Today it has snowed on and off all day.
It’s been an interesting day of weather, one moment it’s clear, blue skies, with no snow on the horizon. Then within an hour or so, it’s snowing really heavily, soon returning to blue skies.
The snow continues to be the small balls that I have described over the last few days – it must be snow that comes from the East!
This morning, after Qi Gong, I cleaned my chimney.
My neighbours have said over the last couple of days that there has been a lot more smoke coming out of my chimney, which suggests it needs sweeping.
Apparently, once the warmer weather comes in the Spring, boaters do a Spring Clean of their boats and sweep their chimneys. I text Rach, the previous owner of Discovery to ask her how to take the chimney hat off, she replied saying she didn’t know, she had never sweeped the chimney! She owned Discovery for 5 years – no wonder it needing sweeping.
Helen my neighbour lent me her chimney brush – so with the song Chim Chim Cher-ee from Mary Poppins going through my head, I cleaned my chimney!
The wood burner completely filled up with whatever came out of the chimney and my hands turned black! But I did my first ever chimney sweep 🙂
One of the first jobs, when it snows is to clear a path along the towpath and putting down grit. I haven’t yet had a chance to do this – everyone beats me to it!
Then I got a phone call from my friend Gus, who goes to the Meditation Group I am in, he was passing by and came to say hello. I forgot to take a photo for the blog, but was great to see him and catch up IRL.
Then I gathered my things up and Honey and I headed to the flat, via Arthur’s Seat!
First through The Meadows….
Then onto Arthur’s Seat…
The key thing I noticed was lots of people out with their skis and snowboards – more than the sledges!!
But then over the hill and there were lots of people sledging and no skiers!
Along the path, I decided to jog 🙂
I bumped into my friend Adam, with his son Oliver, who were out sledging !
Then it started snowing again and I asked Adam to take a photo of me and Honey with my phone!! Thinking back to Day 319 and Day 321 in ‘Things We No Longer Use / Do’, I don’t think I would give a stranger my phone for a photo, but I would to someone I know – which is what I did…When really it doesn’t matter who it is – anyone could have Covid!
I dropped Honey off at Mo Beans Coffee Shop and headed along to Screwfix to collect my Laminate Cutter 🙂
Then I picked up Honey and headed to the flat and put a bed up – then came back to the boat for a Zoom meeting at 7pm!
Snow Sculpture Corner
You may remember back on Day 281, I had this section.
Today I was back out looking at snow sculptures. But unlike last time on 29th December 2020 (Day 281) the sculptures in The Meadows were completely different. Back then, they were the traditional type, with an objective on how big it can be, where as today, there were few and more like works for arts. Clearly size was not the objective but quality!
I guess, this being our third dumb of snow this winter, people are putting their focus into something different 🙂
I took photos with Honey sitting next to them, so you could get the idea of their size.
So first up we have these three –
Then this one, which has an awesome face!
A young child and his mother (I assume) were just finishing off this wee family of snow sculptures –
But I think these are my favourites – a while family of them!!
I only spotted two snow sculpture on Arthur’s Seat, returning to the traditional style – ‘the Bigger it is the Better it is’!!
The first one was not complete, but the sculpture happily stood aside for the photo. Honey was more interested in hunting animals than sitting for ANOTHER photo!
People on Arthur’s Seat seemed more focused on sledging or skiing/snow boarding!
On the way to Screwfix, I past Pilrig Park – they had adopted the totally traditional snow sculpture behaviour – big and many! Did they miss the first two times it snowed?
If you have made your own Snow Sculpture, please share and I can continue with ‘Snow Sculpture Corner’!
Lockdown Restrictions Corner
Things are progressing with the quarantine hotel’s that are coming into force on Monday 15th February (Day 329). To find the backstory check out – Day 310, Day 317 and Day 318.
England
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55995645
Travellers arriving from the ’33 red list countries’ will have to quarantine for 10 days in government provided hotels, being charged £1750 each. For an extra adult within that party (12 years and upwards) the cost is £650 and children under 12, £325.
Those who fail to follow this will be fined up to £10,000 or jailed up to 10 years, from Monday 15th February (Day 329).
Travellers will have to stay in the hotel, in their room for the full 10 days.
People travelling to Wales and Northern Ireland from the ’33 red list countries’ will be required to book and pay for quarantine in England, before travelling to these countries. Neither Wales or Northern Ireland have direct international flights, so they will have to fly to England.
Travellers will have to get mandatory Covid Tests on Day Two and Day Eight at an additional cost of £210. Failure to get these tests will lead to £1000 fine.
Failure to quarantine in a designated hotel leads to a fine of £5000 to £10,000.
In addition, people will have to test negative 72 hours before their flight to England, from ’33 red list countries’
Scotland
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55987460
Travellers arriving from all oversea flights (from whatever country) will also have to quarantine for 10 days in government provided hotels, from Monday 15th February (Day 329). Travellers will be charged £1750 for their 10 day stay.
The charge of £1750, will also include two mandatory Covid Tests on Day Two and Day Eight.
A welfare fund will be set up for travellers struggling to meet these charges.
No hotels have yet been confirmed, but the online booking system to implement this will go live on Thursday (Day 325).
In theory, travellers could fly to England from countries not in the ’33 red list’ and then travel to Scotland and avoid these quarantine restrictions. The Scottish Government has been encouraging England to follow these tighter restrictions to prevent this from happening.
Wales has called for tighter border controls between countries in the UK.
There are some exceptions:
- Essential supply goods coming into Scotland.
- Foreign Diplomats.
- Essential Defence activities.
Readers Corner
One post today.
Pat
Pat posted a Facebook comment on yesterday’s blog (Day 322) saying:
“Even We Got Dumped This Time With Snow.. Loved Walking The Dog At 5am In It..Stay Safe and Stay Well All…
“.
Glad you got some snow Pat, the 5am walk sounds lovely – were you out sledging later and making snow sculptures?
As I come to the end of today’s blog, I was feeling tired so was planning on writing a short one, but that hasn’t happened! I didn’t get to bed until near 2am last night, so have been tired all day! When we were on our bedtime walk last night, there were lots of students out and about playing in the snow 🙂
Tonight temperatures are due to drop to minus 4 degrees, with more snow in the night, but none forecast for tomorrow! I guess, the snow will harden up tomorrow with the cold temperatures.
Hope you’ve had a Tremendous Tuesday 🙂
Jim x
Helen
What a great action photo with someone falling off their sledge! Sweden gets a lot of snow, but it’s not always the “right” kind of snow. If you can make snowballs or snowmen then it’s called “kramsnö”. A lot of the time though, the air is so dry and the humidity is so low that the snow is like dust and doesn’t stick together. I’ve recently realised that when it is that dry, I can’t see my breath in the cold air either! That’s a really surreal experience. Like looking in the mirror and not seeing a reflection. You start to question your own existence.