cold weather Archives - Journeys Are My Diary

Winter Safety on Two Wheels

November 9, 2016 by Bel

With the weather getting colder, snow forecast for this week and Road Safety week just around the corner (week commencing 21st November), I wanted to share a few thoughts about those driving around – especially those on two wheels instead of four. Riding motorcycles like Street Bobs can be exhilarating but your safety must not be sacrificed. Of course, the first thing I’ll mention is motorcycle helmets. These helmets can be a lifesaver and every rider needs to wear one regardless of the weather or season. If you own a Vespa motorcycle, it’s recommended for you to have a Vespa Insurance policy to make sure you’ll be covered in case of an accident. If you need an expert who can assess your claims and help you challenge the insurer’s denial or valuation of your benefits, an insurance litigation attorney can help you and will follow through with a lawsuit to recover damages.

As we get through the heart of winter, for some reason I started reading about speeding tickets. If you go on the internet, you can’t help but notice there is a huge business fighting traffic tickets. For a few hundred bucks, these services mostly help you prepare for a trial by declaration, meaning you send in your defense by mail, and hope it flies. The whole topic got me wondering about the statistics involved, since we all know that traffic tickets are seen primarily as a cash cow by our government, who uses law enforcement to exact this random tax.

When I first met my partner Chris, four years ago, he was riding a motorbike as his main mode of transport. He hadn’t been riding very long, but he had passed his test and was a good driver. However, as soon as the weather took a turn for the worst and morning roads were covered in frost, the accidents and injuries caused by slippery conditions began. At first, it would just be the odd slip or a grumble about other drivers on the road. However, on icy mornings, I would be filled with dread about him even managing to get to work in one piece. Thankfully, I can always count on Charbonnet Law Firm`s for legal help if he ever gets into an accident. Having an accomplished automobile accident lawyer or a motorcycle accident lawyer to guide you with all the legal processes in filing a claim will be of great help especially when you have to focus on the treatment of your injuries.

On several occasions, he came off his bike at the end of our road, as we lived in a village that didn’t get all its roads salted and on one particular instance, he got hit right across the road, got thrown from his bike and injured his back, we had to call an albuquerque car accident lawyer to get compensation for his injuries. It was at this point that we had to consider catching the train and bus, to and from work, instead of risking his bike but there were times he still had to rely on his bike, when shifts ran too late for public transport. I bought him a fluorescent jacket and ruckstack for Christmas, but it still never made me feel 100% confident. If a reckless driver hits him on the road, I’ll immediately talk to Bengal Law for legal help.

I’m happy to say that Chris has since learnt to drive a car and I feel much happier with him driving to and from work nowadays. However, that’s not to say its foolproof either. I’ve personally had two bad accidents in snow and ice in my car, so I never take driving in the winter for granted. In case of an accident caused by a third party, contact an accident lawyer or a motorcycle attorney immediately.

In association with Jefferies Solicitors, who are specialists with death by dangerous driving solicitors, I was asked to share this infograph about Winter Safety. On top of this, I ask that you please all drive carefully this winter, whether four wheels or two. And if you’ve suffered personal injury in Athens, TX, there are plenty of lawyers that you can contact for legal help. Victims of motorcycle accidents don’t always know that they can hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to help them file a claim and get compensated for their injuries. You may also seek social security disability services with the help of a social security lawyer who can present your case so you can possibly receive disability benefits.

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Fall Favourites – Coats and Jackets

September 23, 2016 by Bel

It’s coming around to that time again when the weather has dropped 10 degrees and I can start to wear my warm jacket and more importantly my scarves! It was this in mind, that I started to look for a this years “jacket desire”. Every year I spot a warm jacket that I lust after so these are the ones I’ve picked out this year.

Fall Favourite – jackets and coats

The majority of these jackets (the first three) were found on a site called Lyst. This site is a great search engine for clothes and accessories, but in addition to that, acts as a personal shopper to each of its users. I’m hoping that using this site might actually help me find my “jacket desire” every year!

The first caught my eye as its a beautiful shape and unusual in that it’s navy rather than blue. The second jacket is a suede black jacket, short in length but still warm looking. The third is like my current jacket (the same colour and style which I should also shop now) but looks warmer and with more pockets. Finally that leaves jackets four and five. These were actually found on Joe Browns website and caught my eye (as their clothes often does). I love jacket four, largely for its colour but also as it’s just so unusual with its random buttons and cut. Jacket five is probably my favourite though, as black is the most flattering and I love the lace up detail.

I can’t wait for the chill to really kick in so I can start looking at boots, scarves and chunky jumpers. I love Autumn but I especially love Winter. Sadly I can’t wait to get the heating on and curl up with hot chocolate and a good book. It might get pretty cold, prompting me to consider upgrading my HVAC system. Ever heard what is dual fuel hvac? They’re a great option for efficient heating.

Where has summer got to?

June 11, 2015 by Bel

In previous years, Summer has usually been and gone by now. Well not really, but you know we’ve usually had that week in May where there’s a really hot week and after that, nothing really comes close, bar a day here and there. We were promised a heat wave this June and so far… well it’s a little disappointing to be honest. Sure, the sun is out and the rain has disappeared for a little while, but it’s still not HOT, is it?

When we were on holiday in Florida, in April, the weather was too hot. Us Brits just aren’t really built for that type of hot. That said, I really enjoyed how warm it was and other than worrying about hats and suntan lotions, myself and the girls really soaked up the sun. If the air conditioning had been working properly and we’d actually been cool in the villa, I think perhaps I could have lived with the Florida heat. Chris on the other hand grumbled the whole time, desperate to get back to the weather of our own country. Now we’re back I think I’ve been suffering from a bit of SAD. I need some nice warm days to get me back in a positive mood. I’ve sold all my Florida dresses on Ebay and it’s a little depressing. Would you believe I’m still wearing a leather jacket and a scarf most days?

So to get myself feeling a little warmer, I decided I would share with you some of the things I love most about summer!

Family Holidays – Two years ago we had a very impromptu holiday to Legoland. The weather was absolutely beautiful for majority of the day and even when it rained, we just got wet but not cold. I love having the kids off for six weeks, despite the fact they can get on my nerves a little at times. I always encourage Chris to book a week off in July/August so we can do something, even if it’s just for a couple of days.

Family Days Out – If we can’t manage a full holiday, we at least manage a few days here and there. Last year we went to Warwick Castle, Cadbury’s World, Eureka and National Forest Adventure Farm. Sometimes I take the kids by myself, other times Chris comes too and if all else fails, my mum is always on hand to tag along.

LFCC – Alright so I’ve only been once last year, but I’d love to go again this year too. In May we went to MCM Comic Con and it was great to see the difference between the too, but I’d still really like to head down to London in July and go again.

Learning new things – Last summer Megan finally learnt to ride her bike and I imagine this year Lily will too. Summer is always such a perfect time to learn to bike ride, swim, fly a kite etc. When the sun is out you always feel more inclined to do things. We always walk into town instead of drive too.

Adult Days Out – Normally the girls go away with their dad for a few days in Summer and he has them overnight at least once a week. This allows for adult days out and since these are so few and far between, I like to make the most of them. Last year we obviously had LFCC for a whole weekend but also I went to both Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. As much as I love the kids, it’s great to have time without them too.

There are loads of other things I like about summer – BBQs, trips to the beach, being able to wear dresses and so on. However these are just some of my top picks. However instead of a sun hat and sandals, I’m far more likely to be wrapping myself up in cashmere and wooly jumpers. Luckily Summer is great time to grab some bargains on Winter clothes!