Alive and kicking, just...
We have a thick blanket of snow here in Hull. Rocky loves the snow. After going to the cash point, Rocky took off for the park as though he was the lead Husky pulling a sled. I had to run behind him until my breath ran out. In the park, off the lead, he ran toward a snowman and demolished it in seconds. There were several people in the park taking photographs, and Rocky performed for the cameras by leaping into the air to catch snowballs which I had thrown up for him. Then it was off to the convenience store to get much needed supplies.
There was not enough credit left on the gas meter to have the gas central heating on yesterday. So, during the day I sat in my study/bedroom at my computer next to a 3 bar halogen electric fire. At night there was just enough wood left to burn on the fire in the front room so I could watch TV without freezing to death. I particularly enjoyed the film about Houdini on BBC2. Then I took Rocky out for a walk in the snow before going to bed.
The charitable gift of £100 could not have come at a more convient time. No gas, no tobacco, and very little food. Last night I defrosted 3 out of date pork and nutmeg sausages from the freezer (which the Latvian people next door gave me in exchange for a jar of homemade blackberry jam), and had sausages and mash for tea.
I put £20 on the gas card, and £10 on the electric key. I bought a couple of packets of middle bacon for £2.50 (not a patch on the back bacon from the butcher's at just over £5 for 2lb), a couple of 454g packs of pork and beef sausages for £1 each, 2 cornish pasties for £1.10, 2 small pork pies for 85p each, and a steak and kidney pie for 75p, and a small loaf of Warburtons Crusty at 95p. The 10kg bag of coal cost £3.49, and the 50g packet of Amber Leaf tobacco cost £11.15. I walked home almost £60 lighter in my wallet!
Once home, first things first, give Rocky his two treats which he expects after every walk. Then cut open the bag of coal and place it by the radiator to dry out. Feed the gas meter, it takes back the £6 emergency credit and leaves me £14 and a few pence. Top up the electric meter. I go and activate the gas boiler and set the dial to medium heat. Open a packet of bacon and put a couple of slices in the frying pan. I fill the electric kettle in the bathroom (because the kitchen sink is too full of dishes waiting to be washed) and could not help but notice my breath being expelled as I leant over the bath. The same happened in the kitchen. Whilst I have seen this happen outside I have never experienced it inside the house before. With the temperature being at minus 3 or 4, the last thing one needs is being without gas central heating in the house. Lo and behold, apparently the gas supply is running out.
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
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3 comments:
I thought I was making a smart move going down to Cornwall; bloody weather has followed me!
That reminds me of the days when I had no central heating and following that the marginally better night storage heating. I was always at such a low body temperature that when my car needed scraping in the morning my body heat would drop so much that I had excruciating pains in my hands and following that some of my fingers would go numb.
Most of us haven't experienced this bizarre bitter weather before, but as I was stood waiting for the bank to open yesterday, three elderly ladies were talking about when they remembered having tin baths and when the snow was a quarter of a way up their doors. With two young people stood behind me moaning about how cold their feet were, I could only smile. God bless the elderly! It just goes to show they are tough as old boots!
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