As many of you may know there have been some horrific flooding problems in the Uk this year and the latest lot that is just resolving now affected my family by drowning their water treatment plant and so they were without water for a week - seemed much longer I promise!!!

We were scheduled to go on holiday down there, so armed with baby wipes and so few toiletries (water supplies not permitting) that we had an almost empty bag we headed off for a couple of nights.  We had great fun entering into the 'british war-time spirit' of comraderie that blossomed in this difficult time.  But it was kinda fun filling up at the bowsers - when there was water in them!!

And because it persisted in raining - regardless of the prayers for it to stop (well, it is all stopped now for a few days) we got the paddling pool out and managed to get enough from what filled up in it to flush the loo one time.    It was hard when we ran out of water though to go,knowing we couldnt flush it away. 

Having said that you can see E had a great time swimming in what was there and trying not to splash out any precious drops.  Right now water is back on, (praise God - no more queueing and searching for bowsers) and should be clean for drinking soon, but in the meantime people still need to drink/prepare meals from bottles.  Many homes are still terribly damaged and those people have the rest of the year in which they will be sorting it out waiting for it to dry and trying to get back to some kind of stability and normality in their lives.

The area worst flooded was where we first moved to when we came to the UK.  Great devastation and incredible pictures of the Abbey that became an island - almost like a safe haven, that once upon a time it must have been.
Peace
EF.x 

Hi everyone, had to share this, it made me giggle and so glad that the sun is shining today and we can still enjoy some pleasures in life.
Peace
EF.x 

The not so battle of Trafalgar

Nelson: "Order the signal, Hardy."

Hardy: "Aye, aye sir."

Nelson: "Hold on, that's not what I dictated to Flags. What's the meaning of this?"

Hardy: "Sorry sir?"

Nelson (reading aloud): "England expects every person to do his or her duty, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious Persuasion or disability.' - What gobbledegook is this?"

Hardy: "Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir. We're an equal opportunities

employer now. We had the devil's own job getting ' England ' past the censors, lest it be considered racist."

Nelson: "Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco."

Hardy: "Sorry sir. All naval vessels have now been designated smoke-free working environments."

Nelson: "In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the

main brace to steel the men before battle."

Hardy: "The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral. Its part of the

Government's policy on binge drinking."

Nelson: "Good heavens, Hardy. I suppose we'd better get on with

it........... full speed ahead."

Hardy: "I think you'll find that there's a 4 knot speed limit in this

stretch of water."

Nelson: "Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle in

history. We must advance with all dispatch. Report from the crow's nest

please."

Hardy: "That won't be possible, sir."

Nelson: "What?"

Hardy: "Health and Safety have closed the crow's nest, sir. No harness;

and they said that rope ladders don't meet regulations. They won't let

anyone up there until a proper scaffolding can be erected."

Nelson: "Then get me the ship's carpenter without delay, Hardy."

Hardy: "He's busy knocking up a wheelchair access to the foredeck

Admiral."

Nelson: "Wheelchair access? I've never heard anything so absurd."

Hardy: "Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a barrier-free

environment for the differently abled."

Nelson: "Differently abled? I've only one arm and one eye and I refuse

even to hear mention of the word. I didn't rise to the rank of admiral by playing the disability card."

 

Hardy: "Actually, sir, you did. The Royal Navy is under represented in

the areas of visual impairment and limb deficiency."

Nelson: "Whatever next? Give me full sail. The salt spray beckons."

Hardy: "A couple of problems there too, sir. Health and safety won't let the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don't want anyone breathing in too much salt - haven't you seen the adverts?"

Nelson: "I've never heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell the men to stand by to engage the enemy."

Hardy: "The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral."

Nelson: "What? This is mutiny!"

Hardy: "It's not that, sir. It's just that they're afraid of being charged with murder if they actually kill anyone. There's a couple of legal-aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks."

Nelson: "Then how are we to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?"

Hardy: "Actually, sir, we're not."

Nelson: "We're not?"

Hardy: "No, sir. The French and the Spanish are our European partners now.  According to the Common Fisheries Policy, we shouldn't even be in this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for compensation."

Nelson: "But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil."

Hardy: "I wouldn't let the ship's diversity co-ordinator hear you saying  that sir. You'll be up on disciplinary report."

Nelson: "You must consider every man an enemy, who speaks ill of your

King."

Hardy: "Not any more, sir. We must be inclusive in this multicultural age.  Now put on your Kevlar vest; it's the rules. It could save your life"

Nelson: "Don't tell me - health and safety. Whatever happened to rum,

sodomy and the lash?"

Hardy: As I explained, sir, rum is off the menu! And there's a ban on

corporal punishment."

Nelson: "What about sodomy?"

Hardy: "I believe that is now legal, sir."

 

Nelson: "In that case............................... kiss me, Hardy."

Author:  Richard Littlejohn
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_page_id=1772&in_article_id=451590&in_author_id=322