Good morning, it’s a dull one again, it’s forecast to be dry but overcast and cold all day here, however this time next week I’ll be basking in the sun with temperatures in the 20s or 70s for you luddites. 😂

Yes I’m off on holiday again flying to Lanzarote on Friday for a week of sun and sea. The count down is on so this week will be all about making sure we’ve got everything, checking lists etc.

Have a great day everyone.

Ditto @Fan of Big Tone it's the same here in the mid shires. Not looking good for the week, with wind, rain and cold forecast.

You slink off and enjoy the sunshine in Lanzarote and don't forget your budgie smugglers 😀 🌞 Lanzarote is my favourite island in the canaries especially the Puerto del Carmen area and Costa Teguise. Been there numerous times and always had great weather, where abouts are you going to? Wherever you go, have a lovely time. 👍

@Michael D Pie. It’s Costa Teguise this time we’ve done Puerto del Carmen before but we find CT a little quieter. A bit like Mablethorpe compared to Skeggy. 😂

It was a snowy night here in Germ land, with about 7 cm of snow falling so I had to get the shovel out this morning. We've since reached the heady heights of 2 degrees.

Yesterday we bade Lenny a final farewell on an Anglo-Saxon-style funeral pyre in the garden. It worked very well. I like to think that he's now wandering the kitchen floors of Valhalla, but he'll probably just live on in my lungs.

We also have a successor, six-week-old Eddie (when a budgie dies, you replace them quickly to stop the others from pining for them). Mrs Sausage continued her habit of selecting the most gormless budgie possible, so no doubt we'll have lots of fun with him.

@Fan of Big Tone very nice, enjoy. There definitely is a sense of calm in Costa Teguise, that's why we like it so much. The sort of place there is no demand or temptation to do anything energetic. Nice beach and restaurants all within walking distance. Happy days ahead me thinks. 🌞🍻

All that shoveling will put muscles on your muscles @DangerousSausage

Lovely to hear Lenny had a good send off, he will certainly be walking the walk in valhalla, holding his head high with total pride i bet. Sounds like Eddie is going to be a star from day one, and will definitely fit in. What a lovely story, one for the archives me thinks. Long live Eddie.

Good morning, except it isn’t really very good here in fact we have torrential rain, it’s absolutely awful. At least it isn’t the snow that you’re getting in Germany @DangerousSausage . I hope your new budgie Eddy settles in and proves to be a suitable replacement for poor Lenny.

In other news our son now has two days to go before completing his charity bike ride across Cambodia, he’s got a very sore bum but it’s all worth it as he’s raised nearly £7,000 for a very good cause. He’s been to the killing fields of Cambodia where the Khmer Rouge executed a quarter of their own population, about 3 million people. He said it really upset him to see the place and hear first hand what happened to those poor people.

Here he is at a temple.

Good morning all. & yes @Fan of Big Tone it's very poor here weather wise too. We are having wind gusts & heavy rain. To make matters worse I've had to take the Car in for it's annual MOT & Service after booking it in last week.

Had to get a taxi back home due to the weather. I usually walk home from Town if the weather is decent but not today. Garage just rang to say it failed & it's going to cost to put it right.😞 AHH, when it rains it pours!!

36 minutes ago, Robbie said:

Garage just rang to say it failed & it's going to cost to put it right.😞 AHH, when it rains it pours!!

Oh no, that’s the last thing you want, I hope it’s not too costly.

Good evening all.

My car failed it's MOT unfortunately, with a couple of faults that need addressing, & there are a few advisories too. I've decided to get all the issues & advisories sorted & repaired, so the repairs will go into a 2nd day. I suppose it's better than having to buy a new car.

Good morning one and all on this lovely sunny but chilly start to the day. @Fan of Big Tone it's great to see your son doing so well, and raising so much for charity.

On 27/01/2026 at 08:56, Fan of Big Tone said:

He’s been to the killing fields of Cambodia where the Khmer Rouge executed a quarter of their own population, about 3 million people. He said it really upset him to see the place and hear first hand what happened to those poor people.

Can't even imagine how he felt seeing and hearing about the above. Turns my stomach and I haven't even been there. Tell him to keep on doing a great job.

@Robbie I really hope you sort the car, and it doesn't cost too much. Cars can be expensive though as we have had to have all break pads changed at over £200, but safety comes before cost as far as I'm concerned as Mrs P does most of the driving for work.

Hope you all have a good day.

Car sorted & MOT now passed for another year @Michael D Pie. Decided to get all the advisories done to so I'm pleased that the Car has passed for another year. Collected it this afternoon.

Glad to hear all went well @Robbie back on four wheels and not shank's pony. 👌

Morning all, this recent heavy rain has exposed the fact that we have a leak in the flat roof of our utility room, which came to light when we noticed that the glass light fitting has water in it. Better get that sorted soon, I expect roofing contractors will be busy lately but it’ll have to wait til we return from Lanzarote. Packing cases today.

@Robbie i hope the your wallet isn’t too depleted but at least you’ve got your car back on the road and as you say it’s cheaper than a new one.

Sorry to read about the problem with your flat roof @Fan of Big Tone

We had a leaking flat roof at the front of our property, which is over our front porch several years ago

The builder advised we replace it with a tiled roof which looks quite attractive now. Flat roofs have a shorter life, so we thought a tiled roof over that section would be more cost effective.

Regarding our car I've just looked at it as an investment to avoid having to buy a new car for a few years. Since retiring my car milage has reduced substantially to what it used to be.

Our son has completed his 650 km ride across Cambodia raising £7,000 for charity. He received a hero’s welcome from the local kids on finishing the gruelling trip. So proud.

Just a further to your flat roof problem @Fan of Big Tone when we had our problem with our flat roof leaking they wouldn't touch it because it was quite old. I believe it's over 10 years. That another reason why we opted for a tiled sloping roof.

Can't you get an electrician to disconnect and secure your light?

2 hours ago, Robbie said:

Just a further to your flat roof problem @Fan of Big Tone when we had our problem with our flat roof leaking they wouldn't touch it because it was quite old. I believe it's over 10 years. That another reason why we opted for a tiled sloping roof.

Can't you get an electrician to disconnect and secure your light?

I can’t get anyone at the moment we are flying to Lanzarote tomorrow but I can isolate the utility room until we get back so it should be ok.

5 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

Our son has completed his 650 km ride across Cambodia raising £7,000 for charity. He received a hero’s welcome from the local kids on finishing the gruelling trip. So proud.

What a fantastic achievement, big congratulations to your son @Fan of Big Tone and it was nice that the local children cheered him home, no wonder you are so proud.

Isolate and forget @Fan of Big Tone go enjoy the break all will still be there on your return. 🥳😎

6 hours ago, Robbie said:

Regarding our car I've just looked at it as an investment to avoid having to buy a new car for a few years. Since retiring my car milage has reduced substantially to what it used to be.

@Robbie your vehicle is more of an investment these days, second only to buying a house. The fact you have retired and do less milage vindicates the investment status. A bus pass also gives you another option for travel with no pressure on you driving and no milage added to the car, happy days 😀

I'm thinking about getting a bus pass @Michael D Pie. Even if I don't use it a lot it's still worth having. Sometimes we use the local taxi service when the car has been off the road at times.

I was surprised I'd done less than a 1000 miles this year. Even so, it still worth keeping the car on the road. One never knows when one will need it.

I was due to be at Fleetwood to see #Notts play on Saturday but was admitted to A&E at 2300h Friday night. 13 1/2 hours later, finally discharged. Never take tomorrow for granted

Sounds like you had a scare @Piethagoram, hope you're doing OK now.