Perseid Meteor Watch At The Tin Hut

As I mentioned before ... Facebook - which I initially hated then learned to use to my advantage - has taken over from my blogging. I said I'd copy from there and paste here ... oh, my word, the things you've missed about my grumpy old man, I really must bring you up to date. Anyway here's a few snippets straight from Facebook of my nights spent freezing my bits off on a sunlounger watching for the Perseid meteor shower.

badgers from earlier this year ... well you can only look at so many photos of whitish spots ;)

Gone midnight 7th August - Stargazing ... practising for meteor watch. All that's flashed past so far are satellites and loads of bats.
1.04 - Got an owl here now and my camera is busy!!
9.02 - It looks like my photography skills need addressing ... I suppose I can be forgiven as it's the first time I've dared go out in the night since last year after all the oddities I or my camera witnessed.

#meteorwatch was a disaster, not one single photo, yet I know there should have been four (saw five). Saw Eight satellites and all I can find in the photos is an aeroplane and a strange flash but there were so many bats that they must have got in every photo :/

All I got of the owl is his eyes and he posed for at least two minutes.

My swearing was kept to a minimum when I was struggling with the sunlounger, tripod and camera, then realised I'd taken my glasses off, so had to use the light from my phone to go back and find where they'd dropped.
Things weren't helped by me trying to stuff things (phone, batteries) into my dressing gown pockets, only to find they were so far around my back I couldn't reach ... new smaller dressing gown required for #stargazing (already got new fleecy pj's for the job).
If it's clear tonight I'll do it again :)

Star trails from 6th/7th August ... with one aeroplane passing through (dots) just below the pole star and a tidgy widgy flash of meteorite level with the same star and to the right of it. Must try harder. And I will try to make sure that my camera lens doesn't get fogged up this time. 40 photos and 30 mins of my life wasted freezing my bits off taking photos of condensation

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8th August 0.19 - In stargazing position and a badger is here already munching on left over quiche. Noisily barging other side of fence now. My pussycat is keeping me company tonight.

0.40 - And I've got three badgers and one pussy cat for company - nice
1.44 - Given in I'm freeeeeeeezing ... Ar*e! What should have been one perfect photo, turned out to be FOG! For the last 20 mins my camera lens was in it's own damp little cloud. No wonder I was cold :'(
8.24 - Yawn, these stargazing nights are ok but methinks I need a nap during the day. Gone 2.30 before I got to sleep last night with my confused cat thinking I was going out again, bless her :/

10th August 0.16 - On #Meteorwatch again, Chuffin cold. Had to cover Miss Tia Pussykins up with my dressing gown cos she's shivering.

So far, one rabbit, one badger, several satellites and two meteorites. Many, many bats and flying so low they're practically parting my hair!

I can hear another badger other side of the fence. May give in soon and go in, I'm perished, even with a cat sat on me:/


Last night's star trails with one meteor. I admit it's been enhanced slightly but it is actually there. I've also learnt to tweak the contrast of the first pic before stacking to get the bright start to the trail ... I will no doubt do much more tweaking:)

Oh yeah, and the pale blurry bits are clouds, they turned up about 20 mins before I went in but I couldn't move without disturbing a badger, so I carried on pressing the camera buttons - as you do. I'll do the photo stacking again later without the cloudy pics but now I really, REALLY must do some work:)

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11th August 2.45 - Hmmm, the amount of things that keep flashing past - aeroplanes and satellites, also moths, bats, pigeon feathers?!? (reflected from lights) ... and the occasional meteor :/

2.43 - and warmest #Meteorwatch night so far, unless I'm just hardening up. I have to keep sticking my hands under my pits though, and they're not too happy about it, brrrrrrrrrr.

4.22 -  Grumpy woke up and came out an hour ago (3.30) to see if I'd fallen asleep, yeah right. Clouds have arrived and all that can be seen is Jupiter...
Aaaahh, a lovely cuppa and now I'm warming my hands on himself :P

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later the same day, 16.48 - I've just been sent to my bedroom for a nap or I can't go out to play tonight (just because I didn't come in until gone 4.30am).

Have mobile phone - will play - ner ner ner ner ner ;)

12th August - Sigh, last night's #Meteorwatch didn't happen for me ... and it was nearly the night I'd been waiting for.

I stayed up until after midnight but we had far too much cloud (could only see one star at a time) and it showed no signs of clearing.

Never mind, I counted 25 meteors the night before and managed to get a decent photo of one - as well as two aeroplanes and a bat pirouetting above me.

There was much muttering done - and a lot of naughty words used in my notes on the android - as very few were directly overhead.

Fingers crossed for tonight's show xx

 

Two babies from when they first started to visit

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Later the same day at 23.42 - One is in one's #Meteorwatch position. Am frozzed! my GOM - the lightweight - went in after seeing only 5 meteors. I'm made of tougher ... or dafter stuff.

Ooooh, pretty, another one:)

And now a bit later 13th August, 0.05 -  Just given my armpits the cold hand treatment. They were unimpressed. Don't know where I'm going to stick my cold feet.
Oh dear, the badgers were just arriving and a dog has frightened them off (gardens other side of the dyke). Daft mutt is barking with a squeaky toy in his mouth. They'll be back later I suspect.

0.08 - Miss Tia Pussykins has arrived now, wonder if I can get her to sit on my feet?? Uho, hands cold again, sorry armpits ... aaagggghhh!

1.40 -  Badgers are back, pussy gone to investigate. Owl been sat on next door's aerial, did I get a photo? Nope, just its eyes :/
1.50 - Going in when badgers gone, am so cold now. Can hear owl and geese. Pigeon feathers keep floating past ... again.

2.22 - Owl came again and sat on another aerial. Was I ready this time? You bet I was. Did I get it? Did I ar*e? I got the fire assembly point instead mutter, mutter.

Badgers went as soon as I shifted so I'm sat in front of the fire now thawing out. Will look at pics now, had a quick look outside, the 1.20 photo looks to have 2 meteors in it. I didn't see anything then. Bet I was rabbiting on Facebook and just pressed the buttons and hoped for the best.

2.44 - Just checked. That's exactly what I was doing - rabbiting on Facebook.
Got several aeroplanes, one possible Iridium flare and a few meteors, all in the company of Tia, two badgers, one or two owls and umpteen bats - not forgetting the pigeon feathers ... and a brief but exciting (ok NOISY) 15 minutes early on before my grumpy went to bed.

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13th August 1.20 photo - Definite meteor on the left but it looks like the other one is an Iridium flare (brighter in the middle where it's flared by reflecting sunlight). If I'd been looking, I'd have known. But then again, if the app I PAID for was working properly I'd have been reminded five minutes before the event. Same with the ISS, we saw that when we went out but my phone didn't mention it ... chuffin update, was fine the day before :/

17th August 0.07 - I say, these badgers don't worry about little me at all. One of the babies has just walked right past me - in my stargazing/meteorwatch position - to get to the nuts:)

0.29 -  Another badger on it's way past me, so close I could stroke it if I wasn't so attached to my fingers.

0.31 - Think there's too much blackberry undergrowth other side of fence so they're coming this side plus there's always a dog barks at them on the dyke side. They can tip toe past without disturbing it on our side.

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That's it, I've not been out at night since - other than taking moon and badger photos ...

  

Going Batty

Now I've had a minute or two to myself, I've been reading Asda's bat check at Langley Mill and first of all I'd like to say "thanks" for doing it. I was worried about the bats but it appears that they aren't roosting in the Heanor Haulage buildings, so go ahead, knock 'em down - although from the report it looks like the only checks were made on Station Road, Cromford Road and the railway bank. Whereas it's on Heanor Haulage's back yard that we mainly see the bats at dusk but I suppose that may be due to them catching the moths that are attracted to HH's big security light.

We've seen far less bat activity this year than previous years so they've probably sniffed the winds of change and decided to pack their little bat bags and moved on to pastures [roosts] new.

I've sent my 'moany' email to the council about the proposed extension to Bridge Street and also pointed out the problem with the Smiths Flour Mill lorries blocking the road.

Of course, we were in our summer residence when the promised council letter finally arrived, so my neighbour propped it in a prominant position for our friends to collect from our peasant residence last Wednesday on their way here for a 'crumbly week'.

I was ably assisted by said friends in my 'moany council letter', getting their approval - appreciated - and tips on how to exaggerate - ignored - but I have to say, their crumbly version would have made excellent though novelistic reading.

I see from the AVBC website that there is only ours and one other letter from Bridge Street so far. But not to worry as these will soon be joined by letters or emails from my neighbours, some who have already written; ready to send, and others who are busy scribbling away as I type this post.

I hope we'll be taken notice of, they're planning on building almost twice as many houses [up to 60] than Bridge Street already has [34], being terraced houses we have to park our cars on the road so I don't see how we'll cope with the extra traffic, plus Bridge Street has always been a safe haven for children playing, bats flying, grumpys moaning and cats snoozing ...

My Views on Asda's Plans for Langley Mill

Ok, I've seen Asda's & Heanor Haulage's plans for Langley Mill.

So what was all that tripe about showing us the plans in early April where they would 'try to incorporate our suggestions where possible'. They haven't budged an inch as far as I can see. We're still going to have an enormous Heanor Haulage workshop across from us, it's not so bad further down the street where the offices plan to be, they're set further back & aren't so high or indeed likely to be noisy.
We were told by Asda representatives that the Heanor Haulage building would be two stories high, they were either fibbing or didn't know what they were talking about. I assume it was the latter as they had no reason to lie, a little retraining required I think before the next public exhibitions.

And where are my trees? the only ones near us look like they're getting the chop as they'll be in the way of Heanor Haulage & Asda's grand plan [yes, am in a mood].

I noticed on more than one page of the plans that they're quite chuffed to let us know how high the current building is & how high their proposed elevation will be, yes, it's lower, but that's from number 40 Bridge Street down. Only where Asda itself is, no mention of what it'll be like opposite the buildings of Heanor Haulage, quite nice where the offices are, set back away from the road, but we'll have the noisy high workshop, very close to us.

I also noticed that on every ASDA sign on the plans it said '24 hours', oh what joy, I'll be able to nip down for a bottle of milk in my nighty & slippers if they keep me awake.

Where's the rest of Heanor Haulage going? & why isn't it all going? This has me baffled but I'm only a simple woman, not privy to the machinations [what a lovely big word] of Mr Heanor Haulage & Asda.

I'm wondering if writing any sort of objection about the Heanor Haulage part of the plans will have the slightest bit of impact with the council. I've now fully accepted that Heanor Haulage is here to stay but a little more leeway in their building positions and LOTS OF TREES FOR ME!! would be appreciated.

Also there's the housing, now if it was being done on the back without Heanor Haulage on the front it'd be ok. I know I constantly moan about Heanor Haulage behind us but at least now we can see beyond them from the upstairs window & there's plenty of light. With Heanor Haulage's new proposed HIGH building on the front & modern 'get as many 3 story houses [up to 60] as you can on as little land as possible' attitude on the back, the overall view we're threatened with will be akin to life in a prison, although I've heard that it's much nicer in some prisons.

Anyway, how can we object to 'an outline' of the housing plans? there's nothing specific to point out & say "we don't think it's right".

I suppose it's our fault for being peasants & living where we do in the first place but before Heanor Haulage moved in it was lovely & peaceful even though it is dark on the front with the brick building & tin shack next to it. In winter the sun hardly ever reaches downstairs.

'Well established' I've seen Heanor Haulage described, as a firm it may well be, but it's suggested that they're 'well established' in Langley Mill. If you count 13 or 14 years as 'well established' fair enough. If this is the case then my grumpy old man, who has lived on Bridge Street since 1962, must by now have 'Stonehenge' status.

We're still puzzled about how the 'well established' firm Heanor Haulage got here in the first place. As the name suggests, Heanor Haulage originated elsewhere, in fact they've had several changes of address so I don't know why they wouldn't like another one, somewhere like, oh let me see, Heanor?

Oh yes, back to how they got foisted on us at Langley Mill. A big building firm wanted their land on Lacyfields road. It was all very hush hush, no-one knew they were coming, there were no notices anywhere. I know I'm repeating myself but they just turned up one Sunday afternoon.

All in all, I have to say despite my grumbling of things past that cannot be undone. I am in favour of an Asda store being built in Langley Mill. But unless it can be categorically proved that Heanor Haulage won't be a noise & pollution nuisance as they are now, then I will object to their part of the plans. And believe me, in the future after my objections have been completely ignored & Heanor Haulage are installed in their new workshop & strangely larger offices for a downsized company, I will be in touch with environmental health whenever I think it's necessary & be ignored a bit more.

As regards to the demolition & rebuilding, I expect noise & disruption, as long as the rules are adhered to about times of work & noise, then I won't be complaining too loudly, except of course here in my blog.

Oh yes Asda, don't forget the BATS, the man who checked for their possible roosts was too early, they arrived mid-May & they come every year, we're not sure exactly where they roost but we think it's in the building across the top of Bridge Street.

Asda have now written to us twice so far & we've recently had a letter from the council telling us how to have our say if we object to the plans. Now that is what I consider a courtesy by Asda & proper procedure by the council.

We've heard nothing from Heanor Haulage. I use that term loosely, I meant we've had nothing delivered in the post from them, about their plans & how they will affect us. Perhaps they're not legally obliged to, but surely it's in their interest not to alienate the residents by not even acknowledging their existence. I for one & others I've spoken to would like Heanor Haulage representatives to make themselves available for questioning on 24th June at the Bridge centre. We want to know what impact it'll have on our lives moving their workshop so close.
Questions about where the compressor will go & will it be soundproofed enough? How will they get rid of diesel fumes from the building? Are they likely to come our way? These are pertinent questions that we need answered, not just the nit-picking of a grumpy old woman - I mean me in case you were wondering...