Harry...the man!

And in Britain we...

Thursday, April 26, 2012 11:27:26 AM

For those of you who don't live in Britain let me tell you what we are good at. We moan about everything. British people are cynical towards all businesses and people in power and yet still go and vote for exactly the same people each election. What's worse, we moan about the political leadership of the country and do nothing about it as more people vote for an act in The X Factor (there are still only four acts from the UK X Factor to have had hits outside of the UK - is the programme even relevant?) than vote for whoever will be our government for the next five years. We also moan about the state of public services while also moaning about paying taxes - you surely cannot have one without paying sufficient of the other. Oh, and we moan about the weather.

You may have noticed that I have used the excuse about the weather to moan about my fellow Britons...moaning! Indulge me, I'm British and I really enjoy moaning.

At the moment we are in a drought situation with hosepipe bans and such. This is because for decades we have had rain on average three days a week and this has dropped in the last few years. Yes, we are an island surrounded by water and, no, we have not replaced the drainage systems left by the Romans centuries ago.

This week has been quite wet and windy. I have been able to use the old saying to children that used to annoy me when I was a child and it rained hard - "We needed it!" So I have had a distraction from my continued problems with Gloria's health. She has been referred to another specialist in the last hour.

Regardez my picture of the fence taken on my Android mobile 'phone a moment ago. I'll do something to aid its plight in a moment.

A little therapy for Gloria - baking with kids from the estateDzien dobry Mirella and Raven, good morning to everyone else.

Comments

Mirelka SopraNovAmirelkasoprano # Thursday, April 26, 2012 11:45:56 AM

Telling someone who doesnt live in Britain that its been wet and windy lately wont do Harry.
Its not wet and windy. Its a disaster!
The picture looks like after tornado

...and if so (about the moaning), then I must have transformed into a pure blood Brit already

Harry...the man!harrytheman # Thursday, April 26, 2012 11:55:35 AM

Welcome to moaning Britain

Well, the weather is a disaster for Britain but as you and I have experienced storms on the continent we both know that this is relatively speaking not much at all.

The only time I've been abroad (Wales does not count!) I was in Austria near Innsbruch with a friend. The weather was blazing hot most of the time and the river was dry. Two weeks before the hand rail on the bridge had been buckled by an overflow of water from the river during a storm.

The night before we left there were four thunder storms trapped within the surrounding mountains. We watched them bouncing off the mountain peaks and the deluge of rain washed the side off one of the mountains. The locals just got on with it as if it was nothing - the army came out at midnight to help clear up but that was it. No problems.

The night before when a storm was brewing my friend and I were hiding under the table in the hotel's cafe area. The lady running the place walked past us and smiled, "Isn't it romantic." She was taking some food out to some guests who were eating at a table outside. Since then, every storm here has seemed quite tame.

Mirelka SopraNovAmirelkasoprano # Thursday, April 26, 2012 12:12:01 PM

I must tell you I honestly miss real storms here. Such with good light effects and stuff, thunders.
The thing is...taking Poland as an example, on the other hand, storms happen only sometimes there.
And they last just for a moment. They come and go. After such storm you can feel clear fresh air and feel alive again.
Im not joking. Rest of the time the sky is pure and there is no wind almost at all in Poland.
Comparing with what we have here in Britain, I can honestly say its a disaster.
Although we dont have thunders here, we have terrible weather most of the time.
Never ending wind blowing the clouds with light speed.
I was affraid seeing the sky here, the first day I arrieved here. Honestly. I though a thunder is coming.
Cause in Poland u can see clouds moving so quick only right before the storm hits your area. No other time.
I found out its everyday like that here and the terrible wind is something natural here.
Its not natural for me. Nor for "my baby"

...thats why you might have noticed how many posts about winter illnesses there were behind me this year. We get sick most of the time cause its unbelievable not only to our eyes to see such conditions but to our bodies too.
We can feel it.
Believe me, you'd love Polish weather.
Even in winter time, when there is freezing cold and loads of snow, there is no wind, no clouds, only pure sky with the sun. Maybe it doesnt give u much warmth in winter there but it gives u power to live. Optimizm. Loads of positive energy which I have huge deficits since living in Britain.
Its an enormous difference.

Harry...the man!harrytheman # Thursday, April 26, 2012 12:41:11 PM

That does back up what I experienced in Austria. It was sunny the whole time except for the two evenings when storms were overhead. And yes, it is dreary like this all the time in Britain. I remember warning you about this before when we went through a spell of sunny weather. It never lasts long enough in Britain, unfortunately. This is why the Wimbledon tennis centre court has a retractable roof. And all my love to "your little one"

Mirelka SopraNovAmirelkasoprano # Thursday, April 26, 2012 12:46:45 PM

Loads of love back to you Harry!...and Gloria

...yes you were right.
Its just I am always hoping for the best, even when there is no way out, or seems like it....

... I can get most of the things I want. I guess the British sun and lack of wind is one of those, which make me say "most of"

Harry...the man!harrytheman # Thursday, April 26, 2012 1:06:34 PM

Matthew Carpentermatthewcarpenter1010 # Thursday, April 26, 2012 1:39:13 PM

The British always have the ability to hang in there, no matter how bad the situation is; especially the weather. While it is true Harry and Mirelka I do not live in Britain, I have ancestral roots in the U.K. and in Northern Ireland. I do understand what you mean about the wether, currently we are expecting winds up to 50mph and then some rain (maybe) through the central part of our state.

MC

FlaRin # Thursday, April 26, 2012 7:35:13 PM

I remember the hurricane of '87 - that was useful - I got 2 days off work and the local Safeways (Sydenham, S.E. London) had to sell off their frozen foods at miniscule prices. I was well chuffed

Big storms (in european terms) are no big deal in NZ though and I got used to them over the years. Only once was I truly frightened (in 2011), when boulders half the size of my car (Subaru Forester) were dislodged by the storm & rolled down the hillside, across the road just in front of where I had stopped, unable to drive further...any one of which would have just knocked my car straight into the river without slowing down. *That* scared me. But it was all over in less than 15 minutes. Wild.

Harry...the man!harrytheman # Thursday, April 26, 2012 9:06:06 PM

Well that sums it up quite well. The British storms give you time off while storms everywhere else can be quite fatal.

The hurricane of '87 meant that I could leave school early as I had to catch a train. I lived in a place called Bosham at the time and a tree had been uprooted by the winds and was straddling across the whole road. The only way I could get past was to climb around the hole from which the tree had been uprooted. I ended up falling into the hole that the tree had vacated. That was an interesting climb back out

Matthew Carpentermatthewcarpenter1010 # Thursday, April 26, 2012 10:19:44 PM

Just take care, Harry and all. Please be safe with your weather and keep a radio, yes- a radio nearby. Just in case.

MC

Bad WolfCois # Sunday, April 29, 2012 1:15:51 PM

guess that makes me british for moaning so much eh... Though I find it to be rather terribly therapeutic dude. Well that's my opinion as life just feels better after a good moan heheh...

Mad Scientist (عادل)qlue # Sunday, April 29, 2012 2:33:28 PM

Of course it needs be noted that it was the British who coined the term, 'a storm in a teacup...'

Harry...the man!harrytheman # Sunday, April 29, 2012 2:42:55 PM

Thank you for appreciating the national passtime

Stephanieoriginalsteph # Monday, April 30, 2012 6:05:31 PM

For such a wacky weather tribute you all sound rather cheerful about it.

Storms are beautiful especially when you have nothing to loose in it .... including peace of mind.

Keep the cheer up, or the moan as it appears with much humor.

Stephanieoriginalsteph # Monday, April 30, 2012 6:06:00 PM

Originally posted by qlue:

Of course it needs be noted that it was the British who coined the term, 'a storm in a teacup...' .

Now I get it.

Matthew Carpentermatthewcarpenter1010 # Monday, April 30, 2012 6:08:34 PM

I am going to bring my rubbers so I won't get wet.

MC

FlaRin # Monday, April 30, 2012 9:06:46 PM

Originally posted by Stephanie:

you all sound rather cheerful

Well, storms are generally quite exciting, if they're potent enough to turn off the power and phones for a few hours - it's not totally unpleasant being a family and spending an evening together by candlelight, with no TV and only yourselves to think about

One of my dogs (now gone to doggie heaven) would always hide under the bed in a thunderstorm, much to the amusement of the Cats, who only came inside if the rain got too heavy

Matthew Carpentermatthewcarpenter1010 # Monday, April 30, 2012 11:22:00 PM

I understand FlaRin. My cat Cleo will want to go out when it rains, even if there is thunder and come back in the house looking at me like, " I know you did this. Now make it stop." But she will be soaking wet and very happy about the whole thing as well - go figure.

MC