Still Stormy.

Storm Barra raged all through the night, the day and continues still. The latest word is that it should die down at around 2.00 tomorrow morning. The Lifeboat Station recorded gusts of 71 knots/82 mph at 5.00 this morning and 45knots/52 mph during the day. Officially we are back in 'Severe storm force 11'. Right now the wind sounds even stronger. The official maximum wind for the county has been 86 mph while Storm Arwen's maximium was 81 mph.

I don't know if it was the noise of the storm or an effect of the booster jab but I didn't get to sleep until after 5.00 this morning only to be woken before 8.00 by Peter bringing me a cup of tea. I needed to be ready to drop the car off in the High Street for a service for 9.30 before walking the rest of the way to the zoo. However in view of the weather Peter rearranged the time to the afternoon so that I could drop the car off on my way home which meant I didn't have to leave so early.

On my way out I stopped to take some photos of the beach and the pebble strewn car park. I didn't take any photos at the zoo because it was raining as I finished and I had to leave to drop the car off. The zoo's fence stayed up despite the strong winds but there was damage to the top of the pen containing the white peahen and her two now grown up chicks. The birds were fine as the pens are very tall. I spent my time at the zoo carrying on weeding the section I'd been working on. Another whole tub of those nasty bindweed roots now gone, yay.

Walking home was quite difficult and though I stood at the top of the slipway to take some photos I didn't dare to set foot on the beach itself. 

Here is a link to a FB video of the storm damage in Borth, (posted by Dianne Richards, video by Ieuan.) Below are more photos from the local FB page.

Aberystwyth - the road next to North beach. (BBC)

The car park flooded by the sea which broke through the sea wall behind further along the beach at Ynyslas. (Sarah Yeomans)

Sea foam on the High Street. (Alyson King)

Walking home even though my face was protected by; safety glasses, hat pulled down low and neck warmer pulled up to my glasses every now and again the wind blown icy rain found a tiny spot of bare skin and boy did it sting. Coming up the cliff the wind was gusting so fiercely I kept one hand on the railing to stop myself being blown into the road. Once the railing ended it was a matter of putting my head down and stomping along the pavement.

It was lovely to arrive back to a wonderfully warm home and to find we'd had an oil delivery so no worries about running out of oil. It feels so luxurious to have the whole house warm when for many years we daren't turn on our central heating but relied on a kitchen warmed by the rayburn and warm clothing and throws elsewhere. And it wasn't that bad.

Once I'd warmed up I did some Welsh practice, wrapped a couple of Christmas presents and felted another bauble. I've added a bead and hanging loop but the bead doesn't work with the white decoration so I'm going to have to rethink that one. Peter went down to collect the car but it won't be ready until tomorrow morning.