Actually it's not just February that fills dykes - we have had an amazingly wet autumn and winter, and it has been quite impossible to do any gardening at all. Mind you, last month we had just over 100 cm of rain, and that is almost exactly what we had in 2012. That was followed within 3 months in a hose-pipe ban and water use restrictions, so it will be interesting to see if the same thing happens this year.
The car rather lost power the other day. Sonia was in the outside lane overtaking a bus on the hill out of Tonbridge when the power faded rather abruptly. Very embarrassing, but not as bad as the news that we need a new turbo, at £1000 a throw. The car is 9 years old, and we have a practice that gives all our white goods and vehicles a major repair without casting it into the outer darkness. So it gets its one bite, and the next time we get something else. Difficult to choose nowadays - all cars look the same. I would like something exotic, but there is a movement against any such thing. I fear we shall end up with a Skoda.
We managed to do rather well at bridge earlier in the month, coming twenty-something out of a national simultaneous pairs competition. Not due to our play, however, - we are rather like Andy Murray used to be, getting there on the back of our opponents' mistakes.
Went to the London reception given by the Cayman Islands Government. The CI premier was there, but within a couple of weeks he had been ousted, due to some budgetary indiscretion or miscalculation that the Governor seemed to dislike. But it was nice to see old friends.
I think the outstanding event last month, though, was the Village Pudding Club. This is a collection of men who meet once a month in a pub in the middle of nowhere where the landlord is also the chef, and makes the most magnificent steak and kidney puddings. We each get a decent helping, and it is followed usually with treacle tart or some such desirable comestible. A certain amount of beer is consumed and the conversation is lively, often consisting of rapid fire jokes and such-like. However, the social season is about to resume - off to the Big Smoke now with dinner at the O & C which is usually followed by an agreeable port.
I have a good friend to thank for the following:
Just got off the phone with a friend who lives in
Maine.
He said that since early this morning the snow has been nearly waist high and is still falling.
The temperature is dropping way below zero and the north wind is increasing to near gale force.
His wife has done nothing but look through the kitchen window and just stare.
He says that if it gets much worse, he may have to let her in.
He said that since early this morning the snow has been nearly waist high and is still falling.
The temperature is dropping way below zero and the north wind is increasing to near gale force.
His wife has done nothing but look through the kitchen window and just stare.
He says that if it gets much worse, he may have to let her in.
About all for now. Watch this space.
