03/02/2009 by Ted.

Thaws the frozen lake again.

Hi Andee and Janette and family, good to see your post - and thanks for the kind wishes. My love to you all.

Well, first of February already and January’s snow is forecast for this week. Something a bit out of kelter somewhere! But I guess it was ever thus. I remember long ago in the days of yore cycling to Silecroft station in warm June sunshine to catch my train to work and then cycling through six inches of freshly fallen snow from the station to home when I returned that evening. Anyway, officially this month the frozen lake (which is now no longer frozen) thaws under a deluge of February rain. Hmmm … well, we shall see. The good news is, as Andee says, the evenings and mornings are getting lighter - and we are slowly heading towards a too-hot and absolutely glorious summer - or not, as the case may be.

A bit cool here today and a bit blowy - but sunshine and some blue sky too. Plenty of snow on the far Lakeland hills but just a smattering on Black Coombe. So everything in  the garden is lovely.

Well, now it is Tuesday and I didn’t get this post up. Got distracted by Lord Fly - I chased him up about that million pounds he owes me. At first he didn’t want anything to do with his debt - said it was a joke and he knew there would be responses. However I pinned him down and he has agreed to pay, but says it will take him the best part of four months to get it for me through his Parliamentary expenses. He apparently has no other income - or so he tells me. He’s a bit dodgy, I feel. And to think that Richard even suggested that we shared the same birthday. I did ask him Richard but he said that he is no-where near sixty-five, let alone seventy-five and could not therefore possibly share a birthday with me.

I have been looking for the snow for the past couple of days but everywhere is still green and snow-free. There is a little on the top of Black Coombe and yesterday morning there were a couple of light showers leaving a very light sprinkling - about one half of one millimetre I guess - which melted in the bright sunshine and the rest of the day was gorgeous, like today. On both days I had a nice long walk in brilliant sunshine. The wind was a bit cool though - AND THE SCHOOLS WERE ALL OPEN! 

I spoke to James yesterday and he reminded me of the time when we lived in the Midlands and it snowed and left a fall that was higher than James was tall. The farmer had to plough a trail through the snow to make a path for all the children to walk to school as usual. I guess that was before they invented the “yooman rights” and “‘elf n safety” for the teachers that closes them these days though.

Right, this is getting to feel like a tome (big book!) so I will stop now.

My love to everyone.

Ted.

PS. Why are we all writing our posts in BLUE?

And here are the photographs, James.

Taken as you made your way to school!

Double click on the thumbnails to see them largest.

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01/02/2009 by Andrew.

Just reading Ted’s ‘memories post’ brought to mind the outside bog at Silecroft when we first moved. Not only was it outside and freezing cold but there was no flush……huh!! Just a wooden bench with a hole in it and underneath a bucket. If I remember correctly there was a bucket of sand and a shovel to make it presentable for the next user. I remember helping our dad to dig a hole and bury the contents in the garden. Not the sort of thing to remember when you are tucking in to a plate of homegrown veggies! Consider that this was ‘modern’ when it was built and was probably considered a huge improvement on finding a bush somewhere or a hole in the ground.