The bridleway heading East from Simonsbath is great. It tracks the river Barle and it is by no means gnar but it is just an absolutely beautiful location! Well worth a look along there.

Ah yes, I did think of Zola. I admit then, I am wrong. I think I just couldn’t imagine Messi playing at Wolves for example on a very wet and cold Tuesday night in December.

Thanks MSP. I did search but only came up with old fantasy league chats. I should’ve just looked at the current forum threads. Doh!

Mine hasn’t automatically joined again. Is there a code knocking around MSP?

As an aside, is the STW fantasy league still running?

OK, perhaps struggle was the wrong word. I don’t think he’d have the same impact like at Barca due to the nature of the game here, it is very different to Spain. I think he’d get clattered as way of stopping him as that would be the only way to stop him. In his hey day yeah I think he may have done well.

I’d like to see how Messi would do. But I think he’d really struggle due to the physicality of the game here and not being given too much space like in Spanish football.

As an Arsenal fan, I cannot see an improvement on last season. I was so looking forward to seeing Xhaka leave. Our transfer business hasn’t been great, so the only transfer in is that I’d like to see David Dein back and out of his depth Edu out.

Thanks beej. Was it an online session or face to face? I’ve found a few online courses with practitioners.

Had the same as you OP. Got worried so booked an early morning appointment. Finger up the bum and all ok. I was too embarrassed to tell my wife that I needed a bum check, but was seemingly relaxed about a Dr prodding there.

Anyone that is willing to put a finger up a bum (for work) before most people have had breakfast deserve a medal. Especially my bum.

This is the recipe I’ve used for stout and treacle. I think someone on here recommend it ages ago.
You don’t need the Prague powder really. Just make sure the pork is decent quality. I go for middle, so you get a nice chunk of loin and belly too.
I also ask the butcher who I get the pork off if he can slice it for me once done, in exchange for some rashers. I don’t own a slicer and couldn’t get my cuts right even with my butchery knives.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/adventureswiththepig.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/suffolk-style-black-bacon/amp/

Cure your own bacon. Favourite is a stout and treacle bacon. Fried until crisp, nice strong coffee served with the sarnie. Never fails.

£3.80 for a decent cask ale at my local. Anything keg is more pricey though.

I’d probably say average cost is £4-5 in the locals for keg but happier to pay a little more if it’s a decent beer.

Ah man, so sorry to hear this. As Footflaps says, you were with him,just you being there would have meant everything to your pup. That reassuring presence of you would have calmed him.

I lost my best mate last September. A Boxer Rotty. I still miss him, say good morning and good night to him everyday still (we have his ashes still, cannot part with them yet at his favourite walking spot).

Massive virtual hugs to you and your rescue dog.

I had my second jab last week and it was slick from the moment I drove in to the moment I left.
You guys are part of the reason why it’s gone so well. So a massive thanks from me for giving up your time. All the volunteers I spoke to were really helpful and happy. Those who helped administer my jabs made me feel calm as I am petrified of needles.

Hammering it down here Mid Devon. Just gone over the M5 near Taunton…chocker block. I’d hate to be stuck in that!

Wife had someone lean right in to her and invade her personal space in Tesco checkout queue this afternoon, she is 9 months pregnant. She told the lady (who was maskless) to back off and had a very snotty retort back from the lady about it no longer being a requirement. The young girl at the checkout told the lady to back off and don’t make other customers feel uncomfortable. If she does, they won’t serve her. Apparently staff there had been told to enforce distancing and they will be backed up by senior management. If only the government could be as firm on their messaging.

You want it indirect, so either side really and like others have said a decent charcoal that’ll burn hot. A decent cast iron pan can be used too. Just like the pizza stone, preheat that on the BBQ. Retains the heat really well. We use one for deep pan pizzas in the WFO.

In my old classroom, peak of summer heatwave a few years ago with 34 sweaty teenagers we measured the temp at 36 degrees. It was unbearable. To be fair, it was the most docile they had been throughout the year. Most poorly designed school. They only had aircon in one of the buildings…guess where the headteachers office was?! He also insisted on male staff wearing their suit jackets around the school in that heat as he once worked in Dubai for a year and still wore a full suit throughout.

Luckily, now my home office is OK, 22 degrees.

Thanks all!

It seems freedom Day is being classed as ‘do what ever the f you like day’ by many. Again that messaging coming straight from Boris.

BunnyHop, I feel your pain. We have it down here in Devon too!

We are dreading so called ‘freedom day’ here. Local pubs all closed due to cases on final day. Primary school has numerous cases.

My wife and I are expecting the birth of our first child in the next few weeks so are going in to our own lockdown from Monday. Wife’s parents think we are over reacting by saying anyone who comes to the house will not be allowed in and they will only be allowed near us after a negative test. They think we are over reacting. Wife’s chosen not to have her jab yet until after the birth.

Thanks doomanic, I think he has a video, so I said when he gets home to post it up here.

The Frame number is; F09DA0143 and bike size is a large.

Unsure if he is part of any local mtb Facebook groups, so if anyone is local and could post up?

I’d try and use it to my advantage. You’ve got the ear of someone a few pay grades above your manager. Come across as compliant and keen to talk through issues and use it as an opportunity to discuss said issues. Say that perhaps instead of mentoring you’d prefer a coaching style to discuss concerns and solutions.

Purbeck Bimble overnighter. The Friday afternoon saw a really thick most hanging over the hills on the coast, it made for an eery camp spot. Next morning, beautiful sunshine.

(edit; no idea why these images have come up so small!)

Not a pub but a farm that does a lovely wood fired pizza. From what I remember, it may be run by another forumite and his wife.

Horner Farm.

Check their Facebook page for updates.
https://www.facebook.com/hornerfarmexmoor/

I’ve had some Billabong ones for years, they are excellent. They look identical to the osprey ones. No marking at all on leather and fabric seats. Only use when necessary as in the summer they get stupidly hot and I get one sweaty arse.

I think it’s less to do with brand but finding the right style of cap. I also struggle with your issue, especially with trucker style caps and the front being too tall so look ridiculous on my head. I have the single-track one and I have the same issue with that.
I did recently replace my old mountain equipment one that fitted really well with a Montane. https://mountain-kit.co.uk/samples-c12/headwear-gloves-c16/montane-basecamp-cap-ss21-sample-p1011

Good fit for small heads! Look for a cap that has the slightly rounded shape as opposed to the usual style that seem to be modelled on Ant McPartlin’s forehead.

Last year I made a lovely rhubarb wheat beer from a glut I had in the garden. Turned out really well.

Kayla what sort of flavour does the leaf give? I suppose could do the same with the petals?

Agree with the coop stuff being a great bargain buy. I’ve found it to be the nicest of all the own brand supermarket dark chocolate.
You get the odd decent stuff in Aldi, but very rarely in our local.

My favourite is the tasting bars from hotel chocolate. A small bite each evening means it lasts ages. I can go up to the 95%.

If you are on Facebook, the KAW group has lots of information on stops, places to stay and updates on conditions. Well worth a look.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingalfredswayofficial/

Wife had it done a few years ago. Disaster. They hadn’t done the tests properly so left with something called dry eye and vision back to how it was prior to surgery. She now has to use eye drops for ever. Vision Express were useless and it took months to get money back and tried to get her to sign a NDA. She didn’t sign and demanded money back. NHS saw her post surgery and the eye specialist have her a right rollicking for getting it done as he sees so many people who have had it done and suffer from complications as a result.

My brother had it done. After two weeks vision was perfect and no issues.

The Sock Guy has some decent designs.

Before posting I did a quick search and this thread came up, so thought I’d post the Guardian interview here.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/07/rob-and-lindsey-burrow

I’ve got a couple of the ls Overland jerseys. They are really nice to wear, keep you warm when there is a chill, but cool enough when it is warm. It isn’t the same material as the usual mtb ls jerseys too.
https://www.overland-store.com/collections/clothing

We’ve just had solar fitted along with a solar boost immersion. We run on oil, so wanted to reduce our reliance upon it.

Turned off our hot water last week and so far the solar has supplied us with all our hot water, plus paid back to the grid. We should only have to top up our tank once a year now which is great.

Our old boxer used to lose his sh*t when he saw other boxers and would bark (he never barked) and his bum shook so much he nearly hit himself in the face with it. He wouldn’t do it with any other breed, just other boxers.

He did seem to really like labs too, but not to the extent he did with other boxer dogs.

With some of the same reasoning displayed, then many of us shouldn’t have used the eat out to help out too.

Blimey, some self righteous people about.
AA from what I remember you’re a secondary teacher, so after the year you’ve probably had I wouldn’t begrudge you using that scheme at all.

I think there have been far bigger abuses of using public funds (not saying AA did) than someone using a £50 voucher within the rules. I think some people should step away from the key board, stop being so judgemental and enjoy the sunshine.

Give EE a call. Their customer service was really good when I just upgraded my sim only EE recently (to a Pixel due to the thread on here). With a bit of chatting you can probably get a much better deal than what is advertised on their site.

I live in Hemyock, middle of blackdowns.as others have said,winters can be a bit bleak up here however summers are great. We seem to miss the main tourist traffic and plenty of places to explore in the height of summer. Close enough to beaches such as Branscombe etc to pop down before crowds arrive or after work once they head back to their campsites. Access to M5 and 303 is good. 1 hour 30 to cwmcarn.
Exmoor is not far along with Dartmoor. An hour and you are in Cornwall.
Mtbing is awful in the winter.

Getting decent charcoal is a must with a bbq, lights better, burns better, less smoke etc. Those easy light bags are awful.

These links might be useful for some wanting decent local charcoal.

http://devoncharcoal.co.uk/makers/

https://ncfed.org.uk/public/products/charcoal/#buy