Am I still in Wales then?

[mint]

Everyone's heard of the weather in Wales, of course:  that is, if it's not raining, it's going to rain.

So, I packed my bags and I thought I'd go live in the "second sunniest region in France"; yes, the Charente.

But what do I get?  You guess it, lots and lots of rain.

I keep trying different weather forecasting sites, the BBC, MSN, etc, etc.  Never any variation:  picture of a very large cloud and very large drops of rain falling from the cloud.

Meanwhile, whenever I have had occasion to ring anyone in Wales, they tell me that the "weather here's lovely, bach!"

Anyone know what other country I might consider moving to for a bit of sunshine?

[Renaud]

At least there won't be a hosepipe ban in the Charente this year.

[cooperlola]

Nothing is guaranteed in life - especially not the weather.  Up until yesterday, we had not had a single drop here for four weeks.  But last year it rained almost non-stop throughout May.

The Sahara?

[KathyF]

Well, it has been nice recently, but if it's any consolation it's been raining all day here in Mid-Wales, sweet 17, and the forecast for the next few days is rain all the way. [:(] The place to be at the moment is Northern Scotland, which is having lovely, warm, sunny weather according to friends who live up on the north coast.

[mint]

No hosepipe ban sounds OK, Renaud, except that I think the water meter will be working overtime.

Coops, I don't seriously think that the Sahara is an option because I bet they'll have a hosepipe ban this summer, don't you think?[geek]

And KathyF, Northern Scotland sounds just the place.  The only drawback is that I know I'll have difficult understanding the natives![:D]

[Gastines]

Last time I worked in Robertstown Aberdare,it rained stair rods for about 3 weeks. I wanted to move back to my family roots at Llanelly but my wife said she wasn't wearing wellie boots all the time.

Regards.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

When I first emigrated to Oz, the first year I was there it was constant rain, and Oz rain is much harder than it is here. Thought I was moving to the sunniest country on the planet. The following 7 years however were totally rain free (well not totally, but months would go by without a drop). By the end of it I was deseperate for the stuff!

[powerdesal]

[quote user="LyndaandRichard"]When I first emigrated to Oz, the first year I was there it was constant rain, and Oz rain is much harder than it is here. Thought I was moving to the sunniest country on the planet. The following 7 years however were totally rain free (well not totally, but months would go by without a drop). By the end of it I was deseperate for the stuff!

[/quote]

Join the club ! Endless blue skys and heat are as bad as endless rain / grey skies.

[Kitty]

Sweetie.  My husband has been in Wales for the last 3 months and has said that the rain is really grim.  He has to get out everyday to mow the acre of grass (yes, an acre) and has struggled to find days bright enough to do it.

And it's constantly 5 degrees Celsius colder in South Wales than here.

 

[mint]

I don't normally get bothered about the weather on the basis that it's not something I can do anything about!

But, it's the constant drip, drip, drip,

It's the dog coming in bringing mud on her paws

It's the OH wondering aloud everyday when it's going to be dry enough to cut the grass

It's madame la voisine, smelling exactly like my wet dog, impermeable steaming, telling me the rabbits are eating too much grain as she hasn't been able to cut them enough dandelion leaves.

It's me looking at the forum to see whether anything exciting gives and finding no great distraction there.

I think I'm just getting to be a grumpy old woman.

 

[cooperlola]

Malta?  Speaking from experience, though, you soon get to realise how bloomin' small it is.  I'd gladly give up the constant sunshine for a bit of variety in the scenery myself.  I found it deadly dull after a while, even though the social life was great (but I was in my teens then).

[mint]

Never been there, Coops.  But I would be interested in the history; the stuff about St Paul going there and the bombing during the war.

I'll maybe do a bit of reading on that and then I'll be able to "see" it in my head.  I'll think of the sunshine and the blue sea and I'll think about walking along the harbour at Valetta.

[cooperlola]

It is a fascinating place, and great for a holiday, but massively overcrowded these days.  I could not believe it when I went back 3 years ago, to find that the little village I had lived in was now "joined up" to all the major towns (Sliema etc) by endless developments and new houses.  There seems to be hardly an empty space left!

[IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/malta3095.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/malta3060.jpg[/IMG]

[TefkaC]

Hello sweet 17,

I thought it was us, we moved here from Pemb's 2 years ago and since then it hasn't stopped raining. We bought a couple of water butts in April, all installed and attached to the new guttering, we waited for the rain to fill them, when it started they were overflowing in a day!!!!!!!!! Since then it hasn't stopped for long, my OH who knows about these things assures me the weather is improving at the weekend?  Last week we had the mother and father of a hail storm, the size of marbles,oh well.

 

All the best Charlie.......

[mint]

Wonderful pics, Coops.  Thank you.

TefkaC, at least we haven't had hail.  I suppose that in 86, you'd expect it to be colder.  In 17, it's got to be warmer, though we're not really near the sea.  Not like back in Porthcawl when the sea was less than 5 minutes' walk away.

Still, I wasn't really complaining, that's why my post was in the Lighter Side section.  Just like to have a bit of a laugh about things and poking fun at myself.

 

[ams]

No i thought it was charante inferior and not superior. still a few suggestions,

 

Kyrgyz republic,

Iraq

Afghanistan

Burkina faso

and  perhaps sweet Djibouti,

 

ams

[Gluestick]

Wonderful pictures JE. I particularly like the composition of the second.

 

[cooperlola]

You're too kind!

This will make you laugh:

[IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/deb1969001.jpg[/IMG]

[Gluestick]

Looks to me like a charming young maiden in a typical Mary Quant inspired minidress from the mid 60s, I'd guess?

Which to me only seems like yesterday in one sense and eons ago in another.

Well, I'm off to la belle first crack demain, back at the weekend. See you all then.

Meanwhile, play nice, y'all!

[:D]

[mint]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

You're too kind!

This will make you laugh:

[IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/deb1969001.jpg[/IMG]

[/quote] 

Coops, is that you and where was it taken?

Nice long legs.  Me, I'm a shortie; 5 foot 2 and shrinking!

[cooperlola]

Taken in Mdina in 1969.  I'm not tall, it's just that Mary Quant inspired dress....  The things we wore.  My o/h is most disappointed that fashions have changed so much since then and I never wear skirts at all any more.[:D]

[Weedon]

Thanks for the picture Coops, well worth a [Www][Www]!   And thanks also to Mary Quant for making many a young man in those days very happy.

[Keni]

My memories are of Gozo, 10 years ago, it was great for diving, Calypso diving with Georges, but I don't think he'll be there anymore. i gather the village is now a town!

I too remember the mini-skirts and dresses Cooperlola, mind you in me mid-50's now. It's just the skirts have got longer. I stopped riding the motorbike for a while, hopefully when (when that is the question) we get to France I'll most probably get another small one.

We have just spent the weekend (wet here in Worcs) clearing out loads of old photos to start the clearance. Some of the pics of us in our teens were scary, glad the daughter never saw them.

I went to a vintage clothing sale and bought my daughter a Biba badge - she asked what was Biba, I have obviously not brought her up correctly.

 

[Hoddy]

Keni, that reminds me of the time that my daughter came downstairs in a black leather mini-skirt on her way to a 60s party.

I said, "You're not going out in that are you."

She said, "Mother, it's your skirt."

Oops.

Hoddy

[AnOther]

[quote user="powerdesal"]

[quote user="LyndaandRichard"]When I first emigrated to Oz, the first year I was there it was constant rain, and Oz rain is much harder than it is here. Thought I was moving to the sunniest country on the planet. The following 7 years however were totally rain free (well not totally, but months would go by without a drop). By the end of it I was deseperate for the stuff!
[/quote]

Join the club ! Endless blue skys and heat are as bad as endless rain / grey skies.
[/quote]Ain't that the truth, just as we look out of the window in France and sigh, "not MORE rain, similarly in the middle east it's "not MORE sun"

Be careful what you wish for..............................[:'(]