WILD WEATHER

It is one forty five in the morning and outside a terrific storm is raging. We had been warned that some seriously heavy weather was on it's way and for once the forecast was correct, worse luck, you see for once I had managed to get to bed early and was sound asleep(an unusual occurrence)

when the storm broke.

Such is the violence of the wind that the noise it makes as its hits the roof has awakened us all and it was three very sleepy people who met on the landing in shared alarm. The wind is not alone, heavy rain rattles on the glass as it lashes the windows and the noise is similar to the sound of an express train speeding through a tunnel,deafening and not a little scary!

Since sleep seems out of the question I have made coffee for all ,adding a good shot of Scotch to each mug (purely medicinal you understand) in the vain hope that it might help us to return to our interrupted slumbers, and besides a little comfort in such circumstances is always welcome I think.

Even our cats are alarmed by the noise and Lord knows they are used to storms after the last month or so of ghastly weather, and we have been at some pains to calm them and quiet their fears. It really does sound as if the roof is about to blow off!

It is very dark out side, so dark that it is not even possible to see the trees at the bottom of the garden,but we can hear them, thrashing about, creaking and groaning at each fresh buffet and I am thankful that the house is far enough away from them to be safe from falling branches, should any succumb to the assault.

Here and there pin points of light show that we are not the only ones to have been awakened by the storm and I suspect that many in the village have done as we have and lit candles in case the power lines are damaged. Thankfully most of the main cables have recently been installed underground by where the connect to individual homes there is still the risk of damage and in fact judging by the feeble amount of light emanating for houses at the bottom of the lane I suspect that several homes have already lost power and are relying on candles and oil lamps for light.

In my lifetime I have experienced several great storms, I suppose that living as I did for many years on very high and exposed ground meant that we got more than our share of wild weather. Back in the 1970s just a few weeks after we have moved into our first home a gale of unusual severity hit our village and by morning ours was one of the few houses which still had its roof!

We did however loose our garage roof which we later found in small pieces several fields away.

Here we are a little more sheltered which is some comfort just now.

The radio news bulletins are telling tales of damage to property and road closures so I suspect that by now my brother, who is a Tree Surgeon may well have been called out to deal with fallen trees in his area,he lives about thirty miles away. Knowing the dangers I always worry about his safely at such times and I pray that he will be safe tonight.

Wow. That was a really fearsome blast, I swear the whole house shook and the metal chimney liners are rattling an a most alarming fashion. I am suddenly very cold so I think that I shall return to my bed to get warm again and although I doubt if I shall sleep at least shall be comfortable.

It is now seven thirty and to my great surprise I did manage to go back to sleep after all, the wind has dropped and the rain has passed. As the sky lightens it is taking on a poppy red colour, a sure sign that the bad weather has not yet finished with us. Silhouetted against the sky half a dozen dishevelled wood pigeons are putting their ruffled feathers back in to place and the garden looks battle weary.

My son has decided to get all the outdoor chores done early so that we need not leave the house for logs or coal if the rain returns,as even though the log store is close by a couple of minutes would be enough to soak anyone unfortunate enough to be out side through to the skin.

Everyone feels like a cooked breakfast this morning so very soon I shall head for the kitchen to fry some bacon or make pancakes, maybe both!

Later I shall call to satisfy myself that my brother is safe,and visit the corner shop “a gossip swap shop if ever there was one ) to catch up one what has happened in the village overnight.

Our old house has weathered yet another great storm, one amongst many over it's many centuries of existence, it is the modern properties which suffer most at such times, these old timber framed house seem to do better than most at such times.

The B.B.C. NEWS reports that further north the effects of the storm have been more severe than in this relatively sheltered spot and I pity the poor souls caught up in last nights events. We have been fortunate, for which relief much thanks.