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Good morning, Elle!
Heavy rain and a freshening wind here.
My hatches are battened down!
Bridge is still open to cars, but not buses.
My grandson is due to call this evening but I may ask him not to visit if it becomes wild.
No point in driving in storm conditions unless it is necessary.
We shall see!
Miss La Bamba and family are heading to New York for her birthday in October.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, Storm Ali is certainly making his presence felt in some places.
Ireland seems to have been hit very badly.
Is your family in Donegal safe?
And your friends in Norn Iron?
Many places are without power.
I have just been reading n the News about a caravan , with a middle-aged woman inside, being blown off a cliff in Galway.
I hope you are staying safe indoors, if your own conditions are bad?
I agree, no point in your grandson risking driving to visit to you, unless the severity of the storm lets up a little.
I hope Miss L-B enjoys her visit to New York, when the time comes around!

Hello, Elle!
It is very wild here!
And I am not for budging!
Cars still allowed to cross the bridge, but no walkers, motorbikes, and larger vehicles.
No news from Donegal folks, but there were thousands without power there.
Very strong winds around Belfast and heavy rain.
(And the gecko is doing away fine!)
Ali is passing across Ireland and is here now.
I read about the Galway woman.
Her caravan was blown off the cliff onto the beach below and she is dead.
She had been in bed asleep when this happened.
It is too soon to contact my grandson.
Will see later how the land lies.

Update, Elle!
Wind is worse here.
Road bridge closed to all traffic, now!

Hi, Rusty!
Oh dear, Rusty!
That doesn't sound good at all.
The only positive thing is that it is reassuring that the powers-that-be are obviously very closely monitoring the situation, and are quick on the mark in closing the bridge to all traffic, now.
How will this affect various members of your family trying to get home from work or college?
My Geographical knowledge of the lie of the land is hazy........
I know it adds about forty-five minutes time to the journey, if one has to drive all the way round.

Hello, Elle!
It's fun and games here, right enough!
Gusts of 91mph recorded on the bridge. That's quite windy!
Fallen trees blocking rail lines, and roads.
And at least one road in town closed due to fallen masonry.
Others affected by trees and branches down.
My eldest son works across the river in Fife, so he may be affected.
Miss O may be affected driving home from Perth, after school.
(Not heard from either of them)
Miss La Bamba is not affected- she has just texted suggesting Pine Cone tomorrow!
My lights are flickering, so....
Dreadful for the poor woman in Galway!

Hi, Rusty!
It is lovely and sunny here, but the wind has gotten up quite alarmingly, making me thankful that we pruned the big copper beech tree so rigorously.
The tree is perilously close to the house.
I have also taken down the washing ...having envisaged the Hill's Hoist in full rig, sailing merrily over the roof tops......much like Mary Poppins with her umbrella!
But of course we are getting off very lightly here in our locality.....nothing like what you are experiencing ......
And what happened to that poor woman in her caravan in Galway was horrific!
I am seeing pictures of fallen trees, and damaged cars on the computer News.
Let us hope that there is no further loss of life.
I hope that your flickering lights - is it dark that you need lights? - are not an indication that you are about to have a power cut?
I am awaiting a phone call from my son to say whether he and my granddaughter are definitely coming to visit tomorrow......

Good evening, Elle!
Still wild here!
My grandson is just away.
He looked in after work and is off home for his tea.
He said there are bits of trees all over the place!
It is my reading lamp that had a few flickers but it has settled down now.
The V&A had to close this afternoon as potential visitors were being blown off their feet.
None landed in the river, thankfully!
I think the wind has ameliorated a bit, as the road bridge is letting cars and single deck buses cross, but nothing else.
Let's hope your son and grandddaughter make it tomorrow!

Hi rusty
The BBC website said a gust later than the 91 mph one was over 100 mph. I hope you are not too inconvenienced...

Hello, Chris,
Just read that about gusts of 102mph!
Wind has dropped a bit.
If the wind is between 60mph and 80mph, only cars and single deck buses are allowed to cross.
That's the situation now according to bridge website and Twitter alerts.

https://www.tayroadbridge.co.uk/

I'm fine, been home most of the day!