10°C, same dry greyness, some breaks

Same again: :these kids shine; treat carefully

Trouser-fit: I have trousers that fit. You don’t know what a novelty that is, one shop in the world now stocks 34" waist x 36" inside-leg, Gap. Now the legs reach to the top of my shoes instead of the top of my socks. Though they are now two weeks old, the novelty hasn’t worn off yet. Neither has the novelty of a winter coat that is slightly too big. Last weekend, I bought 2 shirts that are also slightly too big. That was more deliberate though; on the days I cycle to work, my neck is thicker. That means buying too-big a shirt despite the protestation of the shop staff. It is a bizarre fact that men’s shirts are sold by neck size. Sizes
are in the habit of being rather bizarre. Bicycles frames- same. Hats, same.

9°C, brighter, no frost.

And the cat wonders why he is put outside at night.

-1°C, heavy snow.

It has fallen: We have a blanket of snow, no it’s more a quilted duvet of snow. It smothers and obscures all at ground level. This morning’s foot prints have gone, and the temperature is now falling. Pure, white crisp snow makes the night brighter and more interesting. This kind of snow won’t be all slushy by morning, it may even excuse us from a day at work tomorrow. Now that would be divine.
Orange are silly: Buy £10 or more credit by the 27th of the month and get 300 free texts. But in practice…. miss the deadline, buy some next month when you find you did need it after all and get the free texts anyway. Oh well.


Ralph Black, American Poet.

-1°C, light snow, now sticking

Ice balls are a real problem under your toes. If you have hairy feet, I suggest you don’t go out walking on snow in bare feet. That’s advice from Bessie.
Anticipation is building, there could be a real snowfall in the next 36 hours.
What is this? A Metal saw like blades on contra-rotating windmill props? Seen in a farm field in Warwickshire. No birds around while I waited to see the effect of flying through the arc.

Unexpectedly: returned to painting. Saturdays are busy, but then some spare time appeared. The time was to be used on getting tyres for the car, but a local business can fit tyres on your car at home- even when you aren’t in. It’s been about 2 weeks since the last paint, and that wasn’t oil. Even after hours scrubbing mucky carpets, my hands were steady enough to make some worthwhile progress. It’s a portrait and I don’t like posting work-in-progress shots of portraits so here is a photo of a lamp.

This glimpse of my bedside life should give away a few clues. Goodnight.

Cold eastern air:  gripping tight, coating everything in a hazardous slippery skin. We’re heading down to -7° tonight. Survive.

Woolies: Woolworths has closed. A big national chain over 100 years old or something. Erm, folks are quite nostalgic about it. But wait I say- have I ever bought anything there? Er, no- it was a crappy shop

Smell: the house smells of spent coal/wood fire*, the sun is out but the year 9 reports loom.

Worst sunrise time today, slowly but slowly it gets better.