Monday, December 23, 2013
Festive frenzy with wild wet weather.
Picture this.....it is December 23rd and today is the day to panic that some presents have not yet been bought, you don't have the things that make for an elegant festive table....and you also must make sure you have all the ingredients to feed folk at that festive table.
These things just have to be done.
Now picture and hear in your mind the weather.
The wind whipped at everything in its path - whipping the rain into horizontal needles and daggers to cut into your face; whipping up anything in its path.
Opposite Pilgrims Antiques in Dorking is a large medieval house in the process of renovation.
Scaffolding covers the front of it and the poles and walkways of scaffolding are covered by waterproof cladding - masses of tarpaulin like material.
Waterproof it may be - but not completely windproof.
It was whipped with great force and in places it broke free of its fixings.
It billowed like the sails of a large yacht on a stormy sea - whipping and cracking, sounding like a tragedy was bound to be imminent. It was so noisy.
Now on this day our two pictures - the anxious shoppers and the winter storm just had to collide.
There could be no waiting for a better day for the shoppers.....there is just one more day and it may not be much better.
And so it was that we searching the shelves of the shop for those perfect gifts which weere needed by our last minute shoppers.
They were blown in through the door, gasping at the intensity of the wind and then mellowed as we showed them around and hunted with them.
We sold more than we would normally expect on a day with such ferocious weather.
As darkness fell at 4 o'clock, we and Steve decided to close the shop.
We had the drive home and traffic reports spoke of so many fallen trees and blocked roads. As it happened we met no more than large amounts of surface water.
And this evening it was my turn to become one of those who decided that whatever the weather, shopping had to be done.
I didn't want to be out with tomorrow morning's very early shoppers in the supermarket.
So I negotiated myself into the car park, dodging trolleys that were being blown about.
This evening Asda was busier than one would expect on a Monday evening, but not at all difficult.
I am thinking that there may not need to be another supermarket shop until next year!
We have more than enough to keep us happy - and some of it is festive!
These things just have to be done.
Now picture and hear in your mind the weather.
The wind whipped at everything in its path - whipping the rain into horizontal needles and daggers to cut into your face; whipping up anything in its path.
Opposite Pilgrims Antiques in Dorking is a large medieval house in the process of renovation.
Scaffolding covers the front of it and the poles and walkways of scaffolding are covered by waterproof cladding - masses of tarpaulin like material.
Waterproof it may be - but not completely windproof.
It was whipped with great force and in places it broke free of its fixings.
It billowed like the sails of a large yacht on a stormy sea - whipping and cracking, sounding like a tragedy was bound to be imminent. It was so noisy.
Now on this day our two pictures - the anxious shoppers and the winter storm just had to collide.
There could be no waiting for a better day for the shoppers.....there is just one more day and it may not be much better.
And so it was that we searching the shelves of the shop for those perfect gifts which weere needed by our last minute shoppers.
They were blown in through the door, gasping at the intensity of the wind and then mellowed as we showed them around and hunted with them.
We sold more than we would normally expect on a day with such ferocious weather.
As darkness fell at 4 o'clock, we and Steve decided to close the shop.
We had the drive home and traffic reports spoke of so many fallen trees and blocked roads. As it happened we met no more than large amounts of surface water.
And this evening it was my turn to become one of those who decided that whatever the weather, shopping had to be done.
I didn't want to be out with tomorrow morning's very early shoppers in the supermarket.
So I negotiated myself into the car park, dodging trolleys that were being blown about.
This evening Asda was busier than one would expect on a Monday evening, but not at all difficult.
I am thinking that there may not need to be another supermarket shop until next year!
We have more than enough to keep us happy - and some of it is festive!
