@Piglet please feel free to send some of that rain down here - it's definitely been cooler and fresher the past few days but the drought isn't going away any time soon. I could smell the petrichor from what I think was a light shower late last night, but otherwise we've had no rain for the whole of July.
The house across the back from us set on fire - unattended BBQ. There were many loud explosions - I think from gas canisters stored in a shed.
I watched the smoke and flames from my bathroom. We have huge conifers behind us and if they'd caught fire our house would have been gone too.
I put the harnesses on the dogs. Put the grab bag by the door. Put the folders with our important certificates and deeds by the door. Put the dog's leads and food and dishes by the door.
I put some socks and sturdy sandals on and threw a jumper into the bag with a bottle of water.
Then I watched the fire from upstairs with my fingers crossed, while following our streets's WhatsApp ding and ding again with the latest news.
Two fire engines arrived quickly and they are still dousing the embers, the fire started at 6:00 p.m
As it is, the whole back of their house is gone. The sheds and their whole garden are gone too.
After that my neighbours and I had a cup of tea together and decompressed, if that's the right word. Mr. Boogs is away for the weekend.
My heart is only just stopped pounding too fast! I'm still shaking.
The dogs were brilliant, didn't react to the explosions and didn't make any fuss when they didn't get walks even though their harnesses were on.
That sounds very scary @boggie, the poor people who have lost their home. I hope they are all OK and the place can be re-built.
I had a fairly lazy day apart from heading off to Pilates this morning. I left my sunglasses in a shop on the way home, so I need to go and see if they are there tomorrow.
I have a busy weekend, opening our beach, a really great event when we have a giant sandpit in the market square and loads of events and then off to BBQ in our newest suburb. Then on Sunday I'm spending the day with some Polish scouts which sounds fun and involves another BBQ. I hope everyone takes every precaution as we have hardly had any rain for the last six weeks or so.
Back from the Great Lamb Hunt. Tracked down some chops in Lidl, in among the burgers and chickie bits. Tesco had some - not much - stewing and shawarma cuts. Weird.
Also picked up that presage of passing summer - a bunch of cheap gladioli.
Urk. We’ve just spent the morning dealing with mountains of tomatoes (turned into simple sauces for the freezer, the basis of many winter meals), courgettes (partly fried in olive oil, ditto), new potatoes, beans and cucumbers (largely foisted on complaisant neighbours), baby leeks (beginning to go home, despite how much we’ve tried to water) and the leaves turned into veg. stock (for the freezer), even a few raspberries, before we go away tomorrow and the hosepipe ban starts on Monday.
I know it’s worth it really, but just at the moment, I’ve had it!
What a scary experience @Boogie - you sound remarkably calm! The house that goes with my job is surrounded by trees and I’m actually putting together some emergency bags, just in case…. (It’s more for the animals than me; having an indoors-only cat is not ideal in an evacuation situation.)
Glad to hear all the humans and animals are safe, @Boogie - hope your neighbours have good insult and their house can be rebuilt.
After coffee, a BACON ROLL and a good chinwag with a friend from church, I had a mosey round the Artisans' Market and got a loaf and a steak. Then after some light snoozage, decided have an amble down to Tessie's (it was a nice, if rather blowy day, and I was getting low on essentials like bog roll and WINE).
A small matter in the Grand Scheme of Things: I'm rather partial to sugar-snap peas (they're nice for dipping in hummus), but for the last wee while they've been notable by their absence, so I've had to resort to buying small carrots instead.
Comments
The house across the back from us set on fire - unattended BBQ. There were many loud explosions - I think from gas canisters stored in a shed.
I watched the smoke and flames from my bathroom. We have huge conifers behind us and if they'd caught fire our house would have been gone too.
I put the harnesses on the dogs. Put the grab bag by the door. Put the folders with our important certificates and deeds by the door. Put the dog's leads and food and dishes by the door.
I put some socks and sturdy sandals on and threw a jumper into the bag with a bottle of water.
Then I watched the fire from upstairs with my fingers crossed, while following our streets's WhatsApp ding and ding again with the latest news.
Two fire engines arrived quickly and they are still dousing the embers, the fire started at 6:00 p.m
As it is, the whole back of their house is gone. The sheds and their whole garden are gone too.
After that my neighbours and I had a cup of tea together and decompressed, if that's the right word. Mr. Boogs is away for the weekend.
My heart is only just stopped pounding too fast! I'm still shaking.
The dogs were brilliant, didn't react to the explosions and didn't make any fuss when they didn't get walks even though their harnesses were on.
Yes, next door to the house had all their garden furniture destroyed.
Could have been worse! 😕
I had a fairly lazy day apart from heading off to Pilates this morning. I left my sunglasses in a shop on the way home, so I need to go and see if they are there tomorrow.
I have a busy weekend, opening our beach, a really great event when we have a giant sandpit in the market square and loads of events and then off to BBQ in our newest suburb. Then on Sunday I'm spending the day with some Polish scouts which sounds fun and involves another BBQ. I hope everyone takes every precaution as we have hardly had any rain for the last six weeks or so.
Indeed it could.
Also picked up that presage of passing summer - a bunch of cheap gladioli.
We have a painter coming round this afternoon to give us a quote for our landing and stairwell.
22⁰ and sunny during the day. Rain at night. Not too much to ask for, surely?
I know it’s worth it really, but just at the moment, I’ve had it!
MMM
Sadly, it is.
Just so glad you are OK but how terrifying for you all!
After coffee, a BACON ROLL and a good chinwag with a friend from church, I had a mosey round the Artisans' Market and got a loaf and a steak. Then after some light snoozage, decided have an amble down to Tessie's (it was a nice, if rather blowy day, and I was getting low on essentials like bog roll and WINE).
A small matter in the Grand Scheme of Things: I'm rather partial to sugar-snap peas (they're nice for dipping in hummus), but for the last wee while they've been notable by their absence, so I've had to resort to buying small carrots instead.
First world problems, eh? 🙃