{"id":7101,"date":"2025-12-21T10:22:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T10:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/?p=7101"},"modified":"2025-12-21T10:22:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T10:22:56","slug":"so-its-been-raining-a-bit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/?p=7101","title":{"rendered":"So, It&#8217;s Been Raining A Bit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Part of me wants to think that this is a boat ramp for canoes or similar, but &#8230; I think I&#8217;m wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7094\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075741040_hdr7265903257981070035.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251219_075720510_hdr6404515884203756470.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first saw this, from a carpark, I thought that maybe the stripmall bordered on an ornamental lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Technically, I suppose, that&#8217;s now accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7093\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_132512980_hdr1108109625332297332.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7092\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1325405844363430566836671104.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Impressed with how hard that one sandbag is working; Normally you need a whole wall of them, but clearly the water is so scared of that one bag that it won&#8217;t even come close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1349175443797086781860233000-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7096\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1349175443797086781860233000-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1349175443797086781860233000-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1349175443797086781860233000-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1349175443797086781860233000-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1349175443797086781860233000.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>And now, Christmas in Stafford. And Penkridge. And Birmingham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7097\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251220_1717222224359477859222200874.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A market square on the &#8216;main street&#8217; in Stafford<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251215_130002456_hdr9082277981984978050-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251215_130002456_hdr9082277981984978050-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251215_130002456_hdr9082277981984978050-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251215_130002456_hdr9082277981984978050-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251215_130002456_hdr9082277981984978050-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251215_130002456_hdr9082277981984978050.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Departmental Christmas Tree <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251209_170512908_hdr5573822906132072568-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251209_170512908_hdr5573822906132072568-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251209_170512908_hdr5573822906132072568-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251209_170512908_hdr5573822906132072568-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251209_170512908_hdr5573822906132072568-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251209_170512908_hdr5573822906132072568.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Just down the road from the office <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251205_1730201294454461060321401922-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7099\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251205_1730201294454461060321401922-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251205_1730201294454461060321401922-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251205_1730201294454461060321401922-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251205_1730201294454461060321401922-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_20251205_1730201294454461060321401922.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Birmingham Moor Street Station <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Part of me wants to think that this is a boat ramp for canoes or similar, but &#8230; I think I&#8217;m wrong. When I first saw this, from a carpark, I thought that maybe the stripmall bordered on an ornamental lake. Technically, I suppose, that&#8217;s now accurate. Impressed with how hard that one sandbag is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[138],"class_list":["post-7101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life","tag-christmas"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3O6N9-1Qx","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7101\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hoarde.net\/craigblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}