Last One to Post Wins

[towny44]

Not so fast Tinkerbelle, I think you will find I am still a long way ahead of you.

[Not so ancient mariner]

But not ahead of me......! Back to work today, though perforce by a circuitous route as my car isn't amphibious.

[Silver_Shiney]

Good morning all

I see the Ferretmeister and whatserface are still battling over the back of the race

Safe journies, Notso

[towny44]

Speak up Shiney cannot here you at the back Shiney with all your rabble, we are out front where it is quiet and peaceful.

[qbman1]

Not trouble with wind and rain down here so far but I hope all you hardy souls oop norf are OK

[towny44]

Just the wind that caused problems here in the Pennine hills, and happy to say that although it blew out 5 panes from my greenhouse, four were last years perspex replacements and were undamaged, so only one small one to renew.
But the flooding in Cumbria looks very bad and I feel sorry for those affected, especially so close to Xmas. A lot of talk about inadequate flood defences in the media, but how can anyone expect defences to cope with the rainfall quantities they had this time.

[qbman1]

We've had similarly bad, damaging floods here in Oxford twice over the past 9 years and there is always talk of improving flood defences. Some token measures are put in place but there is simply no way to defend against the amount of rain that fell in Cumbria over the weekend. Whether it is "global warming" or other factors, I am afraid this kind of thing is going to become more commonplace.

[The Tinker]

Morning - sun shining in the South today. Good luck to all those in the North with the clearing up - looks dreadful.

[qbman1]

No need to rub it in, Tinks - those poor unfortunates oop norf are feeling bad enough already !!

[towny44]

Not really Cubie since we are back in the lead.

[qbman1]

Shouldn't you be mending your greenhouse?

[Silver_Shiney]

Speak up Shiney cannot here you at the backShiney with all your rabble, we are out front where it is quiet and peaceful.

Sorry, didn't realise you were that far behind the rest of our followers.

[qbman1]

No need for that - you just woke me up

[Silver_Shiney]

Sorry Boss, just being considerate to our resident tail-end charlie, seeing as he said he couldn't hear me from the back.

[qbman1]

Probably got water in his ears

[Happydays]

he better get them syringed ... I'm in the lead:)

[qbman1]

Enjoy it whilst it lasts......too late, your fleeting moment of glory is gone !!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Evening all. Back home in the South Northlands after a weekend down with the southern softies and ready to resume my rightful place on the podium

[Silver_Shiney]

I was unaware that you'd relinquished it, sir

[Not so ancient mariner]

More rain forecast for tonight: but at least it is only 'normal' amounts of rain - which at most may slightly delay the rate that the water levels fall. Though it will probably will delay our roof being fixed.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Glad to hear your head's above water Notso.

[Not so ancient mariner]

We've had similarly bad, damaging floods here in Oxford twice over the past 9 years and there is always talk of improving flood defences. Some token measures are put in place but there is simply no way to defend against the amount of rain that fell in Cumbria over the weekend. Whether it is "global warming" or other factors, I am afraid this kind of thing is going to become more commonplace.

The problem is that if you do succeed in protecting town A with flood defences, you may well end up making the problem worse for town B, as the water has to go somewhere. There is also a practical limit to how big you can build the defences . After the 2005 floods in Carlisle, the Environment agency spent £38m providing flood barriers that would withstand flood water 7.2 metres above normal river level. At the time this was thought to be plenty - and indeed it kept Carlisle dry when Cockermouth and Workington were inundated in 2009, but unfortunately yesterday the river Eden reached a new peak of 7.9 (26 feet!)metres above normal levels.

[Silver_Shiney]

Good morning, Sleepyheads

[towny44]

Good morning, Sleepyheads

You popped up again at the back then Shiney, some of us have been out in the lead for hours.

[qbman1]

LOTP Newsflash - I won !