Saturday, January 10, 2009
Feels cold and got cold. Bother.
BOTHER!
I have a few reasons for muttering "Bother".
First "they" had said earlier in the week, that today would feel warmer and there would be sunshine. I planned to be at a boot sale.
But it was quite clear that the warmer weather had been delayed - and that when it does arrive it will bring rain with it.
On our way to the post card club yesterday evening it was so cold - took an age to de - ice the car - and we knew that going to a car boot sale before dawn would not be fun.
The talk at the post card club was interesting - though Bill missed most of it because he had a nasty coughing fit.
I knew Newhaven well when I was young. I have collected a few Newhaven postcards of my own to illustrate our childhood holidays, when we would cycle often from our camp on the South Down to the beach at Newhaven. I used to feel quite grumbly sometimes on those long bike rides. The terrain was hilly and I always had to ride alone with my parents riding along to shield the two little brothers from any passing traffic. It was at least 6 miles and I developed the habit, which I still have of memorising all the familiar landmarks on the route and built my own relationships with them.
And then 2 years running I fell off my bike as we hit Newhaven, having got the wheel stuck in the railway lines which were along the road going over the swing bridge.
The route is much the same still - but oh how Newhaven has changed.
The port is run down and very little uses it. There is now an expensive yachting marina and the route round to the sea has gone.
It saddened me to see somewhere special to me in a state of some decay.
This morning we woke and saw how right we were to have stayed in the warmth of home and bed.
It looked so cold.
Bill took more pictures, which are below.
Lots of people have been taking pictures and I have enjoyed seeing everybody's delight at the beauty of the extreme weather on blogs, facebook and emails.
It is not so cold tonight in Thailand of course - 30 degrees warmer perhaps. There is a party there for our John's 4th birthday. I am sure there will be pictures very soon.
I have been writing about John today.
And Ekatarina too.
My web pages for our grandchildren are now up to date.
Nobody will see them, except Bill of course, until the end of the year when new updated discs will be available.
Now begins a bigger challenge - sorting out what I need to tell the story of Bill's grandmother, Louisa.
I am not sure when I shall be up to it.
Another "Bother" is being uttered at this point. I have a sore throat, headache and the beginnings of a runny nose.
It was inevitable - but double bother!
I shall do my best to fight it off.
I think I shall feel glad tomorrow that, this morning, I made a huge hotpot to last 2 days - so no cooking tomorrow.
Right time for a fruit and lemon tea and then perhaps bed. It is below zero again tonight - warmer tomorrow perhaps? With rain by evening.
Of course as pensioners we may well be given an extra £25 to go towards out heating bills because of the long spell of extreme cold.
This was the view from the bedroom window as we drank our first cup of tea of the day.
After breakfast Bill went into the garden to explore websites - the frost making webs visible.
I have a few reasons for muttering "Bother".
First "they" had said earlier in the week, that today would feel warmer and there would be sunshine. I planned to be at a boot sale.
But it was quite clear that the warmer weather had been delayed - and that when it does arrive it will bring rain with it.
On our way to the post card club yesterday evening it was so cold - took an age to de - ice the car - and we knew that going to a car boot sale before dawn would not be fun.
The talk at the post card club was interesting - though Bill missed most of it because he had a nasty coughing fit.
I knew Newhaven well when I was young. I have collected a few Newhaven postcards of my own to illustrate our childhood holidays, when we would cycle often from our camp on the South Down to the beach at Newhaven. I used to feel quite grumbly sometimes on those long bike rides. The terrain was hilly and I always had to ride alone with my parents riding along to shield the two little brothers from any passing traffic. It was at least 6 miles and I developed the habit, which I still have of memorising all the familiar landmarks on the route and built my own relationships with them.
And then 2 years running I fell off my bike as we hit Newhaven, having got the wheel stuck in the railway lines which were along the road going over the swing bridge.
The route is much the same still - but oh how Newhaven has changed.
The port is run down and very little uses it. There is now an expensive yachting marina and the route round to the sea has gone.
It saddened me to see somewhere special to me in a state of some decay.
This morning we woke and saw how right we were to have stayed in the warmth of home and bed.
It looked so cold.
Bill took more pictures, which are below.
Lots of people have been taking pictures and I have enjoyed seeing everybody's delight at the beauty of the extreme weather on blogs, facebook and emails.
It is not so cold tonight in Thailand of course - 30 degrees warmer perhaps. There is a party there for our John's 4th birthday. I am sure there will be pictures very soon.
I have been writing about John today.
And Ekatarina too.
My web pages for our grandchildren are now up to date.
Nobody will see them, except Bill of course, until the end of the year when new updated discs will be available.
Now begins a bigger challenge - sorting out what I need to tell the story of Bill's grandmother, Louisa.
I am not sure when I shall be up to it.
Another "Bother" is being uttered at this point. I have a sore throat, headache and the beginnings of a runny nose.
It was inevitable - but double bother!
I shall do my best to fight it off.
I think I shall feel glad tomorrow that, this morning, I made a huge hotpot to last 2 days - so no cooking tomorrow.
Right time for a fruit and lemon tea and then perhaps bed. It is below zero again tonight - warmer tomorrow perhaps? With rain by evening.
Of course as pensioners we may well be given an extra £25 to go towards out heating bills because of the long spell of extreme cold.
This was the view from the bedroom window as we drank our first cup of tea of the day.
After breakfast Bill went into the garden to explore websites - the frost making webs visible.
These 2 leaf pictures show just how much the frost had built up in 24 hours.
The second one you saw yesterday - and the first one is the same leaf this morning.
I hope they appear side by side on your screen.
