Sort of Snow

Eileen - I think that's a good idea. I may try tomorrow.

Fifitr - my late uncle's house regularly had the garden under water (river at the bottom of the garden) so I know that feeling. 

Sharon - it felt damp!

Years and years and years ago, I went camping in North Wales with the Girl Guides. We had a campsite near the River Dee, just before it hits Llangollen. They call the River Dee 'Merlin's Stream' because it can be unpredictable and dangerous. It's fed from the mountains in North Wales. When it rains, there isn't always much on the mountains to trap the water, so it comes straight down and into the streams and rivers. The river at the bottom of uncle's garden fed into the Dee, and it had the same habit of rising quickly when there was rain on the hills, even if there wasn't any rain locally. Well, it was Wales, which gets a lot of rain, and it was summer and camping, so the risk of rain got a lot higher, so when it was lovely and sunny when we got there, we were very happy. We got the tents pitched and all the camp set up and then it started to rain - heavily. The river at the edge of the campsite (farmer's field, really, the water was from a cow's trough) had been trickling along, a few inches of water several feet below the banks and the level of the tents. As the rain fell, the water rose. It got higher and higher and eventually stopped around an inch below the top of the bank, maybe a whisker less. I don't know how the poor Guide leaders coped! The girls all thought it was great fun. I've never forgotten the relentless way the water rose, though. It was incredibly unnerving. 

Today has been quiet. I've been writing a lot. Bear seems to have been having a wonderful time on the classes, as I keep hearing him chuckling. The weather has been odd. There have been interludes of snow, which then disappear. I'm glad it hasn't settled. I'm not sure that the laurels across the way would take it. If that happens, it's going to be a job of work getting the car out. I'm planning on having a drive tomorrow. I'm not actually planning on getting out of the car, but the act of driving helps my joints. We could perhaps do with some bits, but I may see about a Co-op delivery instead of actual shopping. It all depends on the weather. 

Writing stuff - because I'm working on a deadline, I've re-posted something I wrote back in 2015, Domestic Demon. I remember how much fun I had writing it, and it still makes me smile.

Hugs and good health to all. 

All Dry Here

 Pam - thank you! It is unsettling.

The flood has gone, but here is a pic from yesterday.

It's all back to normal. There are still some alerts for the centre of Leeds, but nothing here. 

Today's photos are of the dratted laurels again. I think a branch may have snapped in the rain. 

I've emailed Matalan, and I'm hoping that they do something. I'm worried that the whole lot will come over and hit the cars and possibly even the house. 

There has been snow in the wind, but nothing serious. Apparently we get some tomorrow. I changed the time and date of the Tesco order as there was nothing we needed. This means that I won't be asking some poor delivery driver to come here through possible snow. It's bad enough asking them to brave the bushes. 

Hugs and good health to all. 

Soggy Saturday

Bless - thank you!

Sharon - instagram is a very visual site and your photos are amazing. I'm still working it out.

Fifitr - I think I'll be holding out as well, with perhaps a visit to the farm shop when absolutely necessary. I've got plenty of lentils and I got a stock of dried minced onions on a deal. The same deal got loads of things like spices so I can change things up. I just have to keep an eye on how the men are doing. 

The weather people hinted that snow might be somewhere near us. We have had steady rain instead - hard, cold and continuing. 

It's up against the bridges at the moment, when normally it's a mucky trickle. That was a few hours ago and the river level information has it still rising. There is a good chance that the beck will flood onto the ring road again. I thought I may have to stay in because of snow, but if this rain continues, I'll have to stay in because of flood. There are flood alerts all along my usual routes, including in Tesco car park! And there are flood warnings, where flooding is expected, near bear's school. 

It's odd. I only started checking for flood warnings when I was writing this post, but checking the AA traffic news and looking at the flood maps is unnerving. The road I was walking along when I took this photo is now closed - probably because it has flooded. 

While I'm fussing bear (his ear is on and off) and thinking about dinner, I think I'll look out our torches, just in case the electric goes with the floods.

Hugs and good vibes to all. 

Slightly Busier

Wherethejourneytakesme - you have my complete respect. 

I've not been busy as such, just busier than nothing. 

Writing continues but I nipped out to pick up bear's prescription and some stuff from Tesco. I made the most of it, and I have moved the Tesco delivery from Monday (when snow may be possible) to later in the month. We don't really need much.

It was odd seeing the gaps in the shelves. I wonder how things will work out now. 

It has been dry(ish) here, but I did notice some badly parked snow.

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend.

Hugs and good health to all.

Another Very Quiet Day

I've been writing a lot, and then there's just the usual bits like feeding the men and washing up. I feel somewhat of a fraud posting on here.

Bear now has earache. I know absolutely nothing, and I'm very wary about looking on Google, so I'm at a loss. I had a good look and his ear doesn't look red or inflamed inside, so I suspect wax. If it hasn't eased off tomorrow then I'll add some olive oil and/or call the GP. At least his back is a little better and he can move. 

I have to go out tomorrow to pick up a prescription for bear. I'll pick up whatever I need, and there's some dry cleaning I need to collect. I may as well get bear's blazer cleaned ready for whenever it is he goes back as well. I'll sit down and make a list of exactly what I need to do and try and keep to one wide sweep of errands with lots of sanitiser. At least I'll have something to post about. 

Hugs and good health to all.

Second Phone

 I bought a second phone for £35 (refurbished from Tesco) to be able to take pics of first phone (which was a lot more expensive) and hopefully be able to get the hang of instagram. I did look at cameras, but they are relatively expensive and I can't work out how to get pics onto the laptop or onto instagram. It has been explained to me several times, but the explanation slides off me like a duck trying to land on a frozen pond. I took a pic of my real phone in its case.

I may need some practice. 

The case is pretty battered, but the phone inside is fine. I have dropped my phone, bunged it in bags, shoved it in pockets and it has rattled around the inside of my poor car in all sorts of places. The case has taken the beating, but not the phone. This is a miracle. I've tried to encourage bear to use a case but apparently it isn't the done thing at school. My real phone is a little worn, as I've had it two or three years, but it's not in bad shape - as shown below.

I still need more practice. But that is a pic of my phone, with the kindle app on it, showing my latest. 

Actually, today has been a bear day. I've had phone consultations with two health care professionals about his ongoing joint problem and he did something interesting to his back this morning which left him barely able to move, poor kid. As far as I can tell (I have the medical knowledge of the average banana) it was a muscle spasm, but with everything else, it gave him a really hard time. It's easing off now, so I'm hoping for an easy night for all of us and I will keep a close eye on him. 

Hugs and good health to all.

Writing Continues

There's not much else to say. I've not been out apart from last night when I went late to the shops for some bits to keep us going until the next delivery. 

We had snow overnight. The laurels opposite are once again pushed down. I'm going to have to go out there with a step ladder and a saw!

School have been pretty good. I have had a few calls from teachers just checking that all is good, and they are keeping the kids pretty much on the timetable. It helps keep bear on a rhythm. Mind you, his next lesson is 'games' which will almost certainly involve the Xbox. I've been taking him out for a few walks over the last week or so, which is something.

Today is Candlemas, or Imbolc. I had a quick scan of the various Wikipedia entries and it's a pagan festival taken over by Christians and is a festival of lights and perhaps the first stirrings of spring. And the days are getting longer, by over three minutes every day where I live - I looked it up here. And there has to be a little hope on the horizon, if only for a little more sunlight. 

Writing stuff - I squeezed in a little flash fiction here, about Candlemas, and now I am back to writing.

Hugs and good health to all.