Good Morning Thursday 8th January 2026

Good morning from a damp Bristol. It’s not so cold but will be very disagreeable wet today, especially in th3 afternoon when I’m taking a bus to DD’s. I have a good 10 minute walk each and shall get thoroughly wet.
Tai chi hasn’t started yet, so I have an empty. I’ll go back to making DGS’s quilt. He doesn’t know it’s coming so it’ll be a surprise.
FAB cafe was very well attended yesterday, 23 including 3 newbies. AgeUK is running a tai-chi class in another room, I have asked the leader to encourage his pupils to come to us for a cuppa afterwards. It seems to be working.
We had heating for the first time. The vicar set up the hot air thingy we have been using for services. My goodness, although not tropical, it made such a difference.
Prayers and good wishes winging to all, especially the strugglers - olddudders, fgt, md, kitty…
Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩🦩

Good morning Mick and all who follow from a dry and dark north Wales coast after my foray to the south which was delightful (apart from delayed 🚂 there and back😡).

Still, the scenery along the way made up for it…from winter ❄️ wonderlands to lush rolling hills and I enjoyed a birdseye view into people’s homes as they set about their days…🤗

A recommendation from me to see Song Sung Blue with the magnificent Hugh Jackman and the surprising (to me) Kate Hudson, who knew she could sing!🤷‍♀️

Now to the poorlies - far too many to mention individually in case I miss one but I do hope all inpatients are released soon, those on treatments are relieved and everyone else is on the mend 💐.

A trot to see Dad this morning who is worried that he hasn’t seen me for 5 days because I went ‘away’ to Swansea- this from the man who swans off to Goa at the drop of a hat…🤦‍♀️

Good morning from Lancashire. Cold and dry here at the moment but don't know how long that will last. Heading off to the charity shops this morning, hoping for bargains. People will have donated 'unwanted' Christmas presents so it's surprising what you come across at this time of year.

Good morning from s somerset, very wet and dreary today

Boy were my glutes stiff yesterday, after several hours of getting up and down from the floor. I never appreciated them doing so much work. Nice to know they are still alive

Loads of knitting done yesterday, sleeve-less is finished and looks gorgeous, even before blocking. My newly spun yarn is knitting up very fast and I shall soon have a new soft warm jumper to wear this winter. My skirt still needs finishing, waistband, buttonholes and hem. I have to get my arris into gear, that skirt will be so useful this winter

If I can just get the waistband done today, little steps will get the skirt finished by sunday. Sewing mojo has vanished

I slept very well last night and would like to repeat that tonight. Simple basic foods for me today and I am soaking a very special broth mix for a pottage type soup. Simple food, and simple knitting for me today and some candles to make up for a very grey day and I think I will unearth my audible books

Have a good day

Good morning from Kent, with rain forecast today.
Yesterday I watched a programme about the October 1987 storm which affected the south east of England. Sevenoaks lost six of its seven oak trees. I had actually slept through that storm and remember waking up and being surprised by no electricity and a tree down just outside my flat.
Today I am going to go through some vintage knitting patterns to find a jumper I like then I will search to find an appropriate yarn.
Have a good day all.

I remember the storm of ‘87 well. We lived in Basingstoke at the time. We all slept through it, the children woke us up in a state of great excitement as there was no power. We had none for a week; the children thought it was wonderful as they had no school and only had to wash rather than bathe/shower daily!
A friend who had a gas cooker (ours was electric) lent us their camping gas double burner. We used it for our 10th wedding anniversary dinner with two other couples.

I also persuaded the children that Sevenoaks had to change its name to “Oneoak”! 😆

Good morning all from Glasgow, where it is -2°C and foggy.

I have nothing much to report. My life is quite boring at the moment. I am deliberately staying away from the Parish, for I am not well enough to do much.
However, that doesn't stop people involving me through WhatsApp. I am dealing with a delicate situation at the moment, which is concerning me. Tackety boots need avoided at all cost.

Today, we have Babydoll and I am trying to persuade DH to go to the garden centre, where we can have a coffee and she can see the fish.
However, he has become obsessed with the weather and is worried about it snowing. Its odd, he used to drive to work in blizzards, without batting an eyelid.!
I'm worried about him. He has hardly left home since Christmas, only going to Mass and taking me to the Doctor's. His excuse is that it is too cold for me to go out, so I just go out on my own.

I was pleased to read that OLD sought medical advice and received treatment. Get well soon.

Best wishes for all our mountaineers and also their carers, for whom life is also difficult.
Have a pleasant day folks and stay safe.

Good morning from S E Essex where it’s currently 2°

I am having an at home day today, I need to go through the freezer in the kitchen. Then I need to attack the ironing pile which is rather large, including all the Christmas bedding 🙀

Thinking of our poorly morning friends 🙋‍♀️

MaryDoll sending you a (((hug))) your melancholy isn’t evident in your post 😘

Morning all from West Oxfordshire. There doesn’t seem to be a frost but I think snow is forecast later.

I too remember that storm! We were lucky but our neighbours lost their porch and another the roof!

I started a course of antibiotics yesterday for my toe. I’ve also been having a hot and salty foot bath.

It is the U3A Christmas do at lunchtime. I’m confident I’ll get there.

Have a good day.

FGT2S 🌹

Good morning, wet and cold here with goodness knows what forecast for later.
I enjoyed my zoom art session yesterday evening, lots of chatting and painting. I’ll do more to it today.
Yesterday was humdrum but pleasant, more to come today.
Thinking of the poorly on here, I hope things go well today 🌹

Good morning everyone from mid Essex. It’s 2 degrees and dry out. Yesterday was slightly less cold, but the wind was chilly. Who knows what today’s weather will be like! I walked over to the village hall and joined the seated yoga class, only eight of us there. I hope that my back will allow me to continue with the classes, it’s good to get together with other people! I may go for a walk today, and have a food delivery this afternoon to look forward to.

I hope your toe feels better today llfl, and that you enjoy the U3A function.

marydoll I hope you can persuade your DH to take you and babydoll to the garden centre.
Best wishes to all those who are struggling, I hope the day brings some relief for you..
Have the best day possible everyone, batten down the hatches in anticipation of the stormy weather to come in the South.

Good morning from N. Bucks. I haven’t looked outside yet but we have a yellow warning for snow this afternoon.
We are very pleased with the new cabinet in the hall. We are now culling the contents that were in the old one. Oh my, what a lot of bits and pieces had accumulated.
Cake to make this morning ready for Sewing group. A group project has been organised by two of the members so that will be interesting. Hopefully the weather will allow me to get there.
Thoughts with all who are poorly or troubled and a good day wished for everyone.

Good morning from Malta where winter has arrived I think! It is to be a wet day with thunder and a high of 13°C. It’s currently 9°C so feels a bit chilly with no heating.

I slept until 8 (we’re an hour ahead of you) which is great in one way but I feel I’m starting the day too late! You can’t win!😄

Pantglas glad you enjoyed your few days away. Thanks for my first smile of the day re your dad!😂

My plans to go out yesterday were scotched as it absolutely sheeted down complete with black clouds and some thunder.
I decided all the things I had planned to do could wait as it wasn’t worth driving through the deluge and risking a soaking.

Today looks like a similar sort of day so I may be confined to barracks again. Not that I mind, I much prefer to be at home these days. I got a lot of laundry done yesterday and changed the bed which is the job I loathe above all others even though I love getting into clean sheets!

Hoping kitty is home and recovering from her surgery. Also that the antibiotics are doing their job on olddudders. Get well soon to all poorlies, Marydoll take care.🙏🏻

Have a good day all, now where is madeleine? I like to read her post whilst I drink my tea.😊

Good morning, Michael and all GNs from South Yorkshire where it is currently 0 degrees and still dark. I slept badly last night. Terrible tinnitus and cramp intermittently in my feet.

A decent session at writers group yesterday. It’s good to be back in a routine of activities though I shalln’t be walking this morning as I am not sure what the conditions will be like, either on the roads or in the woods, and it is forecast to snow at some point today though the jury is out as usual as to whether it will be midday or evening. I’m disappointed as I haven’t seen DD and her family since New Year’s Day and I’ve missed them. I usually have lunch with her on Thursday.

So…. a day indoors. Bathroom and kitchen to clean and the fridge to sort out. After that, we’ll see.

Have the best day you can folks.

Good morning from a milder Torbay.

Thank you very much for all the kind comments about olddudders. I’m pleased to report that he is a great deal better this morning and appeared with TIB for the first time in over a week! We were grateful to the staff at the MIU at Newton Abbot for their prompt attention and care. The steroids and antibiotic are working their magic!

Thinking of those with more serious ailments or worries of any kind. 🦩🥰🦩💐🦩

Good morning from Shropshire.Dry at the moment but a weather warning in place for this evening.

We have tickets for Miss Saigon in Llandudno this afternoon.We will check the weather forecast before we make our final decision about whether to go.When we checked last night it looked like we would be home before the storm but will check again this morning.

My thoughts to all unwell and to our mountaineers.

Wishing everyone the best day possible🦩🌻

Morning Mick, morning All from a dry, less cold corner of Somerset. Heavy rain due from late morning perhaps turning to snow overnight.

Batch cooking and soup making seemed to take up the whole morning yesterday. Snail pace a speciality here. Admin filled the afternoon. The new computer is taking some getting used to.

We must venture forth after lunch as I am due an injection into my shoulder which I truly hope will mean less discomfort. Worth a try. We’ll allow plenty of time, a mix of country roads with a tendency to collect water and a major road with no less than three sets of road works.

Hope kitty made it home yesterday. A hug for maryd and everyone finding life tough.

Best wishes to everyone and a hope Thursday will be kind to us all

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently -2° and frosty. Bellasnana I enjoy thunder and lightning but not torrential rain! Marydoll fingers crossed that you get out to the garden centre.
Yesterday I intended having a quiet day but I ended up getting lots done which pleased me. I did a Tesco shop which was delivered last night. I had ordered a bottle of green ginger wine which arrived with the security still attached. The delivery man tried to remove it then finally asked if I had scissors to cut through the webbing. As soon as he started to cut, the most awful sound began! He did remove the bottle from the packaging but we could not get that noise to stop. Even standing on it didn't stop. (I could see curtains twitching). Finally he said he would put it in the freezer compartment of his van and off he went. I could never be a shoplifter as that made me feel guilty and I had bought the blooming thing.
Today I might nip to the school library for a bit. Then the plan is to clean my kitchen cupboard doors. Any gallivanting will wait til better weather. Have a good day all.

Good morning Mick and all GN's from a very dark but dry and not as cold as yesterday morning in North Yorkshire. Can see the moon shining brightly through the tree, very still no signs of moving from the branches. As it says, this will be the calm before the storm, which I hope doesnt arrive before lunch time, as it is our "christmas" lunch today, so it would be nice to enjoy that and not be blown away before I get home. However I shall not be attempting to go on the buggy, commonsense says use the car today.

Had quite a struggle and was rather fed up yesterday as I didnt really improve physically all day, so annoyingly wasnt able to do as much as I wanted to. Very frustrating to say the least. However my chicken casserole was ok, have made tastier ones in the past, but edible and then was able to go to the whist . Not a bad drive and had gone a bit early as I knew that I would need to park as near the doorway as I could manage. So manage to hobble in, but had to ask to stay at one table, rather than move round.

They have one gentleman in his 90's , not able to move about well, but as they say , all there with his cough drops, when it comes to the cards. His daughter brings him and also plays, and I am sure both the game and the company of people who have known him for so many years keeps him going. ~We have another lady in her 90-s , who is no mean slouch either, and has lived in this area all her life and knows many of the players in their 70's from childhood. Very alert and is the person people ask when they cant remember someones name or who lived at number 6 etc and she is always ready with the answers.

So I try to move about , but on days like yesterday I would be so slow to move I would also hold the game up while I got up and down and moved tables. So it was good to be there but had rubbish hands for much of the night and was nowhere near any of the prizes. Was very pleased I went though and enjoyed the game and catching up with news and views from everyone.

It was a bit of a struggle getting back indoors and I had to leave any tidying up and just go to bed, so consequently now have had to struggle to get the washer going, and it is doing a bit and sitting down and so on to get things going this morning. Rather annoying how slowly I am doing things, as I wanted to get things cleared up and sorted before going off to the meeting, but at the rate I am moving , will be lucky to arrive at the meeting dressed and organised.

I have sent a message to Jessie who is due to come today to hope that they can come a bit later than usual, as I shall be out at the lunch etc and might not be back at their usual time. They know what to get on with, but I havent seen them since before christmas and there are a variety of things that I would like them to do today, particulary reaching down into my store cupboard and bring stuff up to the higher shelf so that I can reach it all! Well whatever gets done it will all be an improvement on the current situation.

We are expecting the storm to hit here in the afternoon, and the snow that we have had has been made worse by icing up in many places too. Around here villages can be coping with very different road conditions, as you get little pockets of higher snow drifts or icy corners. The way the wind swirls round affects the conditions a lot, so everyone has to be very aware, and I think many of us that travel by car at this time of year do as I do, and have a spade and some grit and a hessian sack in the boot to use if we get stuck anywhere. I just wish that people who either have no idea of how conditions can change quickly, or dont think about the way to drive in such conditions, would not keep passing and filling up the space, that I have deliberately left between me and the next car.The idea is that if there is any black ice or whatever I will be able to deal with the situation and not risk crashing into the car in front. Perhaps these days the driving test does not address such issues, or maybe people do not use their commonsense!
Well so long as I can keep out of trouble and get to the lunch and back home safely that will be all the driving I plan to do today.

Hope you have a dry trip Mick and meet some friends. GrandMattie You did very well with your Fab cafe. I am not surprised and bet your fame for making delicious cakes is passed on to any newcomers to classes . I would love to have a Tai Chi class followed by the cafe here. a blessing to have some heat too so things looking up. Pantglas glad you had a good time and back safely before the bad weather arrives. Mum2three, hope you have a good find today. I belong to a womens group and I set up the idea that on the first meeting in the new year we bring in unwanted or doubled presents and either we make up a little batch of make up or food things such as special jars of ginger or posh biscuits . Then we have a little raffle. The winner has a nice little selection to enjoy and it gives a little to our own funds for future plans, so everyone is happy as they would not have used the items, to let the money go to the group. ( If people have had a lot of useless presents we might have a trip out with the fuel paid for, on a better year only enough to buy a cake or something for a morning. Karmalady hope that you can enjoy a quieter day today and a bit of a rest after all your exertions yesterday. Gillymo my brother in law was the curator at Kenwood house on hamstead heath in 1987, and they lived in the flat at the top of the building. There were so many trees down and all roads out were blocked. Terrible loss of much loved old trees, but they had to wait a few days for the fire brigade and chainsaws to even get one route out of the grounds. Lets hope that todays storm is nowhere near as destructive. Actually from the beginning of all that damage, we all were sad at the loss of trees and plants and even walls etc., but it is of course natures way, So much later we then saw a different way to plant up the garden, or the loss of a tree meant more sunshine to part of the garden that was usually in shade, and we had a different and new area of garden to plant up, which got us thinking and changing stuff around.

Ah well I am sending hopes and wishes for improvements to everyone struggling with their health in any way, and that everyone gets through the storm today safe and sound. Keep warm and enjoy looking out at the bad weather not being in it.

That’s good news ash. Pleased your husband is improving.

Ashcombe that's good news about your husband

Good morning from very frosty South Lanarkshire.

I’m bleary eyed this morning having been away for long stretches of the night due to various aches, pains and leg cramp into the bargain.

Yesterday afternoon DH and I shuffled along like old people on our dog walk, being overtaken by children sliding their way home from school. It looked such fun and took me back to the exhilarating experience of sliding down the icy school playground.
DD tells me that the NHS advice is to waddle like a penguin. I must practice that.

We’re off to Edinburgh for our first school pickup of the year, I do hope the roads have been well gritted, unlike ours which is sheet ice.

Wishing everyone and especially our unwell friends the best day possible.