WEATHERWISE IT'S SUCH A DOO-DOO DAY ?
Seriously, what the hell is going on with the weather. Two weeks ago I was vowing never to go abroad again and embrace the newly globaly warmed UK as a Sunny green utopia never to be abandoned for the far more non descript dry, grey rockiness of Southern Europe. But now....
... it's simply miserable ain't it ? Early winter dark nights weather, lashing rain, howling wind, sodden gardens, pets and people. Old folks being blowed off their feet as stories of the war can be heard fading away as fast as the wind can carry them.
The takings in the restaurant are directly effected when the weather washes out but it gets you like that doesn't it ? Creativity is stifled, fun is stopped, to a certain extent. Do you know what i do ? I turn to sorting, to practical matters. If there's nothing to look at through the window outside, I look to accomplish things inside.
Ergo, this morning, all paper work completed, everything ! Dog weighed and put on diet. Clothes harvested once more in the name of de-cluttering and charity AND TONIGHT freezer under threat of second clear out in six weeks.
If you accept the sun isn't there and get on with another aspect of this thing we call life then the day starts to take on a completely different sense of satisfaction.
feeling good guys, how about you ?
CLP 2007.
X.
Comments
Dear Chris
Heard you on the radio last month discussing board-games (Monopoly etc).
I鈥檝e invented a great family board game (in my humble opinion) called 鈥淏end it like...鈥
It uses giant (60cm coloured pipecleaners). Simply make the object printed on the cards-each member of team taking turns to make or identify the object - basically Pictionary, but using pipecleaners. We laugh every time we play it.
Typical cards are, 鈥楤end it like..the McDonald鈥檚 logo鈥, or Bend it like..鈥樎ｂ sign鈥, 鈥楤end it like..Salvador Dali鈥 鈥楤end it like..a bra鈥 rather than the obvious giraffe or spectacles.
I鈥檝e a patent pending, and full child safety tests (although it鈥檚 by no means just a kids game).
I鈥檓 living in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. You have to see it. If I may, can I drop a finished mock-up in your local pub-White Horse in Hascombe? to respect your privacy. (athough I鈥檇 rather show you in-person.)
The game is fun, silly, engages all generations, would translate to all parts of the world, cheap to manufacture, and easy to understand.
It may not change your life, but it might just change mine.
Thanks
Richard Taylor
Oh Chris how do you stay so positive? I try, I really do, but days like this really get me down.
My son sat his Science SATS today and thought the earth was a circle rather than sphere! Never mind, his younger brother corrected him on the way home from school!
I've been very greedy over the weekend (wine and food) so listened to Paul McKenna CD this morning to get myself back on straight and narrow. I want to be a size 12 for my sister's wedding in October (am currently 14/16). I want skinny thighs like your girlfriend, what's her secret?!
See you at 5,
Em M
CLP
By contrast, feeling pretty rough.
Another terrible nights sleep and I've had a bad day.
When I get back to Rudgwick I'm off for a long walk, whatever the weather, to blow this headache to kingdom come and get enough country air to induce hours of lovely sleep.
We had a weekend of sorting too. The final pieces of the Road Trip puzzle are in place and I even got to the gym twice to work on my newly nurtured winter tummy.
And the weather looks pretty darn good where we're headed!
Peace & love to one and all
MfR
PS Its always tease, tease, tease.
PPS Hubert Selby Jr
Breezy greetings all, is that DOO, DOO the get on an do something or a reference to the sh*t weather? I'm worn out just reading what you've been up to, any chance of a phial of blood for transfusion? Perhaps I should just jump start meself with two toddlers!! Nah I get in enough trouble at my current speed. Anyway I have made a list(!) and I shall be ticking jobs off as I wend my way through it tonight - will definitely not be going to the bottom of the freezer though.
PS Manic Monday's - bring it on.
Can'r cope with Freaky Friday's though.
Wilsmar
Aaah Bonjour Christophe, ooo deja vu, I did this on Friday live to the nation.
Couldn't agree more about the poor weather sapping inspiration. All my planned activities disappeared out of the window over the weekend, but at least I wasn't under canvas!
Thanks for the opportunity to lead the nation into ARF on Friday, but I certainly wasn't as calm as I sounded!
I managed to spend the weekend with my missus doing very little, but that, in itself, is worthwhile. Mange tout, Mange Tout!
Au Revoir
DD out
Chris, if you lived in Brighton, you could have a Choccie-woccie-doo-doo day...
...and the boy drove me MAD last night. He was trying to pause the film so that he could see the present the guy had just unwrapped, but our telly just isn't wide enough, and then he decided to have a clearout, because he couldn't find the instruction book for the telly to get the code to programme the remote to do the volume.
From having a really chilled, lovely, soppy, dressing gown day with a delicious lunch cooked by him truly, it turned into a frantic, hot, rushy-abouty, unsettled type of late evening.
Result? Today I am turtely shattered.
That's how I'm feeling.
Thank you for asking
love
hazel
x
Hi Chris and blogettes
I've just had to run outside and bring in washing as it was hailstoning - one advantage of working from home now and again.
Never mind i'm planning to battle the South Manchester traffic tomorrow - deep joy.
Haricot Vert xx
...feeling brill .... I couldn't agree with you more x
Christophe - you are good! I don't want to do stuff indoors when the weather's good and I don't want to do stuff full stop, when the weathers bad!!!
I have loads to do though and as my bedroom now resembles my teenage daughters room (clothes all over the place), I guess I'd best start there - can't sleep well when it's a mess anyway - I need the peace and calm of order...
Have a decision to make about things. Very difficult - don't you find though that the decisions that are easy to make are made quickly, but it's the hard ones that are delayed?
HL - I am buoyed by your revelation re: the 5 year thingy! Wow, only 44 months to go!
S xx.
Dear Mr E!
Haven't listened to Drivetime or read your blog for weeks having moved house and off work at the moment suffering from stress and exhaustion! Oh the pleasure of moving house - never again!
Mega probs with BR Broadband but never mind - at long last am able to read your blog and feel better already! Christopher - you shpuld come on the Nartional Health as you always cheer us up and make us feel more positive and able to cope.
You are simply the best and hearttfelt thanks for the therapy!
Much love
Pam xx
Christophe,
isnt it strange - its only adults that get down when it rains...
pets love it
kids love it
animals just do it...
its only adults that get down when it rains and run around all silly and the like.... complaining about how dismal it all is and then thanking it for saving the chore of watering the garden!!
whats that all about!
i think that you have to like the rain like the sun, its all good - we'd be bored if it was sunny all the time!!
JC
Hey Chris.
The weather isn't that bad. You have to remember that this is NORMAL May weather. It's simply because we have gotton used to the crazy warm weather that this feels so grim. Don't worry. It won't last forever. Soon we will be back basking in the sun and will have forgotton what all the fuss was about.
Till then, wrap up warm and enjoy the fact that it's still not too warm to sit in front of a nice warm fire with a nice cup of tea.
All the best,
Mary
Hmmm... maybe I'm weird. I actually LIKE the rainy weather. I'm a born and bred Brit... so I see the current meteorological activity as normal (and welcome - we'll be plagued with stories of drought soon enough, as the year wears on!) for this time of year.
I didn't know you owned a restaurant (sorry - I don't keep up with celebs comings and goings) but my wife and I would only be too happy to eat there, in any weather. Mind you, we're not particularly rich or anything so I guess not a venue for us?
Anyway we like to go out walking, to fully embrace the lashing rain and chilly winds. Makes you feel good to be alive! And there's nothing better than getting back indoors to drink hot tea and dunk biccys. Ah, the simple things...
Your idea for sorting through the practical stuff is a great suggestion too. I'm sure my wife has a 'list' somewhere that needs attention!
Love the blog... love the show. Keep up the great work.
Cheers,
Darren.
Hello all
Come sunshine, come rain,
It's very much the same.
My newborn son just cries and cries and cries.
I try to offer comfort,
but my efforts - though quite clever,
are ineffective in the main.
J McC
Thank you one and all
For all your kind messeges but fear not, I not care at all. I said nothing, don't like confrontation. Anyway sometimes you just fall out of love and just carry on regardless avoiding an expensive divorce. My new sleeping partner is white and fluffy and sleeps at the end of the bed.
I am still living in a farm house attached to a golf club. I have the use of a very secure pc which I can't open my email on or do much at all. The 主播大秀 or be it airport will have to learn to live without me.
keep flying the flag comrades
DR JMC try playing some music to junior Meatloaf perhaps....
Great Music on the show tonight don't you think?
Quite right Chris...eveyday is valuable, even if its wet or dry...
Feeling good x
De Sm
Hi Chris.
Great show and as expected great blog. Just thought you might want to take a look at my sons blog, he is ridding a cycle from Lands end to John o Groats, ( I Know I dont get it either) But his daily blog about the trip and the people he meets along the way has now got thousand of readers laughing every night as they eagerly await each days blog. Maybe you could say high to him on your show I know he will be listening as he sits down for yet another bowl of never ending pasta.
Hope it makes you smile.
Plum - we are going more down the classical music route. Whilst in utero he responded to Grieg quite well. So far, not much happening now he's in the outside world, but we live in hope.
J McC
Wayne Holling,
What is the address of your sons blog! The Drive Time Massive will, I am sure, willingly provide support on such a venture.
DD out
CLP - definately a half-full cup for you then?
The only thing that annoys me about the rain is the amount of people who say"good news for the gardeners/grass/plants" etc
I don't mind yellow grass if it means it's hot n sunny for a long period.... also it just encourages the weeds!
Can anyone tell me where CLP's pub/restaurant is please? It's very often mentioned and I think MrsW is due a nice weekend away soon so what better place to visit?
Moving house next week - a whole pandora's box of incidents, phone calls, emails, let downs await us I'm certain.
Hazel - loved the knee pun in your message, nice to be remembered x I
It's been ok this week, only one week to go and then I'm off these light duties at work and back do铆ng it properly - can't wait.
The sun is shining in Norwich right now (07.42) - the rain has gone all shy - yipppppeeeeeeee
KWx
It is a doo doo day Chris! Asked my wife for a divorce yesterday, is this a weather related thing? Perhaps if the sun was shining it may have never happened!
In need of some blog love today!
Robbo - have some blog love, that must have been a scary thing to do, although I bet you're glad you;ve got the task out of the way now.
Gingembre - any luck with the hydrotherapy?
I'm having a grumpy day today and am worried about out laws taking over my whole life when I have this baby, which incidentally was waving to us yesterday at the scan and even managed a little yawn!
:o) Jo
I love the rain!
It's so fresh and makes everything smell so much sweeter.
I thought to myself yesterday that if i ever find anyone stupid enough to want to marry me i hope he proposes in the rain :-)
Chris, i think i'm a little bit jealous of your girly, how awful is that! Of course I'm glad you're happy, but you know...it should have been me!
Happy Tuesday campers - my weekend starts today!
Dedicated to Prof Plum ......
She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.
On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things.
On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candle-light, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of spring-water.
When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells dipped in caviar into the hollow of the curtain rods.
She then cleaned up the kitchen and left. When the husband returned with his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days.
Then slowly, the house began to smell.
They tried everything; cleaning, mopping and airing the place out
Vents were checked for dead rodents and carpets were steam cleaned.
Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting. Nothing worked.
People stopped coming over to visit.
Repairmen refused to work in the house.
The maid quit.
Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move.
A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they could not find a buyer for their stinky house
Word got out and eventually even the local realtors refused to return their calls.
Finally, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase a new place.
The ex-wife called the man and asked how things were going.
He told her the saga of the rotting house. She listened politely and said that she missed her old home terribly and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back.
Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a price that was about 1/10th of what the house had been worth, but only if she were to sign the papers that very day.
She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork
A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home
And to spite the ex-wife, they even took the the curtain rods!!!!!!
I LOVE A HAPPY ENDING, DON'T YOU?
CtD x x
Good Chewsday to you all!
Sammie, how lovely to be called an inspiration. Thank you! (I shall have to give you my mum's address...) It's the first time I've ever really given any thought to anything past the next weekend, and am praying that the career development loan goes through ok now!
Prof, I'm not gonna say anything other than...you make me laugh and I think you're fab. His loss babe! That's all.
Robbo - big blog hazel love comin atcha. I've got to do mine in July. It's all so many bobbins and a big blo*dy mess because even though he left me, he is too much of a lazy g*t to bother doing anything about it. Good luck mate. It's a long haul, but we'll be here if you need to let off! Steam etc.
KW. I'm guessing not an indoor job with no heavy lifting?
So, how good was Panorama last night?
love
hazel
x
Howya Christophe et al.
Greetings from Norn Ireland, where the weather's actually been rather pleasant...and trust me, over here it can blow yer socks off when it wants.
However, on this occasion the nearest thing I've experienced to Hurricane Hilda has been the thoroughly marvellous jacuzzi bath in me hotel room. It's like bein' walloped by the riot police, emerging like a spaced-out red mullet with me loofah up me nose, and yet rather attractive in a Doris Day in that fillum with James Garner where he drives the car into the swimming pool full of soap suds sort of way. Hurrah!
So. Mange tout to all; or in my case, Mushy Peas... must go, I'm still tryin' to find the soap.
Clodagh.x
Hi everyone!
Didn't get a chance to proper-blog yesterday so here goes ...
The posh works do on Friday was fab - we won the award we were nominated for and everyone was very happy!
Beer festival on Saturday night - wonderful! You always seem to see old friends at beer festivals. I still think CLP should have a beer festial at his pub - it could be the inaugural bloggers convention (well, if Terry can have a Tog-fest, I don't see why CLP shouldn't have a Blog-fest!!)
Rain: personally, I'm not majorly upset by its presence. As some of you may remember, we have two allotments and (sorry Gingenbre #20) the ground was seriously in need of nourishment. The growing conditions now are perfect - warm and wet. Should result in a good crop of parsnips, sprouts, spuds etc for the winter months.
I'm getting really excited now about my hols - less than 2 weeks to go til we fly to cuba. I've started a little "cuba" pile in the corner of the spare room - insect repellent, sun cream .. you know, the usual! Will soon have to send Mr Diva up into the loft to recover the suitcases - we try to leave that bit as long as possible as it freaks the cat out!
Robbo #21 .... {{{HUGS}}}. I'm sure you had your reasons otherwise you wouldn't have done it.
Most of 'the management' are out today so us lunatics are running the asylum - fun! Currently playing a Foo Fighters CD - lovely! I truly love this new job. It's fab!
Right, I can hear the kettle calling my name so I'll pop back later and catch up with everyone.
My glass is definitely half full to overflowing!
CtD x x x
PS: Yikes - 4 more sleeps til Moonwalk !!!
Hi Chris (and everyone),
I managed to read your blog just before I went home last night and I thought - Chris is right, get the paperwork out of the way. I went to bed at 10.30, very pleased with myself that I had: cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, ironed 5 shirts, made two phone calls I have been putting off and, finally, tidied up our bedroom which was a tip. ANYTHING to avoid looking at the paperwork!
Prof Plum - there is only one thing more dangerous than anger, and that is apathy. Maybe I've got it all wrong, but I can honestly say if this was happening to me, my husband would be finding out if he likes hospital food! However, Hazel is so right - it's his loss.
Gingembre - you are sounding in great form, so pleased for you. I have been meaning to say to you that I have been to Norfolk only once and you really do live in a beautiful part of the country. We were attending a wedding and stayed in a lovely big country house hotel. I absolutely loved Norwich and I must, must, go back there!
Robbo - it was the right moment to say what you had to say. Even if we were in the middle of a heatwave, it couldn't change how you really feel in your heart. Well done for facing the truth, and all the best to you.
C xx
Rainydays and Tuesdays one and all.
CTD. Fab idea Cheryl. Great story.
Hazel Thank you always enjoy reading your contributions.
Chrissie S. I suppose apathy is right on the ball. Suppose I have spent so much time on my own in this marriage I have learned to fly solo. I rely on my sense of humour and music of course.
Dr JMC I thought classical music would be the order of the day. You could try drowning out the crying with 1810 overture.
It's big Jonny...lovely ..but big
x
just looked at the Children in need weekend, looks brilliant, so chris, who is the girl you've got your arm round in nearly all the photos?!!! come Chris tell us bloggers!
Robbo
Brave thing to do.... {{{{hugs n luv}}}}
Luv
Lyndyloo
& the Bears
-x-x-x-
LLL.........OOOOOOO........VV........VV.....EEEEEEEE
LLL.........OOOOOOO.........VV......VV......EEEEEEEE
LLL.........OO.......OO..........VV....VV.......EE........
LLL.........OO.......OO..........VV....VV.......EE........
LLL.........OO.......OO..........VV....VV.......EEEEE...
LLL.........OO.......OO...........VV..VV........EEEEE...
LLL.........OO.......OO...........VV..VV........EE........
LLL.........OO.......OO.............V..V..........EE........
LLLLLLL...OO.......OO..............VV...........EEEEEEE
LLLLLLL...OOOOOOO...............V............EEEEEEE
For Rob
Wowser Johnny - you'll have hours and hours of fun in there! And at Christmas you can turn it into Santa's Grotto - hurrah!
CtD x x
Afternoon, Christoff!
Great show last night, by the way! We thoroughly enjoyed your banter, tunes and enlightenment as we diced with maniac drivers on the A82 North to Inverness! Thanks for reading my text out .... it's true about oak beams detering spiders!
Got a busy day today - wee one at swimming lessons this am, and now just heading to Mums and Tots. Life was never this busy when I was a toddler!!!
Be back later to catch up with everyone! Hope you're having a terrific Tuesday!!
Huggles, Susan, Highland lass
PS When are you going to add to your flickr site?!?
Woweeee Blissfully Unawware #33. That must have taken AGES to do!
Big respect my friend!
CtD x x
I miss the sun. being from sunny colorado the weather has been the most dramatic change in the three years ive lived here. and every year im told it should be a hot one and am taken on a journey of nostalgia to that glorious summer of 2002-2003 that i just happened to miss and have no way of verifying. Think perhaps it is simply a myth derived from the hope of all the people who know how glorious the sun can be. there will always be paperwork to be sorted.
Hey Chris, I think you are fogetting that it's only the start of May in England, consider yourself lucky we had the last few weeks, it will probably rain now until our summer starts in July!!!
As my work colleague said to me - well, that was a nice summer we had!!!!
Jx
Clodagh. Please may I borrow your banner. I have to write to Transport for London because they wish to take me to caught. All because the boy got lost. I've told 'em I ain't paying on more than one occasion, but still have not received any correspondence from something which isn't a computer.
If banner not available, does Barry still have his gun?
Many ts
love
hazel
x
Free the Hove One (actually)
Free the Wigan One
Went out in the rain at lunchtime to buy some more pink feathers to sew onto my Moonwalk bra - I seriously under-estimated the amount of feathers needed in comparison to the about of fabric to be covered!
What now lies ahead are evenings of sewing with pinprick fingers - ouch!
AND if it rains on Saturday night, my pretty pink fluffy feathery bra will go all spiky in the rain and I'll look like a bedraggled drowned cat - yikes!
Ho Hum.
Got the route through too - it's a long way is 26.2 miles.
At least the pinpricked fingers will take the strain away from my aching tootsies ...
CtD
PS: Led Zep now on CD player.
A month ago the weather was great and, forgetting that it wasn't actually summer or that we don't live in a tropical paradise (yes, a bit of sun goes straight to the head!) the 1st Welwyn Scout Group decided to plan a Barbecue for May 20th.
150 invitations were sent out and, with only a few days to go, we're wondering how much food to buy or whether we'll just send a couple of scouts to stand in the storm, diverting the odd die-hard to the old scout hut for tea and a biscuit instead!
It's Scouting's centenary year - and the current hut is almost as old. There's not much shelter there either - the (asbestos) roof leaks and there is a tendency for the sewers to overflow in wet weather. Its also too small to house the 150 members of scouts, cubs, beaver, guides, brownies and rainbows, let alone their families!
The Barbecue is a fund-raiser towards a new hut. We've raised over 拢50,000 already by various means and just need about another 拢350,000 so that most of the work can be carried out. It's to be built on the site of a disused chalk quarry (where the barbecue will/might be held) so please keep your fingers crossed for the weather to be pleasant on Sunday because our tent was broken last weekend in the inclement weather at Cub Camp.
It never rains but it pours, as they say ...
Interested parties who want to support the Centenary Campaign can find information and contact details on the web site and volunteer to help or just make a donation.
If Chris reads this, please plug the Campaign (or donate 拢350,000) and if God's browsing this blog, will You please arrange for a nice dry weekend, very many thanks.
Dear Chris,
Can anyone help an expat! I am living in Texas and want to move home. But I have 2 lovely dogs who are well behaved but every rent site for property seems to be rent but no pets whats a girl to do?
It is a new start for me American men are not what they are made out to be - A beach would be nice to walk the dogs and maybe a thriving artistic town for me to find a job - I dont know how to progress to the next step - looking forward to a nice cuppa and a rich tea biscuit - I dream about it!
Ceri
Just a quick one - sitting here at work eating a Twirl and thinking of you...............how delicious, that's you and the Twirl by the way!
Wow - what a months worth of weather...