Having now lived in
this most westerly part of Shropshire for over a year, I have come to
know what it means when the hills to the west of our village are
shrouded in low cloud. Curling and creeping down in to the valley it
is white and dense, and from a distance looks both spectacular and
not a little creepy.
Gloom descends and
the effect upon the light is such that going outside is similar to
entering a massive tent, indoors the lights are kept on all
throughout the day. A rain coat is necessary when venturing outside
as inside the cloud one gets very wet very quickly, without even
realising it; it is also very chilly:
Apart from the
occasional shrill call of alarm from a startled Blackbird there is
little bird song, is if even they feel subdued by the half light.
Indoors however all
is cosy, the fires burn brightly and the grey afternoons are perfect
for a doze in a comfy armchair while pretending to read, and fooling
one on at all!
By my big leather
reclining chair close to the hearth place there is a small table, on
which stands a tray of alcoholic beverages, Gin, Vodka, Port Wine,
the dreaded Jack Daniels and my favourite, a bottle of single malt
Whisky.
These keep company
with home made liqueurs such s Damson Gin and Raspberry Vodka and
make a cheery sight on a cold Autumn day.
Recently we
discovered Welsh Whisky! Treated as a joke by some I have to tell you
that it is as good, and better than many a Scotch, costing roughly
the same as a decent single malt it is well worth trying.
On these dreary
afternoons it has become my habit to treat myself to a Whisky and
soda at around four thirty, when relaxed and comfortably puffing on
my Shisha(.a marvellous invention) I have time to gird up my loins
for the preparation of our evening meal.
Actually I ave up
smoking a long time ago but when last year I was placed on a strict
diet I felt that I needed something to get me though the long nights
without sleep, which the pain of arthritis engenders. I tried the
Shisha and found it good.
It stopped me from
munching chocolates half the night and during the following six
months I lost twenty four kilos and ten dress sizes, a minor miracle.
These days I find
that I have little urge to eat chocolate although I must admit that I
am still far too partial to fresh cream cakes!
Back to the point of
this rather decadent blog!
Don't rule out Welsh
Whisky when you next by a bottle of the good, and enjoy the lulling
gardening and out door pursuits when the weather is inclement, relax
with a glass of your favourite tipple and to hell with the Puritans!
No comments:
Post a Comment