Well pretend. I was sitting in a freezing warehouse where an art group meets and it struck me that their theatrical group had constructed these trees for one production or another. About three meters high, they must have taken some building. The green leaves spread out as a canopy above visitors heads. It made me think of warm sand and gently lapping waves. Or benches and tables laden with cool fruit juices and melon, papaya or mango. That helped me feel a little warmer despite the cold of a freezing February evening.
This week has been really cold. Last night it was minus 19 °C in Altnagar in the Northern Highlands of Scotland. I was below zero here.
A couple of cats, a ginger and this black and white cat have started sneaking in. Last night both popped in for food, but this one came and sat down in the living room, all the while being stared at (but seemingly accepted) by my own cats.
I managed to take a photo of this boy cat, and put a post on our local lost and found cats page. I have had people offering to check it’s microchip but it must have gone out in the night.
Anyway at least I’m offering a warm space during this cold weather. I’ll have a chat with my vets on Monday. X
Amber warning of snow and possible snow up to 10 centimetres. Also temperatures down to – 10°C. It makes me worry about people sleeping out on the streets. I see them more and more. I buy the big issue off sellers and try and give a few coins, but it’s not much. When you think about it people are struggling with increasing rents and mortgages, people are barely coping. I can only hope that this government try to do more than the last one? But I worry that the poor are often seen as deserving or undeserving when rich people are always fine. Oh I don’t know, I just want us all to be safe. X
I went to my art group for mental wellbeing this morning and decided on the way home because the weather is sunny and burning hot. So I went shopping to save having to go out again later. While I was in the supermarket I treated myself to a chocolate frappachino? Is that what it’s called (milkshake) it was so cold I got real brain freeze! (drawn in Artrage app).
It’s about 30°C outside and I was in the car which was incredibly hot. No air conditioner so I had the windows wide open. I was so tired and overheated when I got home I’ve just come in and kicked my shoes off. Now for a rest!
My feet were soaked, my coat got soaked and hail and rain trickled down my neck! The bottom of my trousers acted like a wick and sucked up the water. I was still wearing sandals because I hurt my toes a few weeks ago and the sandals are squelching so I’ve had to get my warm slippers on. It’s not very warm so I’ll get a hot shower.
April showers? Yesterday the next door town had a mini tornado that blew a caravan over and several trees were blown over in the east Midlands. Today we even had a thunderstorm. I only went out to meet a friend, we had a walked up the steep hill to her house and then I was stuck for a while because the hail and rain was so heavy. Water was streaming down the pavements and gutters which is why my feet got so wet.
We are lucky to have rain in this country but a lot of UK farmers have been affected by the wet winter months. Crops have been affected and are not growing like they should. The plants are basically being drowned and many flood warnings have been in force.
Better weather and a high pressure system is expected over the UK in the next few days. Meanwhile I’m going to try and get warm and dry!
Outside now! After a freezing week, some snow has dumped itself on us! Friends waiting for snow. This is white and fluffy, I don’t know if you could ski on it and it might be gone in the morning? I don’t know the temperature but it must be below zero. Everything is hushed, apart from a gritting lorry which went by about half an hour again.
The hoar frost was thick this morning when I visited hubby at the hospital. I had a frozen car lock to contend with, then a car parking meter that was frozen so it would not accept cash. The other one on the car park was not taking money either, just card payments.
When I got to the ward the doors were locked. I was visiting outside visiting hours, they are allowing me to do that because hubby is awaiting surgery but they don’t know when yet and he might have to be taken to theatre during visiting times.
I don’t know who will read this so I’m not doing into details, but he is poorly but stable. I just feel lonely without him.
Waking up in an empty bed is so strange, the cats were with me keeping warm. I hope he can come home soon, but we won’t know until he has an operation.
I might not be around much, but I will try and catch up when I can. X
Britain is a temperate but also a maritime country. It sits in a position where winds come from all directions and can get hot but also quite cold. That variation in weather means the British are always talking about the it!
As the world warms up we are getting less cold weather, but we don’t always have warm temperatures. Some years ago the country was covered in snow for a few weeks. Satellite pictures showed a totally white surface of the country, which was brilliant white with snow and ice.
So how do I feel about the cold? I have not really experienced very cold weather. But I have lived in cold houses. Huddling around a coal fire when I was a student, with not enough money to burn coal! I remember one day chopping up an old chair to keep warm. That was the year a crank on my then boyfriends bike snapped because it was so cold.
On another occasion we went cycle camping one Easter. The weather was fine on our travel to the camp site, then it snowed. We set up camp then found places in the town to keep warm. We sat in a warm pub till closing time, then had to go back. You know its cold when you put on two pairs of trousers and four tops to go to sleep in a sleeping bag inside a tent!
So on the whole I can cope with the cold. I don’t like not being able to heat our house as I get older, but I can put on more jumpers and a coat.
View out of the upstairs window. I woke up to a sprinkling of snow. Its only a thin dusting, but the clouds are grey. Hubby’s talking about going for a walk in it. I’ve come back to bed to snuggle rather than putting the heaters on. Had a nice hot cup of decaff coffee. The weather forecast is for it to blow over. Heading east. Other places have had it far worse. But last night we had freezing rain so I think it’s going to be slippy underfoot and I’ve seen posts on Facebook about it being hazardous to drive in. The trouble with the UK is we have all sorts of weather all the time, tomorrow might be warmer and dry, or thundery, or we might get saharan dust! We don’t get used to driving in snow, it’s like iceskating once a year. You can’t be an expert in such a short time.
Warmth is essential to life, not excessive heat, but enough so you are able to be comfortable without shivering or having to wear outside clothes indoors. When I see the state that people in Turkey and Syria and also Ukraine are having to live in, it makes me so thankful for my circumstances. Earthquakes and Wars don’t spare anyone. Freezing winter temperatures are lethal if you don’t have shelter and warmth.
If you are aware of any charities that are collecting for these tragedies please consider donating to them. Compassion is so important.
Mallaband-Brown 