just to let you know I would love to be able to up date my stitching but the site is still blocked on my PCs due to phishing. It is over a month now and I have been forced to use the iPad to do this. No way could I post anything useful using a touch screen

Jo

I had that problem on my PC too. i use avast for my antivirus and when it happened a second time I just created an exception to allow me to view the forum