squiggle, that's a relief - we were getting worried for your well being - teabag deprivation syndrome is a serious condition and can lead to symptoms such as drinking from empty cups and the handles flying off said cups (which is where the phrase fly off the handle comes from).

Good morning everyone. It is still raining up here and quite windy, too.
Squiggle, I'm glad you'll be able to have a cuppa today.

Good morning everyone as well (and for Yogi Na-Nu-Na-Nu )

At present, the rain has stopped and there is some blue sky - looks better than the soggy mess that was yesterday

 Na-Nu Na-Nu to you too, El Loro.

I noticed Skylark hasn't signed in since the 18th. I hope everything is okay and she has just been to busy to pop in.

Morning everyone, we are promised sunshine today, hope that's true

Morning everyone.    It's another dark, dismal, wet day here.  Looks like the heating will be going on early again today!!  Hate to think what it will cost when I need to fill the oil tank before Christmas.

Glad the teabag situation got sorted Squiggle.  Like you Yogi I hope that Skylark is okay and just a little too busy to visit us.   < for Skylark.

I'm pleased to hear you have some reasonable weather at the moment El Loro.  Please could you send some of it this way.

Hope to catch up with you all later.   

The others will be wondering what we are on about - it's that thread about alien abductions.


I had also noticed Skylark's absence. Skylark and I had been having a PM during the previous couple of days on a private matter relating to a friend of hers but I have no reason to think that that is connected with her absence. I have now sent her a PM asking after her

I've just sent you some reasonable way using the same technique that I sent teabags to squiggle yesterday, so hopefully you may get some. It was quite difficult pursuading the blue sky into my router though.

Afternoon everyone.    Well the sun did arrive El Loro.  It's been quite pleasant for the last few hours but it's clouding over again now.  The forecast says it will be a reasonable day tomorrow and will be somewhat milder than on late, which will be most welcome. 

Hang on whilst I open my window.

Right, I've got some blue sky coming in now.

I've just pressed my transmit button, so it's on it's way to you now.


Errors and omissions excepted. These include broadband connection problems, George W Bush and Acts of God.

I also cannot accept any responsibility should the sun be transmitted to you at the same time resulting in a plasma explosion disintegrating this planet in 8 minutes and 19 seconds time.

As the world may be about to be disintegrated in the next few seconds I thought I'd just pop in to say I love you all and see you on the other side of the pearly gates.

Well, the 8 minutes and 19 seconds have elapsed and we are still here, so it looks as if we are safe for the time being. That's a relief.

EL lots of blue sky just arrived!  Did you remember to change your setting to transmit to Joyron?  Mind I'm not complaining?  Those tea bags were good value btw.

I thought I had, but I'm a bit reluctant to try again as we were lucky this time that the world didn't disintegrate, and it could be tempting fate if I tried again.

I'm very pleased with the amount of sunshine I got.  Didn't expect any this morning so all that arrived was a bonus.  Thank you El Loro. 

Signing out for tonight.  Will catch up with you all again tomorrow. 

As you may know I have been known to do people's tax returns etc, and I subscribe to various acountancy forums. For most of the time they would be of no interest to non-accountants, but sometimes they can have their lighter moments. So for instance, today someone had queried whether they could claim tax relief against their own business for putting their dogs in kennels.

To get tax relief against business profits, expenses have to be "wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the trade". If there is mixed use of business and personal, the business element can be claimed if it can be reasonably be identified. For instance car expenses can be apportioned by reference to the business mileage to total mileage.

That's just the background to a reply I posted which might amuse you.

An ex-client of mine once seriosuly asked me if he could claim the cost of taxidermy for a fish he had caught whilst in the States. He had brought back the fish and had put it where I could see it on the wall of his living room.

He had not been in the States on business. Neither his name or his business name had any possible fish connection. And his business - well he was at the time a dairyman delivering milk (no fish ever supplied) to the locals, and I don't think there was the slightest likelyhood of the fish being attached to his float as a mascot.

It was near impossible for me not to burst into laughter as I attempted to explain the concepts of wholly and exclusively.

Good morning everyone.
It is still dark outside but it appears to be dry and less windy today.

El Loro, I don't know how you managed to keep a straight face, when dealing with stuffed fish man.

Good morning everyone

It looks as if we had rain over night, and it is cloudier than yesterday. So I can't promise to be able to send you any blue sky today.

Yogi, I failed to keep a straight face - it was hard enough to stop myself laughing out loud.

Good morning everyone, very grey here today.  I liked the story of the stuffed fish man EL, the guy was certainly a trier

Afternoon everyone.    It's grey and miserable here too.  Had a busy morning sorting out the finances.  The credit card bit is not a pretty sight, but I was expecting it so I cannot complain. 

Afternoon as well

Although it's still very cloudy, it is a bit brighter in the distance - white cloud rather than grey cloud.

Good afternoon everyone. It's raining again and the sky is very grey and depressing.
I'm waiting for a plumber to arrive - we have a problem with the main tank in the loft and the water keeps going off. Hopefully, it will be sorted today.

Good late afternoon

A slightly unusual sky at present. There is quite a lot of cloud, and pastel blue sky because of the sunset. The sinking sun is obscured by cloud, but at about 40 degrees from horizontal is a line of cloud going in a fairly striaght horizontal line across the sky as viewed from my window - but what makes this unusual is that it's not white or grey - it is pastel pink

Yogi, I hope your water gets sorted out fast - a lot more serious than squiggle's tea bags crisis.

Good news! The plumbing issue has been resolved.
Fortunately, the plumber is a friend of my dad's, so it didn't break the bank either.

Good morning to you all

At present it is so dark outside that I have to guess that it is very cloudy, but I don't think it's raining and it doesn't seem to be windy (someone has got a small wind turbine which I can see from my window0.

Yogi, I'm glad your plumber has sorted out the water problems.

Good morning everyone. 
Weather is wet and miserable again. I have a horrible feeling that I may be using that phrase a lot, in the coming months.
I have to do the weekly grocery shopping this morning, but I'll be back in the afternoon. See you later.

I can confirm, now that it's lighter, that it is indeed cloudy, but at least it's dryish. Yogi, can't you get your plumber round again  - I reckon your sky has sprung a leak and he may be able to fix it.


When I opened my curtains this morning I noticed that my neighbour had the light on in by the interior back seats, and thought she could have a bit of a problem as it would have been on all night. A short time later there was a knock on my door and it was my neighbour. Her battery was flat - could I help? I have a set of jump leads, not that I've ever needed to use them. The only problem was that she had no idea as to how to open the bonnet and didn't know where the car manual was. I checked to see if there was a lever as in my vehicle, but there wasn't. Her husband deals with the cars and any mechanical and is away until later on today.

She said she would bus to work, but as I knew that there was no direct route between house and work, I gave her a lift, so she just got to work on time. She said that she would get her husband to show her some basic things like how to open the bonnet. She needs to as her husband in in the navy and from time to time is away for months. And they are looking to move as their house (is smaller than mine and is intended as a starter home rather than for 2 adults + 2 children. And she doesn't want to be reliant on others.

Morning everyone, Yogi glad you got your plumbing sorted out, as they say its not what you know but who you know, I hate anything to do with water leaks.  EL well done on being a good neighbour, your good deed for the day Fancy not knowing how to get your bonnet open

And a few minutes ago I heard someone trying to start the engine on my neighbour's car. When I saw that it was her older daughter (can't be more than 10), I dashed out and got her to stop trying. I knew there was no chance of being able to start, but apart from possibly damaging the battery or flooding the engine, what would she have done if she had somehow been able to start

Just to let you know that I've heard from Skylark - she's fine - she's been tied up as some friends are staying with her. She hopes to pop in tonight and says she misses us all.

 If only it were that easy, El Loro.

You really have been the proverbial good neighbour today. I hope your neighbour appreciates how lucky she is to have you living nearby.
Hi Squiggle, I hope you are well.

Afternoon everyone.    Sorry I've not been in sooner but my days seem to have been very busy this week.  It doesn't seem possible that I've been back from the cruise one week already.

It's dull and gloomy here too, although we have not had any rain.  I read in our local paper today that we should be ready for some heavy snowfall towards the end of November!!  Don't want that at all.

Glad to hear the plumbing problem has been sorted out Yogi.  Also pleased to hear that Skylark is okay and has been busy in RL.  Look forward to hearing from here when she has the time.  Squiggle, I hope you are looking after yourself, and coping okay having your grandson and his girlfriend living with you.  El Loro you certainly seem to have been doing your share of good deeds today.

Will try and get back later but I'm not sure what time hubby is coming home.  Have a busy weekend coming up so I may not be about much until next week, but will try and drop in when I can. 

Afternoon Joyron . According to the Met Office website the forecast for the latter half of November is:
The first part of the period is expected to remain mostly unsettled, with often blustery showers or longer spells of rain, and with only a few dry, bright or sunny interludes. Temperatures should initially be a little above the normal, especially in the south. However, it should soon become somewhat drier such that some parts of the UK may later see below average rainfall, and also with temperatures reverting to closer to the average.
That is for the country as a whole, but that doesn't sound that they are expecting snow in your part of the country

When my neighbour's husband returned home, I lent him my jumpleads. I had a word with him about his step-daughter had tried to do re starting the car because I felt this was far too serious to say nothing, and I know that he will have a quiet word with her. If I had told the mother when she got home, she has such a short fuse and would have torn strips off her daughter that I thought it better to tell him.

Hi all xxx My goodness i have some reading to do to catch up   i havent had the time to get on here, my friends had a leak in their home which caused a lot of damage, so we put them up. Its been like a camp site here and very hectic! The boys shared my sons room with sleeping bags so as the comp is in his room i couldnt get on. They have gone home but the house is still in a mess, its been a terrible shame for them. Anyway its nice to have the house to myself! Going to have a read to catch up....thanks for your concerns

Seems we have all had water concerns  Very strange !  Glad you had good holiday Joyron...cuddles for squiggle...thanks to Yogi and El for nice PM,s    Blowing a gale here and a huge wheelie bin has just blown down the road

Good to have you back with us, Skylark. 
It has been bucketing down tonight and it's pretty windy too, but no wheelie bins flying down the road, so far.

Hi Yogi    Nice to get some time to myself....its very windy here but i am near the sea so it doesnt help

Off to lie in the bath...bliss

Good morning everyone

So far the weather looks reasonable -50% cloud cover and dry.

Good morning everyone.
Weather up here is very similar to yours, El Loro. As long as the rain stays off, I'll be happy.