Saturday 9 January 2021

Snow

 It has snowed here non stop all day and has been thoroughly unpleasant.   It has been that horrible wet snow - not pretty big flakes - but has nevertheless settled and now frozen as the temperature has dropped well below freezing.   Traffic has struggled all day and now there is a string of cars parked opposite my bungalow so that they do not have to negotiate the hill in the morning.   Luckily my Tesco order arrived absolutely on time and I personally dealt with it all before my carer came - it pretty much tired me out but I managed it.   I somehow twisted a muscle in my wrist doing it but am hoping it has recovered by morning.  The time is now 10.53m on Friday night - so off to bed and finish this on Saturday.   Night, night.

A Saturday morning of beautiful blue sky and brilliant sun but still below freezing.   A smiling weather girl on the News tells me that it will gradually warm up 'a little' in the coming days.   My carer negotiates 'black ice' for most of her way here.   I manage to get to our Zoom coffee morning on time at 10am.   Nice to see friends 'in the flesh' and have a brief chat.   It does bring some sort of normality to the day.   Also I have managed to concoct a sausage casserole in my slow cooker.   It is simmering away gently and scenting the bungalow with an enticing smell.   Hopefully I shall enjoy it at tea time.  So some small steps back to normal life.  Hopefully there will be more before long.

Anyone out there a Tracey Chevalier fan?   Our Book Club book for next month is 'The Last Runaway' -  I am finding it almost 'unputdownable' - if it is new to you do read it.

The sun is going down, the cold is coming down, soon the 'slush' on the road will turn to ice and be dangerous again.   But my casserole smells good - I will report back on how it actually tastes tomorrow.

22 comments:

Jennyff said...

Lovely post, good,progress, good dinner and a good book, what more could you ask for except better weather. Yes I read The Last Runaway too, Tracey Chevalier never disappoints. Keep cosy.

Derek Faulkner said...

My latest book is "The Grit and the Pearl - the scandalous life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll." It's very good. Thick freezing fog here this morning again and then a cloudless, sunny afternoon - a hard frost is now setting in. I filled my slow cooker up with fat free mince and a selection of vegetables and stock on Thursday and have ate it three nights running.
Yours sounds like it's going to be just as delicious.

Alice Cove said...

Tracey Chevalier is very good at mixing historical fact with fiction, A Single Thread is also very good, I think it’s out in paperback now. Bitterly cold in Dorset but no snow. Keep warm. Alice Cove.

Carruthers said...

I'm reading Murakami's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. A collection of short stories.

It's been miserable weather here, too, which is hardly surprising.

it's me said...

Dinner sounds tasty. A long stretch of cold weather here in Louisiana, but thankfully no freezing precipitation. I am currently reading a collection of essays by Barry Lopez who passed recently.

Bovey Belle said...

I love Tracy Chevalier's books and like you, couldn't put down The Last Runaway either.

I'm glad to hear that you are managing so well - food order etc - and using the slow cooker.
I bet that sausage casserole was delicious. We have that here too (Tam makes it).

Sorry about the snow making life dangerous. We couldn't get out till gone lunchtime yesterday as icy underfoot and we didn't put the hill to the test until it had thawed.

Debby said...

I am finishing Wintering. Last week, I read The God of Small Things. I tried once again to read 'A Strangeness in My Mind' (Pamuk) but once again set it aside. A story of protesting and revolting is just not something I want to immerse myself in right now. I treated myself to an outing and bought three books at a local thrift store. I have the Audacity of Hope by Barak Obama, The Memory of Running (McLarty) and The Gift of Years by Joan Chittester. It feels luxurious to have three books sitting there waiting to be read. I'm not sure what I will read next.

I have a pot of stuffed pepper soup scenting my house right now.

Stay warm!

Elizabeth said...

Once you read a Tracey Chevalier you'll be looking for all her others.
She's a great storyteller.

Jan said...

I've only read one Tracey Chevalier-A Single Thread-and it was very good. I look forward to reading others.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Thank you for the book recommendation. I'm always looking for new authors, but don't want to take a chance on just grabbing a book from the library (well, that's not possible with current lockdown). You have snow there, we have a clear day here. It sounds like you are getting back to more normal routine. That must feel good. Take care. -Jenn

The Feminine Energy said...

The sun is shining here too but it's not that warm-kind-of-sun that melts anything. We had some snow melt a couple days ago, with no new fallen snow, so parts of the driveway are bare down to the concrete... but then the rest is glimmering with ice in the sunshine. Thus is winter, I suppose. ~Andrea xoxo

Ellen D. said...

You certainly are a busy, productive woman considering you are still in the recovery stage! Well done, Pat! Enjoy your casserole!

Bonnie said...

You mentioned the one thing that scares me the most about snowy weather - black ice. It is so deceiving because you cannot see it and can be fooled into thinking the road is fine. I am glad to know your carers have been able to still get out to see you.

Thank you for your recommendation on the Tracey Chevalier book. I have not read any of her books but I have heard about them. I looked up the one you are reading and it does sound good. There were many interesting stories written about the Underground Railroad and it's existence was important in our history.

Heather said...

You are an inspiration to all in their 80s. You are coping so well with all the set backs you have had recently.
Our weather has been very grey and cold again. No frost or wind but very cold again.
I have decided not to go down the High Street for my usual walk in view of the recent warnings. I do go out for a bit of fresh air, just round the block avoiding any shopping streets, and if it is raining I can get quite a nice little indoor walk by exploring all the corridors in my block of flats. It is a long narrow building and has three floors - perfect for a bit of exercise.
Enjoy your casserole.

the veg artist said...

Another Tracey Chevalier fan here. Where would we be without good books to see us through?

wherethejourneytakesme2 said...

Nothing like a warming casserole on a cold day.

Joanne Noragon said...

When snow ties up traffic, it's not so good. But, we're on the downhill side to spring now.

Cro Magnon said...

Snow is a pain; I hear they've had plenty in Madrid too. I suggest you enjoy your casserole in front of a good old fashioned movie, and a woollen rug over your knees. Close the curtains and enjoy yourself.

thelma said...

There is the chopping of vegetables for the casserole and then the eating, both good things to do on wintry days. My car is completely frozen over on the drive but the little red light on the dashboard flicks on and off like a small heart. Spring will eventually make an appearance.

Sue said...

You seem to be doing really well, the trick now is to pace yourself gently and not do too much, but it is nice to hear you are managing, and keeping in touch with friends.

It's been a snowy, icy few days here too, and further up-country in Cumbria my son and his girlfriend had to watch the hearse carrying her fathers body to the church and graveyard slide down the hill and completely loose grip whilst doing a three point turn to try and face the right way again, ready for an ascent up a hill to the church. They got there in the end though, thank goodness and all went as well as it can in these circumstances.

My other son and his girlfriend, both key workers, have just had positive Covid test results after she was sent home from work feeling ill and having completely lost her sense of taste. So they are holed up at home keeping each other company and feeling really quite rough. It's been a worrying few days.

Librarian said...

After more than a week of grey skies, we have finally had a sunny day yesterday, and it looks like another one today. It is just below freezing but the roads are clear, which is good considering that O.K. has to drive home late afternoon/early evening to be home before 8:00 pm when curfew hits.
Your food always sounds great, except for the salmon - and that‘s simply because I am not keen on it myself.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Smaller Life - a sad story - and one that has no doubt been repeated up and down the country lately. Do please pass on my condolences.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. Our little group of blog friends does make a difference to how we feel - of that I am certain. So as usual - thank you all.