Dangerous solar flares?

See http://nypost.com/2014/07/24/solar-flare-nearly-destroyed-earth-two-years-ago-nasa/.   According to the New York Times NASA now reports we very narrowly missed a CME event in summer 2012 that could have set the Earth back centuries. There may be a touch of sensational journalism, but the dangers are real.   Apparently the odds are still quite high that if could happen again (12%).

We are moving past the peak of the solar cycle to less active solar times, so we may be lucky. Such an event last happened in the mid 1800s before wireless, PCs, GPS and satellites. Let's hope we are now more prepared for such an eventuality. Scary stuff.

Cultural vandalism

I care not what the religion is, but I detest when one religious group or another believes they know better than history and destroy artifacts that have been religious icons for centuries. A few centuries back it was King Henry 8 vandalising English churches believing statues there were idolatrous. Not long ago it was Buddha statues in Afghanistan. Now we read ISIS has destroyed the tomb of Jonah. Once gone, these artifacts are gone for ever. We have no right to decide we know better than history whatever the case.

See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/25/isis-jonah-tomb_n_5620520.html .

Home quiet again

Our "London" grandchildren were collected by their mum and dad this afternoon, so everything here is quiet again. Their untidiness is "clean mess" which my wife soon vacuumed up.

 The house is now quiet for about a week until the other grandchildren and their parents come for a few days. The "London" grandchildren return here after their stay in Brittany which will be at the end of August.

Breakfast time - Food Doctor is a favourite!

Commonwealth Games - Glasgow 2014

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BtVjm_4IMAAIMWB.jpg

Don't quite know why, but I cannot get excited by the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Although  not a keen sportsman (even when in normal health and fully fit) I found the Olympic Games quite inspirational and uplifting. I am not quite sure why the same "magnetism" is missing from the Commonwealth Games. Maybe this will change over time?

Weather still promising

We have been blessed with good weather this week whilst our grandchildren have been staying here and we hope this continues until they go home tomorrow afternoon.  One of their pleasures has been playing with the hose spray in the garden.

Although there is thunder/lightning in France, it looks clear here.  See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en  . The forecast for the morning is for some rain though, but a higher chance after lunch. We amy just be lucky.

Anglesey Abbey picnic

As the weather was so glorious today, we took our two "London" grandchildren to Angelsey Abbey today for a picnic and races.

The image here is just after the picnic of of our eldest grandson (6.75yrs old) racing across the lawns and our little one finishing her picnic.

The final picture was taken before the picnic.

Bury-St-Edmunds this morning

This morning, we went to Bury-St-Edmunds with the "London" grandchildren. It was so nice to do normal things  such as buy some toy cars in Toymaster,  have a drink and cake in Baileys and visit the toy train shop Model Junction.  Our grandchildren mean the world to us. It is so lovely to see them so happy. On the way home Amandine fell fast asleep in the car.