Stormy.

I thought it was windy yesterday morning but today was far worse. I was having a cup of coffee in bed watching the hail which was being blown horizontally past the window and enjoying the cosy moment watching tv when poof out went the electricity. Just as the winner of the finals of Next Great Baker was being announced. The electricity came back on soon afterwards but I was already up and starting my working day. Luckily the programme was on the Sky box so I watched the ending later on. 

While the storm had been blowing I had been looking out of the other window at the willow tree at the end of the veg plot. I had noticed earlier in the year that it was rocking  and today's wind was making it sway quite a bit. It holds up my 2 washing lines, or perhaps they are holding it up, but I think if I had sheets blowing in the breeze the whole thing might come down. Because of the slope I would have to have a pole at least 10 ft tall which is why I didn't cut that tree down. Now I'm thinking that if I put in some posts or poles on either side to give it support that might do the job.

After the power cut I had no internet on my pc which was a bit of a nuisance. My morning DIY job was filling in the holes and cracks in the step to Romas' old room. I had enough resin wood filler which has done the job brilliantly. Not only have the holes and cracks been filled but it is all now one solid piece. When I came home after work I sanded it and gave it an initial coat of dark red/brown varnish. A few more coats and it will look like one single piece of wood. I also filled in all the cracks between the walls and the door frame and in the little wardrobe in there with ordinary wall filler.

My journey to work was eventful. As I turned on to the main road there was a police sign saying the main road was closed. Along with all the other traffic I turned off down the side road that leads down to Muddiford. As I slowed to let a car go past me the other way I stopped to chat to the other driver whom I know from the village. She told me that she had just turned around as that road was flooded but 4WD cars were getting through. That worried me as my car is only little but then I thought that no other cars were turning back. In the end the 'flood' was only a muddy puddle, perhaps she didn't want to get her car dirty. Once down at Muddiford we all turned towards town where the police were just removing more road closed signs. The above photo from the Gazette shows the tree that had been across the road there. The same article said that the road at Shirwell had also been blocked by a fallen tree. At school I had a happy afternoon getting all 25 children's fingerprint flowers done on their Mother's day cards.

After school I went to the local garage to get petrol. While I was paying I asked the girl at the counter if she knew if the Shirwell road was still closed. She told me it was open as she had just driven down from there. We got chatting and it turned out she is the Lewis' daughter. I drive past their farm every day and they also own the 2 fields along our drive. It's a small world down here. As I drove through Shirwell I could see the remains of the very large tree, much bigger than the one above, stacked on the verge by the turning to the school.

In between stormy spells we had a few moments of sunshine. It doesn't feel so cold because the winds have swung right round and are now south-westerlies which right now ar whistling merrily around the conservatory.