I was shocked when I read in the on-line local paper, that a town about 9 miles from me had been completely flooded out!!! Seeing the streets and roads completely awash, shops being swept out with the water, goods for sale were totally ruined, cars had been left in the middle of the roads, completely useless in water that was half way up the doors!!! Whilst the poor people of the town were trying to save their personal possessions etc from the flood, we were enjoying sunshine. I looked on the live webcams of the beach near me - and there were people on the beach, some swimming and some on boards, totally unaware of what was happening a few miles away. I then went to look at the webcams near where the rain had been - and you could hardly make out anything on them, because the rain was relentless!!! Isn't it strange how two totally different weather conditions can occur but only miles away from each other.

It reminded me of a similar occasion many years ago - about 30 years ago I think, when I was still living in Exeter and it was a cold winter. Now usually the South West doesn't get much snow - something to do with the jet stream or the gulf stream - one or the other, and it keeps this area milder than in other places. Well this particular time, we got snow and people were being told to take care when driving and to check whether they needed to go home early to avoid being stuck in the city all night. I kept on looking out the window, but nothing was coming down out of the sky. So that meant I had to stay in the office all day!!!! When I eventually got home - not having seen any of the white stuff, I saw on the local news that snow had indeed fallen all around Exeter and an aerial view of the city, was absolutely amazing. The view was of complete whiteness, apart from a small circle around Exeter!!! I've never seen anything like it since - it must have been a one-off - very strange.

I spoke to Mandi this afternoon, and she was looking so hot and bothered. The temps are so high over there, and there's hardly been any wind. She's too scared to go out to the beach because of the huge influx of tourists. Well the family who's renting out the apartment above her, had some relations to stay with them - a husband, wife and two children!! Considering it's a one bedroom apartment, it's rather cramped!!! Well they've been there almost 3 weeks, but she said that she saw the husband and wife for the first time since they arrived!! She'd seen the grandparents with the children often - well most days - but now the parents are coming out and going to the beach with the children!! Strange how they've been stuck indoors for nearly 3 weeks - considering they'd come down to the coast for a holiday, why did they stay indoors? They'd come down from Istanbul, where there is a large amount of COVID19 cases. I wonder if they'd come down, but self isolated for over 2 weeks. That's not fair on Mandi and Dogan downstairs. She doesn't speak to them, so she now makes sure she's indoors or on her patio when they come back from the beach, just in case.

This virus is becoming so tiring - especially as most of us have been keeping to the rules and not gone out without a mask and keeping a good 2 metre distance from each other, apart from the idiots who decide they don't want to do that - they want to have parties!!!! Yet the government say they want us oldies (people over 65) to stay indoors to stay well. NO - they should ensure people from the ages of 20 - 40 (who seem to be the main culprits of ignoring the rules) should be made to stay indoors, to be isolated - not us oldies - we don't have raves nor street parties!!!

Okay rant over - I do get fed up with hearing about the raves, and that people seem to have totally changed their persona and are behaving irresponsibly.

No rain today - just humidity and overcast. Great!!! Stay safe everyone please.