An almost silent world.

 Outside, would you believe after yesterday, pure unbroken sunshine in a blue sky.   The snow on my roof is just beginning to drip past my sitting room window and the road outside was more or less impassable until a 'snowplough' of sorts went through earlier this morning.   Now it is possible to get out on to the main road with care.   Yesterday my carer never got here, as you know, but today she arrived an hour late brought by her aunt who has a four-wheeled drive car.   She brought me two cooked lunches to heat in my micro wave and she cleaned and tidied the kitchen which I was completely unable to do yesterday although I managed quite well on my own, knowing well that she would be here today to deal with jobs I couldn't do.   It has convinced me that I shall always need a carer for an hour each day - just to do  essential jobs I am not able to manage (shower, make and change the bed,)

Looking at the weather map on Breakfast television this morning I see that round here (Bedale) was the coldest place in the country last night (minus eleven degrees).   Pretty it certainly is but it is hampering my recovery as I just can't get out of the door to do a daily walk.   Yes I walk up and down my bungalow on and off all day but it is not the same and I fear my  mobility skills are slipping back at the moment.

But The Yorkshire Dales is not called 'Dales' for nothing.   We sit on the Eastern side of the Pennine Chain of hills (I daren't call them Mountains blogging as I do with friends from countries where there are 'real' mountains) but leaving our little town to go anywhere there is only one way out which is relatively flat(ish) - the other ways are all both hilly and bendy - that is the nature of our countryside and the fact that it does hamper travel in this kind of weather is more than made up for in the days when we can enjoy travelling around in such beauty.

And (selfishly) another minus factor is that everyone loves us so that any nice weather brings out tourists aplenty.   Yes - they are fully entitled to come and many of our shops and bed and breakfast facilities, not to mention holiday cottages and pubs serving meals - depend entirely on their custom to survive and make a living.   But on any nice day at the moment they do seem to be still arriving for their daily exercise - and Covid is ever present and we do wish at present they would stay away.

I am watching locals doing their daily exercise walk along my road - the same faces, the same dogs daily.   Today locals are struggling in the snow and ice - dogs are loving it, as are small children romping along, throwing snowballs, being pulled on sledges, what it is to be young!  If I was mobile - regardless of age - I would be out there making a snowman  - two bits of (plastic from my fire) coal for eyes, a carrot for a nose, one of my dear farmer's caps (I have four) on its head and a scarf round its neck.

Yes dear readers.   I am still young at heart.   Keep safe and warm.