Snow notes

What you should be seeing below is a photo of the front of my house and my neighbours'*. I took it on Sunday just before it started snowing again when I went out to check the snow on the roof. I was pleased to see the snow on my roof was as thick as that on my neighbours'. Not quite a direct comparison, I suspect Piers and Charmaine had their heating on, whereas I rarely have the heating on in the morning, and never when I have windows open. I had 2 windows open til nearly 3 pm that day to air the house, though no sign of the condensation evaporating unfortunately.

Saturday we had tried sledging in our kayaks, but not enough snow to pick up any speed - and lots more children sledging as well. But lovely to see children enjoying themselves and parents playing with them.

Watched on i-player yesterday "Winterwatch: the Big Freeze 1962-3". I can remember the whole village where I lived in Cornwall sledging but not a prolonged period of snow. We lived in a village at the bottom of a steep hill. Two months of snow would have caused major problems! Frightening to think that even with our better insulated houses, more technologically advanced winter clothes and mobile phones, how badly we would all cope if it happened again.

It is in times of snow that I appreciate living in London, when most of the roads and lots of the pavements are gritted, the buses tend to run and most of the tube (especially the Victoria line) does as well.

I am wearing a base layer under my pyjamas which is keeping me much warmer at night, especially when I get up to go to the bathroom. This is something I must remember again next year.

*I uploaded it, It is there when I go into My photos but no sign of it with the other photos when I want to attach it to this blog!

Perils of pallets

I was riddling my wood burning stove to get rid of some of the excess ash when the riddling handle got stuck.

Dreading the thought of not being able to use the wood burning stove over what could be the coldest period of the winter. When could I get the fitters in to mend the thing?!

I found instructions on the Internet, took out the ash pan and used a torch to look inside hoping to find an arm with a hook on the end, something it should be clearly hooked into and, hopefully, the ability to marry the two up.

What I found instead was a nail from a bit of pallet I had been burning hanging down jamming the riddling handle. A few wiggles and I got it loose and was able to push it up and free.

All working again!

Now about to watch "Wild Britain with Ray Mears" on i-player and will heat the water for my hot water bottle while I watch.

Successful outfit hinders clearout!

I went to a funeral on Friday. It was a celebration of the life of Violet, who had been a very creative, fun  woman so we were asked to not to dress all in black.

I wore a grey dress, very flattering fit, that I haven't been able to get into for several years, so very pleased to find it fits nicely now. I had a plastic handbag with a cat on (really nice, not "chocolate-boxy" at all) which Violet would have loved. I had lots of people admiring it. Then I had a long red scarf with embroidery at the ends which I got from Traidcraft years and years ago and haven't worn for years, a small red bag on a shoulder strap for my season ticket and keys which I got at a charity shop last year, and a red, plastic bangle I got from the same charity shop only a fortnight ago.

I was very pleased with the result.

The trouble is I want to have a good clear out of stuff from my house this year. But if I can use with such success stuff I haven't used for years it is going to make some decisions to get rid of stuff much harder!

So far I have got rid of several books and some china and glass. But reducing the amount in the dresser cupboard not as successful as I had hoped! But I plan to spiral in on the clutter, and this is only the first go round.

Where have all the bike shops gone?

I need a bike shop within bike-pushing distance!

Bike Shack seems to have closed down. The toy shop that sold Raleigh bikes and had a workshop at the back has recently closed. I looked in the local telephone directory and can only find one listing - in Highams Park, miles away!

There are Evans bike shops all over central London but, with the increase in popularity of cycling, you'd think there were more cycle shops out here on the fringes.

I'll have to go to Green Drinks at the Red Lion in Leytonstone High Road tomorrow and hope someone there knows of somewhere.

Signs of a doomed early spring?

The magnolias in London are in bud. There is a pink Camellia in flower in a nearby street. But the weather forecast is for snow tonight, and my ears were painfully cold on my bike ride this morning because I didn't think to put on the fleece headband that covers them as I haven't needed it so far this winter.