Thursday, I decided to play musical cars. I know, it’s supposed to be musical chairs, but I can’t drive a chair. I took my son to university as usual, and decided I’d go home, allow the day to warm up a little, then go shopping. The day started with a severe frost which took ages to clear off the car, and it was minus 5. Not as bad as some places, I know, however I don’t recall it ever being that cold where I used to live in South Wales. Thursday is usually a good day to shop as for some reason, our street remains quite clear on a Thursday. Not this day. I arrived home to find one space in the street, almost on the corner. We’re discouraged from parking on the corner as it makes it difficult for anything bigger than a car to get around however the council hasn’t painted double yellow lines there. I parked up and went into the house. I was cleaning the bedrooms, when I noted a large space opposite my house, so I quickly moved my car into that space, away from the corner.

By 10am the sun had come out, and I went out for groceries, noting it was still only minus 4. Shopping concluded, I went home, only to have to park in the next street due to ours being full. I dragged the shopping to the house, making two journeys due to weight, only for the space opposite the house to become free almost as soon as I’d dragged the shopping in and shut the door. I quickly put my car in the space, moved my wheelie bin back to my house; somebody has moved it halfway down the street, presumably as they couldn’t get past it due to the idiot who had blocked the pavement and road outside my house. By 4pm, they’d gone, so I moved the car again finally able to park outside my house. I collected my son later from university, and thankfully was able to park in the same spot though I’m a little further forward than I’d like to be. I do try and not block anyone’s front door, or gate, except my own. We’re well stocked now, so I doubt I’ll need to move the car again for a few days. The joys of on-street parking and living near a town centre with expensive car parks.

Monday, we had a lot of rain that turned into snow flurries. Being so damp beforehand, nothing much settled. Tuesday, it started bitingly cold and frosty, though soon turned to brilliant sunshine. Wednesday, it was cold and icy and treacherous underfoot. Thursday, it was severely cold, as stated above, and didn’t get above minus 3 all day long. Friday has started cold, though we don’t have a frost, and the forecasted snow never arrived which I’m grateful for. The heating has been on almost all day long, though I’m still wearing 3 or 4 layers in the house. I’m really feeling the cold this winter and rarely feel warm, even wrapped up and in the house. The cold is also giving both of us headaches and walks with the Ship’s Dog though frequent, are undertaken as quickly as frost will allow. He loves this cold snap and was quite excited to snuffle around in what little snow we had; obviously I’m talking about the dog and not my son. If you have it, do take care out there, but also do keep it lol.

I’m going to have a quiet Friday. With my son out all day on Thursday’s, I do a lot of housework; that way I’m not in his way, nor him in mine. I’d already walked the dog, been shopping as above, dusted and vacuumed the upstairs, cleaned the bathroom, did ironing, made dinner… Thursday I had a terrible night and couldn’t sleep on my left side due to my leg throbbing most of the night. I think I’ll have to pace myself a bit better and not do so much on one day in future. The joys of getting older. March can’t come soon enough, and I hope they can find out why, and do something about, the peripheral neuropathy that I’m experiencing.

Anyway, enough of my complaining ;) enjoy the rest of the week, and have a good weekend.