To say it's been a bit breezy for the last few days is probably a bit of an understatement, although I don't think it's been any worse than the storms we get every year and certainly not up to the end of the world predictions that the media have been on about. Even so, Fridays breeze caused me a bit of a change of plan, which luckily I was well prepared for.
Looking at the weather forecast on Thursday evening I'd said to "The Emma", "I think I'll take my running stuff in to work tomorrow, at least that way if the end of the world does happen, I can leave my bike in work and run home, which might be a bit safer". Good planning hey, and just goes to prove that I'm not a complete chancer and do occasionally think about things. It's probably a good job I did too, as by "POETS" time, that's "P**s off early tomorrows Saturday" for the uninitiated, it was blowing quite a hooley! Certainly not cataclysmic, but strong enough to almost bring progress to a halt when the wind caught you straight on, and definitely strong enough to shake all the loose branches out of the trees and whirl the loose leaves around your feet. There's something oddly satisfying and exhilarating about being out when the weathers doing it's best to stop you though, and I couldn't help but smile as I made my way home. It wasn't my plan for the day, but it puts another 10 miles into my legs and adds 10 more to the years total, so what's not to like about that? Oh, and it means that I'm going to have to get up early to run back to work on Monday too as my bikes now in the wrong place. Double bonus miles!
With no other real plans for the weekend, (we were supposed to be going into London Saturday for a few beers with friends, which the weather eventually put paid to) I grabbed the opportunity to take the Van down to St Mary Bourne on Friday night. With the plan being to get a few early miles in as part of my ongoing reconnoitring of the Brenda Parker Way and still be home in time to catch the lunchtime train into London.
After the strong winds during the day, by early evening all was still and the sky's had cleared, revealing a plethora of stars and an almost full moon, accompanied by a rapid drop in temperatures. Nothing to cause any problems in the well insulated van, with the heater gently warming my toes, but enough to leave a good coating of ice on the sides and door rails when I ventured out for my run at first light. I guess the fact that the van sides were still frozen solid, it shows how well the insulation does it's job, as it was toasty warm inside.
With the sun shining in the cold still air, it was a real contrast to Fridays wind and a real pleasure to be out. There was a few fallen trees blocking the route and plenty of loose branches laying about, but nothing else to suggest the gales of the day before had ever occurred. The birds were singing, the squirrels busy in amongst the trees and I spent a few minutes watching a small herd of deer making their way sedately across the fields without a care in the world.
With 13 miles for the morning, I was back at the van in time from my morning porridge and a brew, before heading for home, and still back in time for the lunchtime train. Or I would have been if it hadn't been cancelled due to more inclement weather! It's quite amazing how things can change in a couple of hours. I'm sat here now, typing this up (Saturday afternoon) and it's lashing it down, with the wind whistling round the chimney pots, what a contrast to first thing this morning. I've said it before, the mornings the best bit of the day, and today certainly proved that to be true!
I mentioned last week that my thoughts are starting to turn to the allotment, with the promise of better days to come. To that end I had an hour sat in the van with a brew last weekend working out what we are going to be eating this year, and I ordered all my seeds one evening in the week. Hopefully they will get here this week ready to start sowing towards the middle of March, but before than there's plenty of jobs to be getting on with, not least cutting back the hedges that border my plot.
There's no doubt that this isn't my favourite job, not only are the thorns incredibly sharp, and also seem to make any splinter go scabby instantly, but when I do trim them back I've then got a massive pile of trimmings to try to get rid of. The hedges do have their benefits though, not only do they provide housing for the little birds that do so much good, which is why they need cutting now, before they start nesting. But the hedge makes a great windbreak too, on a day like today, most of the plots get a real battering, but mine, tucked in the lee of the hedge is a real oasis of calm. A real benefit, that just about makes up for scabby splinters! A couple of hours Sunday morning saw all the hedges freshly shaved ready for Spring, I'm not sure how much longer the hedge cutters are going to last though. I had to stop a couple of times to strip and rebuild the gearbox, when the cutter bar gets jammed up the drive cog jumps off of the bar. I'm guessing that it's supposed to be a weak point to prevent real damage, but either way it's now in the workshop waiting for the time to strip it down properly and see if I can come up with a better fix before I need it again.
After a brief interlude back home for a spot of lunch, I spent the rest of the afternoon in the drizzle emptying out one of the compost bins and spreading it across the plot to make room for the new hedge trimmings. They're mostly green and leafy and whilst it does take a while they do rot down eventually and I'd rather spread the goodness back into my plot than take it to the tip.
And that was about it for the day really, I did think that it was getting a bit dark as a I wandered home, with a bucket full of leeks and parsnips for tea, but wasn't prepared for the fact that is was 17:30. Not only does that prove the old adage that "time flies when your having fun" but it shows that the days are rapidly drawing out too. More signs that better days are on their way.
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Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
March 2024
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