2011. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

The last weather of 2010.

The cold and the snow have gone, the temps in the mid 30s'F. We are now
left with this, fog it's been with us for three days now. Photo 9am.

Mum, I’m slightly pregnant.

Not really but a similar scenario in a way.

Yesterday I went to Rotherham Hospital for the results

of some biopsies taken from my prostate, it was the third

lot I have had in two years, thirty-two in total. According

to the consultant one was showing slight signs of a malignant

Cancer.

Do you want to take it out I asked! Or am I jumping the gun?

At this stage he explained it was not necessary to take any

action at all and that the side effects could be worse than leaving

it be. He did tell me about Radiotherapy and its downfalls, also

surgery and that’s downfalls. So now I have something to consider

which do I plump for? answers please to:-

Una went with me, she thought I would lie to her and keep things to myself,
as if!
Rotherham Hospital is undergoing a massive refurbishment.

This was the first time I have been to the Hospital and not seen anyone I know.

Honestly if Una didn't go with me I'd get lost, all the corridors and floors
look the same to me!

Meadowhall Shopping Centre.

Today for something to do we had a pop to Meadowhall by bus a thirty
minute journey, one hour fifteen minutes later we got there. Ten minutes
later we left it was chaos, a hour later we were back home. The crowds
were unbelievable and the traffic both ways was bumper to bumper.
It's very rarely we go to Meadowhall it's always busy, and being enclosed
it's claustrophobic. I just felt like being part of the throng but it was too much.

Christmas Day.

Stuart, Una and Steven.

Burst water main.

The end result!!!!!!

The snow has gone but it is still bitter cold outside.

The water main at the junction of Main Street and Kilnhurst Road

has burst, leaving a car stuck in the ice. Every time traffic goes

passed, it throws more water up which then freezes on the car.

This cold spell is becoming a right pain!

It’s like a glacier, is this global warming?

The frost is still here.

The snow has gone, these are ice crystals growing on the car roof.

More central heating problems.

Tuesday 8am got a phone call, our Stuart " Dad my boilers not working
can you see to it, I'm going to work." Well I'm good but I don't mess with
Gas! I phoned five gas fitters up before I got one that was available. He
spotted the problem right away, It was the exhaust fan that had seized up.
He fitted a new one and everything was fine, the old one was sixteen years
old so it hadn't done bad. That was a long story told short, it took all day.

While I was round at our Stuarts I could not miss the fact that his hot water
header tank overflow was dripping, there was ice all over the place.
I couldn't believe he'd not said anything about that to me.
So Wednesday I went shopping for parts and fitted them, no more drips.
I did get a thank you.

You can just make out the leakage in the bottom right hand corner.

The old valve above. The new valve below.

Cold and frosty mornings.

I just got the central heating fixed in time, before this next batch of cold
weather has dropped in. It's been around -5'C for the last three days with
more to come. Freezing fog at least it's better than SNOW!

Our Blue doesn't mind, as long as he is going for a walk, he's happy.

These poor souls have to put up with the cold, whether they like it or not.
There's always someone or something worse off than you are, choose what.

The pond is iced over, no swimming today for the ducks.
This is a very dangerous place at this time of year, ice is a very strong
attraction to children and teenagers.

Central heating problem.

The problem, a siemens 3 port valve 3pmp-v22. The hot water part worked
OK but the heating part didn't, the switch that controls the actuator, I think
that is that little green thing had burnt out. What ever, it had stopped doing
it's job.

This model of valve and actuator come all as one, which means you have
to drain the system to change the valve.

The old valve conected to the system.

The vew valve, a siemens cmv322 complete valve actuator. This model
has a removable actuator, it can be removed without disturbing the
rest of the valve or draining the system.

Above the actuator detached from the valve, note the four spring clips.

Above the valve with the actuator detached.

The new valve connected to the system. A slight mistake made but put
right later.

All back together and working perfect.
All ready for the next cold spell.

The snow has gone.

I don't mind the snow or the cold, it's just that it causes havoc with the

transport system. The roads become impassable and you become a

prisoner in your home.

If I have to stay around the house for two days I go mad.

Icicles.

Icicles hanging from the guttering.

Another cold night.

- 12'C last night, -3'C daytime high today.
9" of snow on the ground, I don't remember it ever being this bad
not even in the early 60's. We have had pretty mild winters over the last
forty years or so, with just a few cold spells thrown in.
The older folk are comparing it to the winter of 1947.
It only takes the wind to turn and we will be having a mild spell again.
Roll on 21/12/10 the shortest day, I hate the long nights of winter!

Dec 1st. Just a short walk.

Main Street Rawmarsh, this is a side street not a main road!

Clay Pit Lane looking down towards the Fighting Cocks public house, Parkgate iron & steel works in the distance.

It seemed everyone in Rawmarsh just had to go out walking in the snow.

Clay Pit Lane, walking from St Nicholas road.
Una just had to try her new wellies out.

Kilnhurst Road.
Walking and talking, she knows everybody.

Kilnhurst Road looking towards Hooton Roberts.
A winter wonderland. This is the start of the walk.