Stormy Weather II

[BBMmk2]

Going to be a high of 18C today, with a chance of showers! I think we are supposed to be getting a heatwave soon, but not too sure on the temperatures. However, be that as it may, we are moaning about the current unseasonal weather (jetstream, behaving unnaturally, due to climate change) but when the proposed heatwave comes, I for sure be moaning about that!

[LMcD]

Going to be a high of 18C today, with a chance of showers! I think we are supposed to be getting a heatwave soon, but not too sure on the temperatures. However, be that as it may, we are moaning about the current unseasonal weather (jetstream, behaving unnaturally, due to climate change) but when the proposed heatwave comes, I for sure be moaning about that!

Nothing higher than 24C forecast for us in the next fortnight, I'm pleased to say!

[Serial_Apologist]

Nothing higher than 24C forecast for us in the next fortnight, I'm pleased to say!

Same here! I don't know where BBM is getting his prospective heatwave from.

I've just noticed that the Solent/Isle of Wight area has experienced a huge downpour this morning (3" + rainfall). Wasn't expecting that, tbh.

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I spent the whole afternoon yesterday unsuccessfully attempting to replace the rear tyre on my bike. Each time took half an hour to squeeze the tyre into the wheel rim - halfway round the first part would come out and have to be re-inserted - and, once done, no air would go into the tube. That amounted to 3 brand new inner tubes ruined, for no apparent reason: I was almost a nervous wreck by bedtime! I've just wheeled the bike up to my nearest dealer, who admitted these new tyres are difficult to put on: why is my question? Tried everything from talc to reduce frottage and an extra nut to reinforce the base of the valve. It used only to take 20 minutes at the outside. The real risk is of a puncture miles from anywhere and then having to walk all the way home. Anyway, he's going to fix it (he says) and the charge will be £15, in total I presume - can't really complain: my bike has become an essential accessory for as long as I can remember, and has served me well during the pandemic.

[LMcD]

Same here! I don't know where BBM is getting his prospective heatwave from.

I've just noticed that the Solent/Isle of Wight area has experienced a huge downpour this morning (3" + rainfall). Wasn't expecting that, tbh.

I don't know ... if it isn't the Spanish Inquisition, it's a downpour ....

[Padraig]

I don't know ... if it isn't the Spanish Inquisition, it's a downpour ....

Who can tell?

A Wet August

Nine drops of water bead the jessamine,
And nine-and-ninety smear the stones and tiles:
- 'Twas not so in that August - full-rayed, fine -
When we lived out-of-doors, sang songs, strode miles.

Or was there then no noted radiancy
Of summer? Were dun clouds, a dribbling bough,
Gilt over by the light I bore in me,
And was the waste world just the same as now?

It can have been so: yea, that threatenings
Of coming down-drip on the sunless gray,
By the then golden chances seen in things
Were wrought more bright than brightest skies today.

Thomas Hardy 1920

[LMcD]

Who can tell?

A Wet August

Nine drops of water bead the jessamine,
And nine-and-ninety smear the stones and tiles:
- 'Twas not so in that August - full-rayed, fine -
When we lived out-of-doors, sang songs, strode miles.

Or was there then no noted radiancy
Of summer? Were dun clouds, a dribbling bough,
Gilt over by the light I bore in me,
And was the waste world just the same as now?

It can have been so: yea, that threatenings
Of coming down-drip on the sunless gray,
By the then golden chances seen in things
Were wrought more bright than brightest skies today.

Thomas Hardy 1920

Many thanks for this reminder of what a fine poet Hardy was.

[BBMmk2]

Nothing higher than 24C forecast for us in the next fortnight, I'm pleased to say!

Thank goodness! Going to be ok today, with perhaps a few showers.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Same here! I don't know where BBM is getting his prospective heatwave from.

I've just noticed that the Solent/Isle of Wight area has experienced a huge downpour this morning (3" + rainfall). Wasn't expecting that, tbh.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I spent the whole afternoon yesterday unsuccessfully attempting to replace the rear tyre on my bike. Each time took half an hour to squeeze the tyre into the wheel rim - halfway round the first part would come out and have to be re-inserted - and, once done, no air would go into the tube. That amounted to 3 brand new inner tubes ruined, for no apparent reason: I was almost a nervous wreck by bedtime! I've just wheeled the bike up to my nearest dealer, who admitted these new tyres are difficult to put on: why is my question? Tried everything from talc to reduce frottage and an extra nut to reinforce the base of the valve. It used only to take 20 minutes at the outside. The real risk is of a puncture miles from anywhere and then having to walk all the way home. Anyway, he's going to fix it (he says) and the charge will be £15, in total I presume - can't really complain: my bike has become an essential accessory for as long as I can remember, and has served me well during the pandemic.

I've been there, as the bike maintainer of the family.... The rear wheel proved my Waterloo. Its the worst - and worth getting right for the time involved - I thought, and using a tyre with really effective anti-puncture protection. It turned into a bit of a saga.

My father had showed me how to get the tyre wires over by working them into into the central "well" of the rim where magically, pressure from thumbs would get that last bit up and over. But that was long, long ago and his experience was as a young man out of school even earlier so late 1930's - presumably Rims are a different beast now?

In my case using the short webbing straps as in this invaluable YTube did the (same) trick! And next I discovered I was using too "fat" an inner tube which was part of the reason for not getting the inner tube seated and out of the way of the tyre wire snapping over the rim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4&list=PLga96pEu02EUFAJfzGYh6wP_W0apqQAin&index=6

I don’t want to bore you - I can add other “pearls of wisdom” from my hard won experience, if you’re interested – if there’s any prospect you’ll want to change a tyre again, yourself………

CS

[Serial_Apologist]

Many thanks for this reminder of what a fine poet Hardy was.

A Hardy perennial indeed!

Just keeping my fingers crossed that it will remain dry for the next couple of hours: I have some shopping to do up in Brixton and have decided to make the trip part of a 10 mile round journey on my recovered bike, taking in some of our local "beauty spots", such as Streatham Common. Some cumulus convection is taking place, but whether or not this betokens the showers predicted on this morning's forecast remains to be seen! It's nice and warm, and should reach 21 or 22 C this afternoon, with light winds.

Oh yes, Cockney Sparrow, changing inner tubes has become even more tyresome than it was before, over the past few years!

[BBMmk2]

I think today’s weather, maybe a good one. We have some showers.

[Joseph K]

Another fine day here, much like yesterday.

[Serial_Apologist]

Another fine day here, much like yesterday.

Here as well. I think we could be in for one or two showers as the afternoon progresses, having missed the ones which were in the vicinity yesterday.

The weekend looks pretty grim, it has to be said, but I am holding out some hope for next week - the first half, at least.

[Joseph K]

Raining fairly heavily now, but managed to get a walk in prior to it. It's feeling a bit autumnal.

[Serial_Apologist]

Raining fairly heavily now, but managed to get a walk in prior to it. It's feeling a bit autumnal.

Yes I should get out, before it reaches us!

[Petrushka]

Raining fairly heavily now, but managed to get a walk in prior to it. It's feeling a bit autumnal.

Ditto to all of that. It's also very windy here.