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Hello, Elle,
My pal told me about the triple glazing or I would never have known about it. It is one of several measures in Finnish houses to have them as insulated as they can against the winters.
He told me a wee story too, about doing his Arctic warfare training in the taiga near the Russian border.
He said they had central heating! What happened was they took a stove with them out into the Finnish forests (wolves and stuff there!) and at night they went to sleep in a circle around the stove with their feet nearest the stove.
Like spokes on a cartwheel.
Central heating!
Not sure if triple glazing is at all common in the UK.
Just one granddaughter today and we stayed home, where she explained the mysteries of "drag and drop" to me. Now have all my photos on Chromebook and in the Cloud!
It is a bit grey and wet here, too, Elle!
But don't be dismal!
There is a wonderful world out there!

All welcome here, ninian - good to hear from you after a long absence.

I've been to Wigtown but unfortunately (fortunately?) I was cycling, so couldn't be burdened down by extra weight.

Thanks Rusty.....I'll check him out.....what a fantastic name...Titanic Thompson!!

Hello, Ninian,
As Chris said, all are welcome on here!
Thank you for the tip.
I have never been to Wigtown, (still have all my hair!)
but it sounds a remarkable place in a nice part of the world.
I'll have a look on-line to see what's doing!

Hello Ninian,

You are not gate-crashing on 'our' thread - Everyone is welcome to join in, so welcome to you.

Looking at the sites on Wigtown, I think it might just as well I live so far away ! Much too dangerous to my purse (and room in the house too)

Thanks for mentioning it though

Hey, Rusty!
The weather isn't any better this afternoon! We thought we'd chosen an auspicious time to go out...no rain, a weak sun...but before long I'd got my umbrella up - a good job I'd taken it with me as the rain pelted down! Very poggy dog!
I like the central heating concept (although not sure it's a true story???)
I looked up "cut the mustard" in my new Brewers! and it was there! An excellent edition!
What is this about not having any tea in the house? Don't tell me that there is actually someone else on the planet besides me who doesn't drink tea? I cannot abide the 'abnoxious brew'! but everyone else seems to love it!
I only drink coffee and water (mainly the latter)
I've been sounding off on the forum about our new library on the village High Street. A very poor choice of books. The children's selection is also very poor - none of the old classical favourites. And no Enid Blyton nor Arthur Ransome, either .
I know life moves on and 'modern' children may like different books, but my 7 year-old grandson was disappointed by the choice, so maybe it's not all me?
Spaghetti bolognese for dinner tonight, plus (cheesy)courgettes. I'd better go organise it.....

Elle, I was not up in Finland doing National Service so I have to take the word of a man who was, about the CH.
Sounds good to me.
I have never in all my life heard of anyone taking an umbrolly on a walk! It is only rain!
Is "cut the mustard" a secret?
I do not drink tea. Just plain old Nescafe for me.
I have not been at a library for yonks.
I like spaghetti, don't know about bolognese though.
And I have no idea about courgettes.
I had mackerel and mashed turnip for my tea and very glad of it, too
North London????

Hi Rusty!
So what is wrong with taking an umbrella on a stroll around the park?
It's not as though we'd gone to the woods, or were going over the fields and climbing over stiles or some such, where I agree with you that an umbrella would definitely be out of place?
It was too warm to wear a raincoat, so a brolly was a good alternative (my hair goes too curly if I get it wet! You're a man, you presumably don't worry about your hair!)
"Cut the mustard"....to do something well and efficiently, esp. when it is suspected that one may lack the ability.
The expression derives from 'mustard' as a slang word for a thing that is the best.
I know you don't go to the library, but I used to use it regularly at one time, before the local Council interfered and closed our nearest one down. The replacement is rubbish, so I'm now reduced to buying books from Amazon, going to Boot Sales or looking around Charity shops.
I pay my Council taxes - I want a better library!
So what do you have with/ on your spaghetti then, if not bolognese sauce?
What about North London? ( I thought we'd dealt with that?!)

Elle, enjoy the elements, do not hide from them.
Curly hair is great. I have curly hair!
Usually needing a trim.
Now, spaghetti.
I would have it in tomato sauce from a tin, cold.
Sometimes with black pudding.
Do you know black pudding?
I could see the way libraries were going a few years ago and opted out. But they served me very well indeed for many years, so I will not say against them.
We took different paths, is all.
North London. Have you worked out how to get there, yet? With or without an Eccles cake.

Hi, Rusty!
A trim? maybe time to get out the scissors and mirror?
Yes, I do know how to get to North London! Did I never tell you that I used to live and work there? I lived in Hampstead and worked at the Royal Free Hospital.
Maybe I even lived next door to Lyn MacD? Who knows?
(Why am I feeling like Alice.........? )
Now for a 'sensible' conversation..........
There are no Athletics to watch this weekend - roll on the World Championships!
I shall be getting withdrawal symptoms at this rate!
How about you? Any golf / cycling/ horse - racing?
What news of Victoria ? has her horse-racing career advanced at all?
This coming weekend must be the first for quite a while when we have the entire weekend to ourselves with no family commitments and no other visitors either. So far at any rate.
I'm not sure we will be able to cope with the peace and quiet!