Misty Return

A bright and misty morning greeted us today.  The unsmiling gathered at the supermarket ready to grumble and complain.  None noticed the brightness high in the sky above the trees, none gave thanks that they could walk to the shop, at least walk from their car to the shop.  

While the sun began to lessen the mist it remained happy enough to allow the mist to envelope parts of the town in an acceptable fashion.  The Victorian heights of the old school with the old Town Hall behind reflected the one time generosity of the wealthy who lived and ruled here in past times.

This pigeons forefathers passed down the story of how these roosting places once gave of heat and smoke.  Today, they stand stark and cold yet decent places for a fellow to clean his feathers and stare at the world going past beneath.

 

Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Alec Salmond returned home today from North Macedonia.  he was seen off by a military escort, provided by the government, and proper diplomatic respect was paid to the man.  On his arrival at Aberdeen no government official was on hand to welcome the one time First Minister, nor was a representative of the SNP available to attend.  

His wife ad family, his piper playing a lament, and I believe Tom Hunter, the man who provided the aircraft to return his body as the SNP government refused to do this, was in attendance.

The media spent much time reminding the world of Alec's faults, in an effort, guided by the British State, to erase his memory, his ability, and his worth to Scotland.  The English Prime Minister will continue to attempt to make Scotland once again, 'North Britain.'

This will not succeed.

Wandering

 

Having spent too much time indoors in recent weeks I have been considerably fitter over the past few days than I have been for months.  At least the muscle aches have died down and I can walk at my slow pace once again.  So, with the temp hitting 25% in here, I wandered across the park enjoying the green slice of life.  I enjoyed it so much that I continued through the town, accidentally falling into the café down Panfield Lane where they forced me to eat a 'Traditional Breakfast.'  

I sauntered around a town centre filled with people reacting to the sunshine.  Fans were in use in some shops, many sat outside cafe's, people rushed about, less interested in shopping than is being outside when it was warm, a novel experience this year.  Outside the museum a large white police car from the early 60s stood under a tree.  This is the opening day of the 'Emergency Services' exhibition.  Few were to be seen but I expect 300 or so were inside encouraging the use of sirens to everybody's delight!  

I kept wandering past.  

There was a small Bee on the ground slowly crawling along.  I wondered whether to pick it up and place it safely on the wall but decided I could do without falling flat on my face again.  That is only the second Bee I have seen this year, there was no wildlife of any sort in the park as I passed.  So far only two white Butterfly's and one orange one seen in the trees yesterday are my lot.  Not counting Bluebottles who abound as always.

The time advantage of eating in the café meant I had no washing up, no mess to clear, and could fall asleep for longer at lunchtime, all very good indeed.  The heat encourages eating less, which, as I topped 15.5 stone again is a good thing.  

Looks like porridge tomorrow.

I took my wee camera with me, the other too big for wandering around town, and found this one is in one of it's fault mood.  I could only take 6 not very good photos and then it jammed.  When I got home I fussed about with it, cleared the card and it appears to work again, at least for now.  

I feel better than I have done for ages, though I will have a reaction tomorrow as I head out to Tesco, but I can see light ahead, which was more than this camera could do.  

Onwards and see what happens...

Cold Stroll

 

Clear skies above and frozen temperatures below, an ideal  winters day.  However, for those who had to walk, drive or cycle to work across a frozen white landscape their impressions may have been unwelcoming.  

The peely-wally moon struggled to be seen in the bright morning air.  Continuing his journey unmindful of the 8 billion below he hung above slowly disappearing as the sun rose higher.  Now taken for granted by us all but in the past early man watched the moon and the stars above circling the earth.  He calculated his journey, not always understanding the difference between a star and a planet, but very early on had worked out how they rotated above us, possibly understanding that we two rotated and moved through space also.

As I was passing, I decided to take the lift to the top of the car park where the frost whitened the layout.  Few park here, most prefer downstairs, inside, and free from chilly weather.  I wanted to see how the sun lay across the houses.

A light blue haze hung across the houses blurring the distant electricity pylons, the ones that power the homes and enrich the power companies.  The heat comes not from the radiators but from opening the bill every month!  It is nice to know the men at the top of such companies will not need council benefits to heat their houses.  

Under these whitened rooftops live some 40,000 souls.  I know this for a fact, partly because of the 2021 census returns indicate this, partly because each and everyone of them was in the shop early this morning stocking up for the weekend and Christmas!  December is a time when shopping must be done the minute the stores open.  Waiting until later means meeting the 40,000 and this includes the kids at the weekend.  

The dads, usually abused by the chattering classes in the media, were out in force once again.  The trailed behind them kids of to gatherings, organised or individual, shops, parties, special events, and things which cost dad lots of money.  One was seen somewhat bewildered by one lass, about 7 years old, who was much in tears though dad did not seem to understand why.  His perplexed expression was a picture.  I winder if he ever sorted this out?

I fought through the crowd and crossed the deserted park.  The grass was beginning to show green by this time, the dogs would be pleased, and the sun was reaching the furthest portions of the grasslands, easing the frost away, though by the time I write this scribble it is already back to zero degrees around here.  It was so cold in the morning I had to open the windows to let the freezing air in to warm up the house!  I might use heating tonight...

Wet Market Day

So excited to be out in the rain I took my wee camera for a spin.  The real need was for bread and milk but I wandered into town in the rain to find the market almost deserted.  I then remembered that after Christmas many market stall holders take a holiday in the sun, probably Hawaii at their prices, at this time off year.  And add in the rain falling all day, and quite strong it was at that, only the Car advertising driving lessons and one cake stall arrived to seek cash from a very small congregation.  

I strolled through a near empty Tesco, half the checkouts empty, no customers queuing for long anywhere.  Cupboards maybe still full after restock but weather keeping folks in, I obtained a few things, congratulated the lass on not charging me as much as they usually do, and hobbled home in the wet. 

 

I suspect when the pubs open, mostly to watch football as it is English Cup day again, then many more will rise and shine.  Difficult to tell how many shops had remained shut, though most were open.  

Because my diet has been er, slack over the Christmas period I kept away from the cake stall.  His prices also enabled me to keep my distance but I doubt he made a fortune today.  

 

 

I was too early for the museum this morning, this is a shame as they have advertised a sale with 70% off!  I always told her the prices were too high!  Later in the week I will pop in and seek next years Christmas presents...

For now, it's football time.

 

Sunday Dawdle

 

In betweenfootball matches I took a dawdle across the park.  Sun shining, cloudy sky blue, few around in park yet in spite of a chill a young couple sat smoking funny cigarettes possibly thinking it was summer.  Nothing exciting was happening, even the dog walkers were not to be found.  Several men had been lumbered with the kids however.  One man I passed had two, dressed in football shirts, racing to the park, dad carrying the ball, kids dreaming of glory.  Another was taking his 4 year old into Argos (does this shop ever close?) she ready to spend all his money.  Yet another was walking several in a manner of a man herding sheep, I suppose that is the only way with a crowd.  It's times like these that I miss the family.  Even though the brutes are all big lumps now I miss the wee kids hanging around, they think differently, act differently and are small enough to pick up and dump on their mother.

 

 

The million pound or so being spent repairing the mess that was the High Street has led to people bemoaning the works being in the way.  This town creates moaners in a way that makes me jealous.  I cannot moan like them.  The grumble about the street then grumble about people repairing it!  Once finished they will grumble about how it looks, the cost and what ought to have been done, though they themselves did not suggest one idea before now.

 

 
The Old Town Hall does its best to rise above all the goings on, including the erection of a Hotel complex (that is not required) that is costing umpteen million, paid for by a council that cuts services (Tory council) and thinks this a good way to spend money.  Even Dominic would think this weird.

 

The rusty leaves are abundant on the ground now, the chill is with us always, the sun appears in the wrong place, low down, and I have been putting the heating on.  This does not bode well for the next few months...

 

Lock Down Saturday Market

The bustling Saturday market, one fruit and veg stall, one van selling fish, that is the result of Lock Down.  Even the Tesco queue is sparse.  The town is hiding.

The Bustling High Street.  Four people in view, two others pass by, rather close I thought, and a handful wait outside 'Iceland,' six feet apart.  I was glad I had visited the butcher earlier in the week, there were two customers today and I didn't wish to wait.

In Edwardian days the scene to the left was very different.  Then the area was filled with cattle or sheep on this day, the public houses, three of them in the area to our right alone, filled with farmers and their men lunching, arguing and buying and selling.  Today Tesco dominate.  Beyond the Old Town Hall lay a 'Fair Field' where the Fair would arrive annually generating much pleasure and much money.  Before the war a Cinema opened and found favour with the populace.

 
Having dragged myself across the park, dog walkers and a child or two with mum, and around the town I made my way home through the crowds.  It was interesting how people kept a good distance from me, interesting also that when a party came close the expectation in their eyes was for me to move, not them!   The other person owns the pavement even if there are so few around! 

  
Almost opposite me stands this 'Arts & Crafts' house.  This is very much in keeping with many other such houses along the main road.  These were the offerings of the Courtaulds who built them for their workers.  The man who got this must have been quite high up in the ranks.  All feature red brick interspersed with blue and Tudor like chimneys above.   The Courtaulds built houses, offered doctors, schools and even hospitals to the towns around.  All such buildings are still in very good condition and still occupied.  

 
The rest of the time is spent looking out the window wishing I had a dog to walk when the sun shone.  Someone else could feed them.   

Boxing Day

It is always satisfying to find presents that meet our requirements.  Books aplenty will always be acceptable in this house, and one niece is successful in supplying my wants each year that way.  Her method is a simple one, she asks her son what book she ought to buy and he, from a distance, is always on top of the job, never a failure so far.  A book discussing clouds, from the great 'Cloud appreciation Society' is always welcome.  The sarcasm from someone living 400 miles away is not unknown in my family, quite where she gets her ideas I fail to comprehend.  Still it was a worthwhile xmas rummage through rustling paper yesterday, I was very satisfied and pleased all was perfect.

 
Unlike today, where gray clouds cover the land, yesterday began with a walk in bright sunshine to church.  There I was greeted by many women, kissed many times and welcomed by all my ladies.  The fact that I handed out chocolate possibly had something to do with this? Many were missing, some surrounded by grandchildren or families elsewhere, some sick with the cough.  The time together was good, although the tears when the preacher pinched a car from one child was unfortunate, and soon we all moved off to lunch.  It took some time to refuse the many invitations to lunch, or drinks at least, I considered it better to leave families to argue alone rather than join them  I was happier by the time I left than I have been for some time, a good day after all.

So taken was I by Xmas messages I allowed my dinner to burn.  The crispy burnt offering did not taste as I imagined but beggars and choosers meant I ate it anyway.  Later, as the sun dipped down, I wandered the quiet streets snapping shots  of the deep blue sky.  Strange looks from the few out and about were ignored.  

Afterwards, still smiling I ate my Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.  I then ruminated for a while.
I had no choice.  

All in all I had a very happy Christmas day, I hope you had a decent one also.

Up on the Roof.

The need for fresh air and sunshine forced me out today.  This was good as the light was bright and the townsfolks were meandering about, some showing off their new bikes, scooters and clothes, others seeking shiny things in the shops now open.  

I soon found myself on the top floor of the large car park from where I thought I may get a picture or two of the town.  Here I noticed windows dirtier than mine existed though to be fair it is difficult cleaning windows through those bars.  

    
Old cottages in the distance once used by weavers they say.  Narrow houses now but large windows for the time.  The attic, now divided, once ran all along the roof space allowing for long bales of cloth to be laid out.  A good example of the craft that once flourished in this area for hundreds of years.

I was much taken with the sign saying "Pedestrians: Way Out" and pointing to either direction.  There are no stairs and this means the only way out is through the 'window' on either side.  I went on further myself...

 
The low lying sun leaving a kind of blue haze in the distance caught my attention.  Such a sun is wonderful, bright, cheery and blinding at times.  So bright that my sister a few days ago left a shop, was blinded by such sun and walked into the closed door!   This left her flat on her back being attended to by the staff who it must be said treated her well, this was in Livingstone.  They fussed while she just wanted to go home.  At home everyone laughed, I laughed, and at the doctors he laughed, she just suffered a bruise or two and hurt pride, but she is used to that.  

In among the Victorian and mock Victorian chimney pieces on show we can see the benefits of being a country town, the masses of trees in the distance.  These lie among the farmland that developers are desperate to turn into concrete and mass money in offshore accounts.  Most of the populace are not so keen.  The town has grown from 30,000 to 40,000 in the 20 years I have been here and lost some of its innocence with the introduction of 'London overspill' and the like.  A type of less friendly person is appearing and this affects us all.  People are less likely to speak in passing as they used to do though many still do and 'old folks' constantly complain about the changes, as they do.

 
The mist does create colour changes which I love.  Darker nearby and lightening with each item in view as it heads off into the distance.  Some were complaining tonight that driving was difficult with the mist, I suspect it will be worse first thing in the morning.  Not too much traffic just now mind.  Next Wednesday I suspect before life as normal returns.

While standing there on this near deserted open top floor of the car park I noticed the pigeons suddenly take flight as if aware of a predator of some sort.  Two flocks took off in different directions, joined immediately by all other hangers on, yet remarkably quickly settled down once again.  I could see no obvious enemy so it may have been a false alarm.  It does show however that being a bird is not an easy life.  The weather, lack of food and predators mean you are forever looking around for danger.  We are much safer that we realise, a bird is constantly afraid.  

 
Pointing a camera at a bright sun offers a dark picture.  I could have fiddled with it but could not be bothered decided this was a decent enough image.  I found it strange having come from Edinburgh and having lived 20 or so years in London finding the town so flat.  This was one of the few high places from which to see the town, the Town Hall roof is another and one day I will get up there, but being able to look south and see a few roofs fading off gently into the distance was strange to me.  It still is to some extent. 

The 'Beast.'

I awakened this morning to the sound of slow moving traffic, the sound deadened implying that the 'Beast from the East' had arrived.  Indeed three inches of snow has brought the nation to its knees!  Schools close, people 'work from home' whatever that means, and snowmen arise from back gardens here, there and everywhere.  
Only an idiot would venture out early in the morning to take pictures of snow similar to the snow seen in the past.  Therefore at 6:45 am this morning I, wearing the old Royal Mail boots I found under the bed, waiting until the council gardeners tractor with snow plough fitted raced by, I sauntered out Ernest Shackleton style across the park.

  
My hope that I was the first to cross in the snow was quickly disappointed, not only feet had trod this way before but some clot on a bike had cycled across heading for work and an accident somewhere along the road.  

Few others were seen, none spoke as I might be dangerous.  Quite how dangerous someone can be in three inches of snow early before seven in the morning does not strike me that clearly, though I can understand misery at that time people being unwilling to work on such a day.  Who can blame them?  I wonder if any postmen will arrive?  It is one thing to drive a van around the main roads but the back roads will not be cleared.  Those forced to push those barrows will be unwilling to go up the hills with them, difficult and dangerous I would say, so I suspect mail will be hindered understandably for a few days.

    
The town is covered in snow and I hear that London is also suffering.  This is good as it is about time they endured what the rest of the nation has to cope with.  If however it lies then a disaster will be called and troops will be out on the streets.  Poor Londoners.

I will do my bit for the nation while under this terrible blizzard, I will remain indoors drinking tea and laughing at those wandering abroad.  I suspect it will all have gone by tomorrow...

The snow having stopped I cleared the short path to our front door considering that if I didn't the snow underneath would harden in the icy night and become dangerous.  Naturally five minutes after I did so a passing thirty minute shower of heavy snow fell and covered it all again.  I suspect this will continue on and off all day.  I'm not doing it again....

The cheery weathermen, well the not so cheery lassie standing on the TV roof freezing to death, inform us there will be two more days of this stuff.  I might go out and panic buy a loaf of bread later. I wonder how they survive in Norway without difficulty as we strive valiantly against two or three days of the stuff every five or ten years or so?
Is it just me or am I the only person who suddenly wishes to eat ice cream...?

     
Maybe we ought to have a competition, who can come up with a better name than 'Beast from the East?'  I suppose the name originated in the tabloid media though some suggest it was in the Met Office itself,who knows?  However the people who name storms Suzanne or Geoff are well capable of such things I suggest.  Personally I would prefer 'Storm' or 'Gales' as to names on such things likewise 'Severe snowstorm' to 'Beast from the East.'  I would think those out in such weather may have their own name for such snowfall of course, none of which ought to be seen on here. 
How boring it is when there is little to say but "It snowed!"  Nothing else is happening, football is off because of snow, politics is off because of politicians, TV is off because of the programmes.  So I am off to finish lunch and go back to bed, it's warmer there...