Not much to write about today and if you are reading this it means you've survived the start of storm Eunice, which is supposed to be worst in the South West of England and Wales.
Yesterday I moved a few things into the shed just in case but this bungalow feels quite sheltered with houses each side and behind. Before I went to bed last night I will have put the torch handy and filled up a flask with boiling water and remembered where I'd put the re-chargable lantern and wind-up radio. That's about as much as I can do. If the electric and heating fails for any length of time I shall have to venture 3 miles to Brother-in-Law's house for keeping warm by his wood burner!
The Winter Olympics have nearly finished. It's been interesting to watch - first with fake snow, then too much real snow with temperatures of minus 20C.
There's been controversy as there always is - made worse by Covid tests and tales of drug test fails, but you have to admire the bravery of people who leap off jumps on skis or boards, twist round in the air upside down and manage to land without breaking any bones.
I've preferred the Curling - the tactics are clever and no one gets hurt doing it!
I wonder if anyone got up early to watch it all live? - with Beijing 8 hours ahead, the TV coverage here has started at midnight. I'm not that keen and 8am seems a better time to get up, that's about the time any sun appears through any gap I've left in the curtains.
As I write this on Thursday afternoon the men's team have been assured of at least a Silver Medal in the curling but otherwise no other medals - I expect that will cause much discussion, but without building ice-rinks and ski slopes and persuading the weather gods to send us more snow every year, I can't really see how more people will get the skills without funding to live and train abroad. After all, we're not really a winter sports country.
One TV programme this week made for horrible viewing - it was all about the treatment of cows in one of the huge milk producing "factories" - no longer should they be called farms. We need to be paying the proper price for milk so all farmers can produce it without the cows suffering.
Last February I was living among boxes waiting to move and got into watching the crime dramas from various countries that are shown on the 4 catch-up channel thanks to 'Walter Presents'. I thought I'd seen all of the ones that weren't too weird.......... I don't do psychological thrillers in books or TV. But last week on a very rainy afternoon I found a new one called The Team, in which the police of various European counties work together to solve crimes committed across borders. Very similar to Crossing Lines which I found at this time last year.
I shall schedule this to publish at 6am as usual and hope there is electric for the wifi connection!
Stay safe
Weather permitting I'll be back tomorrow
Sue
There has been an outcry against cruelty in these factory farms for cows, hopefully it will be dealt with. I had a period when I watched 'Scandi' and everything else in the crime drama. But they were so grey and miserable I've given up. Also watching television as well, even though a new Tv was brought a couple of weeks ago - too much choice!
ReplyDeleteFebruary is a month when watching TV seems to be the thing I do - waiting for spring
DeleteYou're here, I'm here, there's power. I made preparations too although my big torch has no batteries (they're on the list) - flasks were filled last night and they have been refilled this morning. I have plenty of fleeces, candles (I'll be careful) and some little battery lights, everything is fully charged that can be charged and after all that we probably won't lose power at all!! Better safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so bad right now but I gather it is well on the way.
Stay safe. xx
1 o clock and still have power although damage in the garden. Drat!
DeleteI notice that the BBC has just started a live feed covering the effects of Storm Eunice in East Anglia (and presumably each of the other regions) and that the Orwell Bridge is closed. We were hoping to go into Norwich tonight for the "Love Light Event" but that's been cancelled... I totally agree about the shameful conditions in which many cows are kept. Free range milk is as important as free range eggs.
ReplyDeleteBest to stay in. Milk has been much the same price at supermarkets.Needs to stop being a loss leader
DeleteWe have mainly watched the curling but only bits of it. Some downhill and some snowboard. Not really peaked out interest too much this time.
ReplyDeleteJust have ladies curling on - aiming to get into final - tense!
DeleteI agree with you, our food is all much to cheap. We should ensure farmers get paid enough to cover the cost of the animals welfare as well as all the production cost. The big supermarkets have for too long inflicted lower cost prices, farmers squeeze their livelihood, things are so tight for producers on traditional farms.
ReplyDeleteI remember when every village had a dairy farm - days long gone - sadly
DeleteThe trouble with programmes like the one about the dreadful factory "farming" is that the public thinks this shows how all dairy farming is carried out. WRONG. Let's hope that shaming this sort of "farming" has a positive effect on animal welfare in them.
ReplyDeleteI've got a giant thermos of boiling water (thanks Sue, hadn't thought of that!), a lifetime's supply of candles, good torches, and plenty of quilts and blankets. Cooking might be problematic if without power too long though as I'm not sure where the camping cookers are . . .
Very windy here, but nothing like as bad as on the coast.
It seemed to be filmed on just one farm in Wales. Horrible to see.
DeleteLove your books...I enjoy mysteries. I am still reading Kindle/app for Netgalley...hundreds a year free...and daughter who gets hundreds in print loans me hers...enjoy your churches...you have a great blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you Brenda
DeleteI did check that I knew where my matches were and that some unused nightlights were handy (I have a habit of leaving burnt out ones in the glass pots) just in case.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the Panorama episode but I have heard lots about it. Unfortunately cruelty goes on in many farms at various levels, and in any case with the population at the size it is now if people want to continue to use cows milk in their cooking and drinks etc cows will always suffer.
Cows have a life expectancy of 15-20 years unless they are forced to produce a calf every year to keep them in milk then it drops to less than 5. Once you know this and that cows milk is designed to feed their own calves not humans, you know the cruelty and death rates involved in the whole industry you have to protect yourself from the programmes that show the problem ... but pray that it makes people that do watch it look into how their milk is produced.
Yes we all need to know the true cost of what we eat and drink
ReplyDeleteWe do, sorry to rant!!
DeleteThis is no way to produce our milk. The suppression of milk prices by supermarkets is a major factor why small dairy farms are continuing to disappear to be replaced by large industrial units. One sad side-effect of the revelations at that Welsh farm is that they are no longer Farm Assured and have lost their milk supply contract. Unless the cows are sold off very quickly they are for the chop. Any milk they produce in the meantime will go down the drain.
ReplyDeleteI hope you've got through the storm okay. I agree about the milk. It is so cheap for what it is
ReplyDeleteI love the Winter Olympics and have enjoyed watching them. It does seem the athletes have had more issues to deal with this time between travel problems, covid, and the many strict regulations. It was a bit sad to see some parts of the figure skating last night. Many of those girls are so young and under extreme pressure.
ReplyDeleteI hope the storm was not too bad last night and your power did not go out!
It's been great having the Olympics on this month. Have only been dipping in and out, but was delighted for the our ladies' curling team success today too. At least we have got two silver medals guaranteed. Even better if it's gold. Fingers crossed! Arilx
ReplyDeleteFarming has changed drastically over the years. Everything is being mass produced and this serves for profit only. I'd rather pay more and get a quality product. Chickens, like cows are not always treated humanely and this is a huge problem. Currently, in the US, chicken flu is a problem in some states and owners are having to destroy their flocks. I hope you did not see much damage from the storm.
ReplyDeleteThe storm is over, I think, and though it was a rough ride, I hope you lost no services. The one time we had a winter storm power outage, it was for three days. We survived with the woodburner and the camping coffee pot.
ReplyDeleteHope you rode out the storm comfortably.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I haven't watched any of the Olympics. I did hear that they cancelled something due to bad - snow weather lol. I found that quite funny.
ReplyDeleteWe don't watch a lot of what is on actual television here in the US. There seems to be too much 'reality' television which is just not my cup-of-tea. As I sit here typing I am watching repeats of Vera. It always makes me smile.
My family all loves the Olympics so we are always texting each other as we watch, commenting on athletes or costumes. There was quite a lot to say on Thursday!
ReplyDeleteI have not thought much about cows but have noticed that eggs have risen in price dramatically and I read recently that soon only cage-free eggs will be available and the price of a dozen will double. I have been baking more since the pandemic began and I seem to buy eggs much more often than before. I used to have to send myself reminders to use the eggs before they expired or would dubiously try the trick of trying to make them float to see if they could still be used...