Day 322 – Reflections on Lockdown

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So many photos today, it was hard to choose which one to use for the blog cover photo.

I’ve chosen this one, Discovery the Snow Boat, which looks like an igloo!

This has not happened to Discovery since I’ve owned her, pretty unique and may not happen again.  So I chose this one 🙂

Fiona, my neighbour, says this happens to boats which have good insulation.

That explains why she gets so hot inside with the wood burner – I am happy with the good insulation for the next few days, the forecast is it’s going to get cold.

This cold snap has been nicknamed ‘Beast from the East 2’ – https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/06/snow-ice-and-gale-force-winds-to-batter-britain-as-beast-from-the-east-ii-roars-in

You may remember the first ‘Beast from the East‘ in February 2018?  This week, the temperature is set to drop to minus 6 degrees centigrade, which will feel like minus 9!! Edinburgh and the east of UK is expected to get more snow over the next few days.

All these photos missed the cut for today’s blog cover photo!

 

 

There was a small dusting of snow this morning, but nothing too impressive, it was more of the small tiny snow balls like yesterday (Day 321).

It did hail mid-morning, heavy falling, compared to the lightly falling snow.

This morning I did some paid work.  Part of my weekly work, involves putting up the Radio Schedule for Deepness Dementia Radio, a 24 hour radio station for people living with dementia and cognitive impairment.  It consists a mixture of music, interviews, etc…with some regular slots by people living with dementia and cognitive impairment including – Gayle’s weekly blog, Ronald Amanze Radio Show, Ivan Barry’s Music Maze and 1 in 100.  1 in 100 in weekly interviews of people who live with dementia.  We are soon to launch some of these as Podcasts.  But in the meantime check out the radio schedule, you can find the radio link from the schedule – https://www.deepnessdementiamedia.com/radio-schedule/2nd-week-february

You can also listen to the radio via Alexa, saying “Alexa Start Deepness Radio”.

This afternoon I headed to the flat, via Kate’s Park.

Then onto the flat, to put the blinds up.  I put the brackets up to find that the blinds were 0.5 cm too long!  I measured and found that further down the window recess it is wider, but as the top it is narrower!  Damn!  I had bought them from John Lewis, knowing that they are easy to return.  So I have now ordered longer ones, which will have to go outside the window recess.

At 7.30pm I looked outside to see if was snowing heavily, so decided it was time to head back home, worried that the buses may stop if it continued to snow heavily.

The next bus was due in 10 minutes, so Honey and I started walking up Easter Road.  The snow had fallen very quickly and cars were skidding all over the place.

 

 

We got to London Road, which also was covered in thick snow and waited for the bus, it was not due for 6 minutes.

 

I then got the inspiration to walk / jog home to enjoy the snow and see who was out playing in it.

But which route would be best, Honey started on our regular route to Arthur’s Seat and I realised this was probably quickest way.

As we headed along Abbeyhill, where there is a steep road with traffic lights at the top, cars were getting stuck.  The snow was falling and the road was icy, cars just didn’t have the traction to pull off from standing still on the hill.

I could have offered to help push, but with Honey with me too, I continued, we still had a long way to go.

I started jogging to speed up our journey time.

Arthur’s Seat was quiet, no one out and about.

 

It was hard to tell if we were on the road or the pavement as the snow covered it all.

As we headed towards the big hill up towards the Commonwealth Pool, I remembered the path I had discovered on my mammoth cycle on Day 306, so went up that.  A guy ahead of me, was walking briskly with a sledge, he stopped to help push a car stuck on a small hill.

It was next to a fence, so I stopped and tied Honey’s lead the fence to help push.  It was not happening, skidding all over the place, I left them too it.  It was a long gradual hill, the car was never going to get up that!

  I

Then more jogging, it started to snow again, cutting through the University to George Square, it was quiet so I let Honey off the lead for a bit of freedom.

 

Then onto The Meadows, Honey was struggling to keep her eyes open with all the snow in her face!

 

It was great being in The Meadows with so much snow!

Groups of people, looked like students, were out rolling snow for snow sculptures!

Then onto Tollcross, the road weren’t clear there either!

Arriving back to Discovery, just as Fiona was out getting some coal and the snow boat 🙂

I checked the time, it had taken me 50 minutes to get home – so much more fun than getting the bus – what an adventure!!!!

 



Readers Corner

Just one post today.

 

Theo

Theo left a Facebook comment on yesterday’s blog (Day 321) saying:

“Don’t the Scots have a hundred names for the different types of snow?

maybe it’s Eskimos…”.

Thanks Theo!  You are the retired academic so going to know this better than me 🙂

 

 



As I come to the end of this blog, it’s really like nearly 1am – but I seem to have lots of energy.  I think my adventures of going home in the snow, boosted my energy.  Discovery was cold when I got home, the fire had gone out, but it’s nice and cosy now 🙂

I think the snow brings energy too – as it’s so different to usual weather!

I found this article about last night’s power cut – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-55979665, it turns out the power cut was from Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders.  People were saying they had lost their mobile reception, which explains why I lost my internet.

It’s going to be a cold few days ahead of us, it’s already snowed more since I got home.  I cleared the top of Discovery when I got back, as she has lots of gaps and I think leads to more water in the bilge – and it’s covered again already.

Hope you’ve had a Magical Monday!

Stay Safe 🙂

Jim & Honey xx

 

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