Winter

You would think it had snowed, the world is so white. In fact it is only frost. Even the roads & pavements are white. Yesterday never got any warmer. The frost only thickened as the night arrived. Admittedly the thermometer has gone up a bit. I was struck by how much warmer it seemed when I ventured out. The temperature has reached the giddy heights of -10ْC. I noticed the bin men today are all wearing balaclavas trying to keep warm. The feeling of whiteness is increased by the fog that keeps coming and going. Apart from the bin men, nothing seems to be moving along the street. Everyone is staying in the warmth as long as they can. Most of our neighbours are either retired or self-employed, based at home, so there is no need to go out unless you want to. Needless to say, before I ventured online I hastily put a bit of extra food out for the birds. They will need it in this frozen world.

We’re hoping to venture over to the butcher’s to buy a chicken later today. Part of the reason is that we’re hoping to check if the Farmers’ Market is on tomorrow or not. They always mess around with the time at Christmas so we’re not sure what is happening. They usually put boards out advertising the market a day or two in advance & we will pass the usual sites for the boards en route to the butcher. We’ll also get a few Xmas cards to friends delivered.

Last night we heard the sad news that a friend from Arnside days had died. Ellie was a wonderful person. By the time we got to know her well she was a retired nurse. She’d taken early retirement & was still spending a lot of time providing aromatherapy for cancer sufferers. It is ironic she herself has died from cancer. She was always a busy person – a lay preacher, parish visitor, grandmother of several children. Nothing was ever too much for her.

One year, we had a Christmas of several days with out power in our all electric flat surrounded by sub-zero temperatures and snow. It was Ellie who came down every day with flasks of tea, filled hot water bottles, mountains of toast for our breakfast. In the evening, she invited us to spend it in the warmth of their home even though the family was coming & going. A truly caring person the world is poorer for losing. My heart goes out to her husband, Ged, & her family.

 I admit, though, we weren’t surprised to hear of her demise. Last time I spoke to her she was losing the battle against cancer & sounding as though she was tiring of the fight. Sadly the cancer won.