Cold & heat

It was freezing yesterday. The thickness of frost on the cars along the road was incredible. Nonetheless it was bright & dry at first, so I decided to get out the Mean Machine ( my electric scooter) & venture down to the fish shop.

As usual I went along the prom. The first think that struck me was that everyone I saw seemed to be accompanied by at least one dog. I found myself thinking that maybe we ought to get a dog. The Fox has been told by his GP to get a bit more exercise, something like walking. One thing about a dog is that they insist on going for walks whatever the weather.

I continued on. It seemed so quiet. Across the bay, land, icy blue, emerged from the soft greyness. I crunched across the ice where the water passes down the cliffs across the promenade to the sea. I was glad I wasn't walking. I suspect that would have put me on my backside!

I got my fish & returned home by the same route. Beautifully peaceful if somewhat cold.

Home once more, I set about making fricandilla (fish balls to you & me).

I popped in the back garden to collect some fresh parsley. As I chopped the parsley, I was astounded by how noisy it was. Then I realised what I thought was wetness was in fact small pieces of ice caught between the curls of the leaves. I've never had that happen before. When I'd collected marjoram & fennel from the garden after rootling through the snow earlier this year, I hadn't come across this phenomenon. It shows just how cold it must have been.

By the afternoon the snow was falling once more. Not very thickly, thank heavens, this time. Even so the world was still partially covered with white this morning, more ice than snow. Most seems to have disappeared again now.

When will this winter end? It seems to have been particularly long & cold this year. We've had more snow & ice than ever before since we moved here in 2000. And it's certainly not doing much for my aches. My knees are getting very hot at night. I half expect to look down to see flames licking around my legs.

I eagerly greet the sight of the snowdrops, the sight of crocus buds turning golden in our garden, the first lambs with their mums in the fields, with joy. I'm ready for spring & some warmth.