Beantree Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 28C inside is very hot AndyRoo. Our peak this year was 25.5C thanks to €500 spent on insulation to the roof of an adjoining room. Even at that temperature our fridge overheats. The motor runs until it cuts out, icing up the elements inside, which then defrost resulting in a pool of water on the floor and the contents of the fridge getting too warm. Solved the problem by running a small desk fan to blow air across the radiator at the back. We have the same problem with a chest freezer in the garage, but that needs a much bigger fan. One day we'll buy a better freezer. We had our thunderstorm, water butts are full and we'll spend today tidying up the mess from the high winds that preceded it. Fortunately no structural damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 We had a very windy storm yesterday - was tracking it coming up towards us as I was on a call. Logged off just in time to close all the doors. First water butt in my cascade isn't even full though. Today has started MUCH cooler, overcast and getting darker. OH reports rain in London, so it's on the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 Massive lightening and thunder Over Mumbles late yesterday evening but no rain where we are. Fantastic light show though! Slightly cooler but still sticky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 No lightning. Sulking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 After yesterday's and last night's deluges, we have had a dry-ish but humid day. Very dull and a good deal cooler (thankfully) the predicted storms have held off and all seems calm for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) Black skies here and distant rumbles. Storm tracker shows storms over Chippy and Woodstock and heading this way ... oooooo I was just about to go out and do some gardening too! Edited August 17, 2020 by The Dogmother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 I hope it changes direction and comes the other way a tad - will be right over us!!! Some heavy rain here on and off - I keep thinking that I hear thunder but it's bin day tomorrow and so could just be folks trundling their wheelie bins around! My gran and mum always used to call thunder 'God's coalman delivering'.........showing my age there 🙄. Perhaps I should start a new tradition and tell MY boys that it's God putting the bins out 😁. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 I got caught in a right downpour on my motorcycle today. Complete with lightning, horizontal rain and puddles studying to become small lakes. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 After hoping for rain for the last two weeks it has arrived this morning and I'm fed up with it already. An earlier downpour filled the butts and we don't need any more thank you. Heard some thunder in the distance but nothing near and now the wind has strengthened carrying that fine drizzle that soaks everything, particularly the chicken's feeders. It's too late for crops or trees now, just means the grass will start growing like mad and the mowers will be out every day, which reminds me we need some more fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Complained about the rain last post and now into the third week without any. The trees are really struggling and we've been leaf blowing already to tidy up. Nine weeks, a heatwave and only one inch of rain. This morning we had mist in the valley, which is unexpected as they don't start until late October usually. But then I caught the smell of smoke and thought someone had been silly enough to light a bonfire out of season and with a very high risk of it spreading. But the smoke disappeared quickly and i thought no more of it until I saw the news. Turns out it was smoke from the fires on the East coast of America which has been carried over the Atlantic and then stalled over most of France. I can still smell smoke and it's due to stay for the next week at least apparently. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Blimey Beantree - that’s incredible. I’ve been sulking because it's felt like winter was coming the last couple of weeks so I’m happier now because it feels like we have another week of summer coming up 🌞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Looks like we have another week forecast without rain Beantree and high temperatures. The garden really needs some rain, many of our established trees and shrubs are suffering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 It's been the loveliest day here - balmy and sunny. Walked the dogs with a friend at 5pm, and it was still 25deg, this is my ideal climate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Due to be 35C here today and I may have to water the chicken runs again but, on the bright side, nothing is growing, even the weeds have stopped. So dry we can't risk any petrol powered equipment yet, in case a spark from the exhaust starts a wildfire, although there is only a little to do anyway. 25C is my ideal as well DM. Spring and Autumn are usually lovely, Winter is short (2 months last year) and Summer is far too dry and hot and pretty miserable unless you are on holiday. Finally solved our data allowance Ursula123. Sosh have an offer ending today of a 80Gb phone SIM for €16 a month which fortunately works in our mobile Wifi unit. Obviously the free calls and texts that come in the package can't be used, but we don't make/ send any anyway. We've just got to see the SFR contract ended, which had to be done by letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 22 hours ago, The Dogmother said: It's been the loveliest day here - balmy and sunny. Walked the dogs with a friend at 5pm, and it was still 25deg, this is my ideal climate! Same here DM although a couple of degrees cooler. Topped out at 23. Just lovely. Now if only all the tourists would go home like they usually have started to do by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Very smokey this morning; made my eyes sore. Soon cleared again to 22C and cloudy. Might be 31C later but, unlike Summer, it does now cool down in the evening. BBC says storms down here on Sunday and as usual the French forecasts are rather vague, so waiting and hoping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 On 14 September 2020 at 11:34 AM, Beantree said: Finally solved our data allowance Ursula123. Sosh have an offer ending today of a 80Gb phone SIM for €16 a month which fortunately works in our mobile Wifi unit. Obviously the free calls and texts that come in the package can't be used, but we don't make/ send any anyway. We've just got to see the SFR contract ended, which had to be done by letter. Good news Beantree. I have just changed our home internet over to SOSH we were paying €36.99 to Orange a month but SOSH are €19.90 for the same service. Silly really as they are the same company. Like you waiting for this heat to break, have had enough now and looking forward to Autumn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 You do right to be supremely vigilant Beantree. We have just had the biggest fire of the year here in Portugal and it started about 0.5km as the crow flies (or about 1km on foot, its all up and down) from our house. We are all safe and sound, by grace of the wind direction and the firefighters defending our hamlet, but it was horrible, and touch and go for a while. It has been horrendous for many others as the fire spread so fast, by embers on the wind as well as at ground level, and got stronger all the time, it has just consumed forest for miles, apparently 60km. Its been 'in resolution' for 24 hours but still 500 fire crew and 200 vehicles and some planes up. No loss of life, although some injuries, some serious including our postie (the fire service is largely a volunteer one, like in France). So, we are also praying for rain. It should arrive today, but then it was forecast for Monday and didn't. The fire started Sun afternoon, on another long hot and gusty afternoon. The consensus is arson, both unofficially (ie us because we can see the place it is meant to have started and nobody goes there, ever, and there was no lightning etc to have started it naturally) and officially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 That sounds horrendous Daphne. I remember getting caught up in a fire on Zante which had been started deliberately to discredit the current Political Party. Slowly following a police car leading the way, because the smoke was too bad to see the road properly, a bush alongside spontaneously combusted in the heat and burned my arm. Shouldn't have risked it in an open top car. Still no rain and the forecast is still too vague to know if we will get any. We're watering all the bushes we want to save, so our bill is going to be pretty high! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Well here it is! After just 20mm of rain in 9 weeks the temperature has plummeted and its pouring down. Forecast lady says to expect a month and a half of rain over today and tomorrow and in the mountains 40cm of snow. Summer feels a long time ago already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 2 days of rain and hail, now it's just 7deg and blowing a hooley! Autumn's here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Very windy here too DM, and now clouding over, but it was lovely and sunny (but chilly) when I was out doing the birds this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Yes, sunny on and off here too. Splash has finally integrated back into the flock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Good to know she's settled in OK. Boys had a bit of a run round the field this morning while I was sorting everyone out - still cheaping rather than crowing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Monday - had a day off and spent the day on the beach in my bikini and swimming in the sea - lovely and warm. 22 degrees. Thursday - working outside with 5 layers on my top half including thermals and waterproof coat. 8 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
