A Bits and Bobs Sort of Day

 We think it was -7 here in Peterborough last night.  When we got up at 8am it was -6 and has been very cold for most of the day.  It is currently 2 degrees with the lowest temperature predicted to be at -5 for tonight.

I have been beavering away in the Pantry again.  Things are not going very fast.  I had not appreciated just what I did have in the Pantry!  It is not even empty yet - hopefully will get there tomorrow.  Before that though I have to do a little tidying in the main kitchen so that I can move and get further stuff stacked.  As I have been cleaning things as I go along, this has for some part made for the slow progress but it does mean that it should be quicker on getting items back into the Pantry itself after its wash and brush up.

I ventured outside for the first time in days to nip around to the shop but came back quickly as it was freezing.  I was going to stash some rubbish in the back of the car but thought better of it and thought that would deal with it sometime tomorrow.  I suspect that we will end up at the tip, even though everything is not sorted as yet. At least this will mean a little bit more room to manoeuvre.

A couple of finds for today included a bottle of Gordon's Gin (I did not know it was in the Pantry together with some Port, Southern Comfort, a bottle of Jameson's' and various liqueur type drinks.  The absolute find for today though must be a bottle of vintage Elderberry Syrup from a couple of years ago.  I am grateful for this as it is a life-saver when I have a stinking cold so was very pleased to find this.  For the past couple of years I have not managed to get Elderberries; this year because of the drought mainly and the birds needed to feed so I elected not to pick what few berries I did find. I am hopeful that this year I will be able to make more. I do intend to get some wild bird seed and make up some seed balls for the birds though to help with the feed situation in this awful weather and the colder winter months.

Mind you although it is seriously bad the winter of 1962/1963 was an absolute stinker where the snow drifted and cut off villages for weeks. We had ice on the inside of the windows and there was no let up with the snow and the cold. I was about 3 - 3 1/2 years old and we lived in Uppingham and we only had one fire in the house.  No central heating then. 

Since then the winter's have not been as bad although there are a couple of winters that have been close.  Since then we have had warmer winters (probably down to global warming).  We are not geared up for bad weather these days in the UK like we used to be and the whole travel network tends to go to pieces because we are not used to it.

When I was a little girl the "Snow Fences" used to be put up along main roads where it was known to drift in late autumn in an effort to keep the roads clear.  They did this for years on the main road to Lincoln via Sleaford as there were deep dips and gullies along the road. I think the only reason this stopped was that we did not get the snow like we used to and so it gradually phased itself out.

We have only had a scratch tea tonight i.e. egg and chips.  Hopefully will be able to get to the cooker to prepare something for tomorrow night's tea.  Could be a steak and onion pie, served with veggies and gravy.  That is what I am gravitating towards at the moment. Proper warming food.

Right off to do some more.

Keep warm and safe wherever you are.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x