Oops, I forgot to...

[steve_earwig]

...put the damn car away


break out the snow chains!

[DiscoPol]

I know what you mean Steve, Im off to see the outlaws next week in Warsaw, i think i might be putting the chains on too, dont fly till next tyesday you just know its gonna get worse before then.

Got to admit i do admire other nations attitude to dealing with snow, so much more practical than the english, on with the winter wheels and tyres and when it gets really snowy out with the chains, oh and dont forget, dont change your driving style from summer to winter, just keep up the same speeds and crazy over taking and let the chains do all the work

[Welly]

Aparently, we're in for some snow later this week and temps below freezing.

I think I spotted you had a new roof on yer garages in another fred steve? it looked good, like a commercial roof good job too with the snow.

Whats with that building opposite? the blockwork walled one - the windaz look funny?

[steve_earwig]

I've just painted the garage roof with waterproof concrete paint, I've replaced the boards on the end that were breaking up but I soooo can't afford to replace the whole thing

Here's another I took about an hour ago:



The derelict-looking pile in front of my other half's house is the vatrogasni Dom for Cvetković (firehouse for this 'ickle village here). It's a toilet, literally, the back wall there often has a line of drunks pi$$ing against the wall, it's a party venue for weddings etc. that have loud music going 'til 4 am, there's a pile of junk there on the left including broken glass which I have to be careful not to drive through. Oh yeah, earlier on in the year the guy in charge went on holiday and left the keys with an imbecile who gave the keys to some kids who had their own party - cue lots of broken glass and little kids puking up in the street (I went out and started shouting and they locked themselves inside). I think they've still got a fire engine in there, somewhere... And my wife likes it here

[Welly]

I didn't think it looked like your place (or at least maybe from an angle I hadn't seen).

What's going to happen with your gaff? or does it all hinge on old ma TV?

I think it looks nice over there, it would beat living and working over here hands-down.

[Captain Jack]

I know what you mean Steve, Im off to see the outlaws next week in Warsaw, i think i might be putting the chains on too,

I wouldn't bother with chains in Warsaw - decent winter tyres will work well.

I am off to Katowice then to Wisla in 1.5 weeks to visit my inlaws-to-be. Last year we went to Zakopane and noone used chains (myself included) - winter tyres are all you need apparently, even though everything was covered in snow.

[Welly]

Snow chains worry me because when you reach the inevitable dry patch of tarmac I'd think they'd break, fling off, and do all sorts of nasties to your sussy, bodywork etc?

[DiscoPol]

I wouldn't bother with chains in Warsaw - decent winter tyres will work well.

Your right about Warsaw, round there is fine but we will be travelling up to Masuria towards the end of the xmas week, and the roads towards that way can be a bit interesting when the weather is bad

And Im just hoping we dont have to go south too, it makes it a long journey when you go Warsaw to Mikolajki and then back down to Krakow and back up to warsaw, this was the route last March after my lads Baptism over there so we could get round the family that couldnt make it to the church.

Its always worth having them in the boot tho (the snow chains not the family.....sadly)

[steve_earwig]

If you have snow chains, practice fitting the feckers - the only time I really needed mine so far I couldn't figure out how they fitted. When I tried it in the warm & dry I found the instructions were a pile of rancid pig's offal and amended the accordingly.

It finally stopped snowing at about 5, we only got about 4 inches so nothing too stressful and I've just been out and cleared most of it with my trusty leaf blower

What's going to happen with your gaff? or does it all hinge on old ma TV?

Umm, the old dear popped her clogs a couple of months back (maybe I should have said something but it was quite a shock, followed by major stuff and it seemed too late to say anything when it was all over) so now it's all gone tilt: I hate my wife's house, she hates mine

Her house:
Plus: 15 minute's walk from town, mainline train station and buses, massive plot of land, small so easy and cheap to heat, mains gas if necessary, little traffic.
Minus: the firehouse, tiny 2-bedroom bungalow with only one bog in the bathroom, no storage space, ancient barn in garden that's starting to suffer from gravity, the firehouse, massive plot of land that's too big to use unless you're a market gardener, the firehouse, neighbours one side are retards (as are half the village).

Mine:
Plus: Large 4-bedroom detached house, masses of storage space, one double-garage, two workshops and a room for killing pigs, large garden full of fruit trees, good neighbours, one bathroom, one shower room, utility room, away from town,.
Minus: Large house so expensive to heat, on a blind bend on a fairly busy road with nowhere to stop outside (my wife teaches kids from home), no mains gas (yet), 40 minutes walk from town and buses, 50 from trains..

I reckon her's is too small and mine is too big (good for friends and family coming to stay though), the trouble is it could take years to sell either one, selling both would be nigh on impossible.

[DiscoPol]

Snow chains worry me because when you reach the inevitable dry patch of tarmac I'd think they'd break, fling off, and do all sorts of nasties to your sussy, bodywork etc?

Welly you cant afford to be too bothered about sussy and bodywork in some areas mate,
the more shall we say, rural roads can destroy a semi decent motor in a heart beat and thats without the addition of adverse weather,
my brother in-law always goes to Germany to buy his second hand cars, cheaper and and always in better nick as the roads over there are proper roads and not what you get once your off the main routes in most of eastern europe

but i still would prefer to be there than here any day

just got to convince the wife she wants to go home now and somehow make her think it was her idea

[darrenwall]

a room for killing pigs,

no house should be without one of these

[steve_earwig]

I think it was built as a pig sty but at 3x3m seems a bit small for that, the guy who built the house had a big metal frame and a huge electric winch on the ceiling - buy pig, bring pig home, tie back legs together, winch in the air, cut throat, allow to bleed to death, cut up, hang from frame...Want some pictures?

[Welly]

Sorry to here all that Steve, especially the MIL as (jokes asside) it's not nice for you all. House wise sounds a bit of a bugger too, not really sure what to say to help other than what you've almost certainly thought of yourself many many times no doubt

On the plus side, err, Merry Christmas

[Doggy]

Want some pictures?

Wot? like this?

[steve_earwig]

Nah, pigs, not goats.