Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Snug as a bug

It's unseasonably cold this evening. I don't mean Antarctic winter cold, or even American High in the Rockies cold. Just cold for us on our Gulf-Stream warmed little green island. The temperature is a balmy 0 C, or 32 F, for our other visitors. The car roofs are dusted in pale waves of frost and I'm sure the potted geraniums in the back garden may be done for by morning. If they survive, I may move them into a tumbledown shed that's had a reprieve and has a sunny window.

Billy Connolly has some funny stories of growing up in Glasgow and the efforts to look more affluent when the parish priest came around, spoiled by the brother shouting from the bedroom:

"Mammy! Billy has his leg down the arm of the duvet!"

Herself and I both survived frosty nights in unheated bedrooms as children with blankets of adult coats on us for protection. I remember my father's large tweedy coat, the smell of tobacco from it, it's rough outer texture and smooth inner lining. We also had some furs, remnants of the family's few years in Canada, and these tartan-lined bearskins had long, soft brown hairs to keep the cold out of the unlucky bear. The furs are long gone, of course. But I found a small bear-fur hat from my mother's 1950s collection. It's sitting on a shelf by the door of my cluttered study. I'll give it a pat for old-time's sake on the way to sliding in under the many togged modern duvet in our centrally heated 21st Century house.

Times move on. On Monday, our visiting 3 year old grandson stopped in his tracks in front of the living room fire.

"What's that?" he asked, staring at the naked flames.

Good night.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha, re the Grandson.
We are cold here too in England. We actually had some snow last night. I had to leave my car outside the garage as Mr had tools etc covering the inside floor. I swapped my afternoon shift (work ) to this morning and was cussin as I tried to get the snow which had iced over, off my whole car. The door stuck fast and for a mo I thought I would be pouring hot water along it. It came loose after luke- warm water was carefully run over the frame.
Mr thought he would help by taking the kettle out. I soon told him not to put any such hot water over my screen. It has a few chips and will need replacing by the next car test in six months time. Imagine if one cracked ! Not that Mr was being silly, he was going to de-ice the rest of the car with the now luke-warm kettle water. I must have looked daggers at him because he retreated indoors to let me get on with my chore. In no time at all I had cleared my windows and screen.
Off I merrily went to work. The Assistant manager and the counter staff had cleared all the vans of ice and snow for us mere drivers to start on time. Awww bless. Wonder were they thinking of their bonus and the helping hand was to help the sales along ?
My first delivery was to collect 30 bags of sand/salt for the customers who were caught on the hop with the snow.
I collected 15 from our supplier, just down the road from us. The van is only a small one but would have taken the whole 30 BUT if I was overloaded and stopped it would be down to me.
Geez, those bags are heavy. I put my bestest smile on and the bloke piled the 15 onto my van. I brought them back and stood as the fella's from our depot piled them off. Not being stupid, I brought along the Ass manager to help get the other 15.
Once back, they were loaded in no time into various vans to order.
So here I am, telling you about my cold day here. Tomorrow evening we are to get more snow they say.

Joan

Anonymous said...

Grandson ?


Willie - did you hear about Colin Thorpe ? (remember him ?). Blooming hell. There but for the grace of God.


Facebook. Don't go there. Too many ghosts man.

Adele said...

we had snow. In october, WTF.

Willie_W said...

Fitz >> I read about *a* Colin Thorpe. The report said he is now driving a taxi, following an uncommon (though perhaps not unusual) change of direction in an accounting career. Is that the same Colin of our far off youth, do you think?

Willie_W said...

hagelrat >> Oh we have all five seasons in the same day. Yes, five.

Anonymous said...

Yes. I read that report too (it's online). I fear it might be. Last time I spoke to him he was an accountant and was sitting as a director of some companies.

Unfortunately I think he might not be driving anything at the moment - unless he managed to get parole.

Willie_W said...

What did he get?

Anonymous said...

I *really* hope it's not him.

The person in the article got 2 years.

Anonymous said...

Love to know who you are talking about ???? Nosy me ?? Yeah *S*