Hodd

The things we missed, AL ☹️

I lived/worked in Germany for a number of years, well I say lived, but I should say I drank! I went back for a visit when I was three months sober and noticed a great Saturday market right outside where I used to live with fresh foods of all sorts. I sent some photos to my wife. She said she used to go every Saturday morning. Ouch! I was either in bed or hungover. What great Saturday mornings that would’ve been. But like you, AL, I think we’re the lucky ones to have woken up when so many carry on drinking their lives away.

Apart from the wallet pain, that sounds like a nice day tomorrow 👍

AL48

Well the wallet pain for the car wasn't as bad as first thought. No change of the time belt as theres a chain so all good for another 12 months and only €200 for the checkup oils filters and whatever else was due. Never thought I would be happy to hand over €200 before😅. So walked the city called to visit my uncles missed my aunts and got out of there as soon as possible.
I will go out later for a short walk its just not the same walking around such a built up area. I like a bit of space.

AL48

Not Ireland but France, we sit here in this spot for some afternoon sun during the summer. Never snows there when im over during winter.

Hodd

Good result on the car, AL 👍

I get laughed at driving my car. It only has a three-cylinder engine (with timing chain) and has now done 190000 miles! Bought in 2013 and no trouble. I’m wondering what will finally be its undoing, but the engine’s fine.

AL48

This is getting scary Hodd mines the same year😅. But the mileage is a bit less now all the walking has become part of the daily routine.

AL48

Its freezing over here🥶.

biminiblue

How do birds survive in the extreme cold of winters? I had to Google that one after watching the tiny little hummingbirds during a very cold period of time one winter. I had to figure out how to keep their sugar-water from freezing. (The solution was Christmas lights around the bottom of the feeder)

Great pics as always, AL48.

tursiops999

Beautiful pic of the heron in the morning light, AL.

Bim, I too ponder how do the birds survive in winter? It doesn't freeze here by the ocean in N. Calif, but we can have cold rain, hail and wind ... I just wonder where do they go for shelter, how do they not drop from exhaustion? It's sunny this morning, and here they are in my backyard again, zipping around looking for food.

AL48

Very popular to feed the bird over winter here. The cold dose get a few unfortunately. I used to feed them but once the 4 legged furry friend found the peanut stand it was banned from the garden 😔.
the seabirds and ducks don't seem to have an issue though.

Robbie64

Great photo AL. It's been freezing here too but wonderfully sunny all day.

Hodd

^^^ Sounds like we’re not petrol heads, AL. I don’t use my car so much and have actually lent it to my new girlfriend for a few days as her car died. That really shows how little I care about my car! On the other hand, though, she’s looking at spending £16000 on a new car and doing so on finance! I’m flabbergasted that anyone would get a car loan especially only that huge. I’ve said my piece and offered to find a more sensibly priced car, but it’ll end in tears (mine) so I’ll let it go. Cars are second only to alcohol when it comes to wasting money!

AL48

Its hard to give you somthing different at the moment but the water is a big part of me and im stuck indoors for most of the day. I take the same route into work 7.30am every morning 5km 45 minutes but i wouldnt miss it for anything.
The sunrise from time to time is breathtaking. The rain can make it feel miserable but still worth it. I see and feel things now that I wouldn't have before.
They tell us it takes a month to make something habitual. Im glad to have made this one.

biminiblue

Caramel

AL48, if there was a 'thanks' button I'd be applying it to all your photos. Meanwhile you'll just have to imagine it

The views, especially when the sea is involved, are never the same from one day to the next. That's why I love the coast and harbours myself.

Hope the weather is being kind to you on your walks and that the days are lengthening out as you wish.

AL48

Thankyou 🙂.
Its cold mornings like this im glad to to be working indoors. Bringing back memories of my childhood looking at this little boat heading out. You must have to have love for this job to keep it up. I certainly did not.

biminiblue

Did you have a job on a small boat? I wouldn't like that in cold waters, most definitely.

Such a great image.

Free2bme888

hi AL,

Just catching up here again, lovely photos and dialogue.

Hoping you have a great rest of the week and weekend.

Big Hugs

Free

AL48

Thanks Free.
Biminiblue my dad had a fishing boat/trawler when i was young. Fishing for everything from shellfish with pots to Herring in winter. Summer it was Mackerel and Pollock on lines with a dozen feathers and a big lump of lead weight on the end. We would bring out tourists fishing too. Many Dutch would come fishing for blue shark. They would hang it and have their photo next to it after landing back. I hated most of it but have some good memories too. Its a hard life, hard work and my dad was a hard drinker to top it off but we never went hungry and always had a roof over our heads as my mam would say.
Very few fishing boats now in town mainly yachts. The harbour was full before of fishing boats in every shape and size. We even had a cannery the fishing was duch a big industry. Times change.

biminiblue

Times do definitely change.

Thanks, AL48.

tursiops999

That's a lovely scene of the early morning boats. I feel very romantic about working boats but I know the reality is hard ... lots of hard work and it's chilly heading out so early in the morning!!