Lovely photos everyone..looks like Christmas was enjoyed by all!!!
TW, hope things will be OK for you, I have a friend in the lake district and things are very bad
Harvey, pleased you ran into sensible owners....usually divs around this time of the year
Started my home made chutneys and pickles...won't bother again...my dad moaned about the pickles last year so did them different this year...now they are too crunchy!!!!

Just got a friend on, Riverside Drive is flooded and people are at the local community centre and church, the pipe bridge over the Irwell is gone(part of it is on the land Mercman has bought and got planning permission for homes)
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/...vere_flooding/
Ringley (where the nice Horshoe Pub and Restaurant is) is flooded, the packhorse bridge (hundreds of years old) is holding its own, Giants Seat Garden centre is underwater (I park my car there when I take the girls on the bridle paths)
Got some sleeping bags in the top wardrobe cupboard so will see to girls and take them over to the church.

Just you be careful TW...look after you and yours first!!!!

Love the photos, glad everyone enjoyed Christmas day. Sammy fell in love with my nephew and tried humping him half the day We've only been out once today with me carrying Sammy up the road so he could have a pee. It is absolutely pouring with rain here with no letup and no way is he going out.

TW it doesn't sound good where you are, hopefully it will leave you and the girls alone.

Griff, step away from the drink

Evening everyone. Had a safe but slow journey over to Essex seems there was someone in the slow lane going about 20 miles an hour caused a horrendous tail back. Michael went over before us he picked Mark up from work and then Joel on the way back to Marks.
He is now visiting friends in Harlow and may drive back for a day or two longer tomorrow. No awkwardness but you can sense the sensitivity between Mark and and Tracey but they were talking.
I messaged to let him know we got back safe and told him to keep trying with Tracey but gently. He can be a bit bolshy and argumentative at times. I do think they need to maybe draw a line under this and accept they are both in the wrong and move on. Sincerely hope they do they brought each other nice presents.

June been thinking of you all day and the floods and LG.
griff hope the bladder feels less sensitive soon.
Harvey glad you had a nice walk.

Watching Downtown.

Took 3 sleeping bags to the church, they don't want them, apparently they have enough, how do they know that
Well suit themselves, last time I'll bother thats for sure
Tactical Aid have got the village sealed off. Been to have a look and (gulp) river is higher than I've ever seen it thats for sure.
Girls have had tea and fresh bedding down and I bought myself a sirloin steak for tea, so best eat it whilst I can
Sleeping bags can stay where they are down here, then again upstairs may be best

Lynn, LG is higher up than I am, and if he's flooded, then we all need to start building arks Had son on now, and he said to keep him posted. The OAP bungalows right at the bottom of the road haven't been evacuated or anything, and they are literally a few hundred yards from the river itself, and I'm uphill from them. May go and see what its like near the mill where I take the girls when the river is feeling a little more friendly, there's houses built right on the banks near there as well, electricity still on in everyone's houses, internet working.
Hoping Mark and Tracey do draw a line under it all and move on, but sometimes that doesn't work. All you can do is be there for either one of them and not take sides, which is an achievement in itself as obviously your own child is the priority in situations like this

Stay safe June. Yes it is an achievement to stay neutral but Gorden and I both know both boys can be awkward at times. I know Gorden can be a bit overpowering sometimes. At times I have shut down other times I tell him maybe Tracey would rather not say anything than say something that cannot be taken back.
Really hoping they can get past this. I love my boys so much it hurts sometimes I also think a great deal of Tracey and we have a good relationship.

Its a bit scary here, hoping its just confined to the newer parts where they are lower down than I am. The old paper mill has had hundreds of houses and flats built on its site, going for 3 times the going rate of houses around here, and they were the first to be evacuated, my house is 1898 so hoping they knew where they were building then

Lets hope so June.
Well I was quite happy with the Downton ending.