Dark

The Shortest Day: Winter Solstice

~ beetleypete ~ 46 Comments

The 21st of December is usually a dull and uninspiring day. It was still dark before 8:10am this morning, and will be dark again by 3:30pm. Today is also extremely windy, which is driving the occasional heavy showers.

I had an early start to get into the nearby town of Dereham to do some banking. The local electricity company decided that today was a good time to dig up the road smack in the middle of a major road junction in the town centre, causing traffic chaos all around.

After the bank I had to drive to the Vet’s in Swaffham to collect Ollie’s Arthritis tablets, and I could feel the car being buffeted by the wind on the main road.

It won’t be too long before I take Ollie for his daily walk, and I am looking forward to doing very little (other than cooking dinner) once it gets dark.

Living In The Dark

~ beetleypete ~ 75 Comments

I didn’t get up until 8:30 this morning. I thought it was much earlier, as it was still dark.

When I went into the kitchen to let Ollie out, I had to switch on the lights. Then I went into the living room and opened the curtains, only to discover that it was as dark as early evening outside. I checked the clock on the microwave as my kettle boiled for coffee. Definitely morning.

Once the computer had fired up, the clock at the bottom of the screen confirmed it was really almost 9 am, not pm.

It is now 11:48, and still more or less dark. It will officially be dark just after 4 pm today.

But I will hardly notice any difference.

On the plus side, it isn’t raining!

Dull days in Beetley

~ beetleypete ~ 56 Comments

Mid-November, and the dull days are here. Not just the weather, though that is dull enough, but also that time of year. The build-up to Christmas, the frantic preparations for something that lasts for two days, before the return to more dullness.

Lacking inspiration to write anything on the blog is indicative of the pervading mood. No desire to take photos of the gloom and damp, and little enthusiasm for much else, to be honest. Even Ollie’s dog-walks are getting shorter, as my heart is not in trudging around in mud during yet another dull autumn.

Lights on just after lunch, and completely dark by 4 pm. Short days with little light, long nights with none at all. Even the glory of the night sky is denied to us, with cloud and fog providing a blanket that obscures all. Leaves cascade down from the oak trees, carpeting the lawn and paths around the house. Another job to face, clearing those. Stuck to shoes and doormats, irritatingly traipsed into the house, the once lush foliage reduced to a constant bind.

As you might have guessed. It is not my favourite time of year.

Really?

~ beetleypete ~ 44 Comments

It has been dark since midday.

The rain has been falling so hard, that I cannot hear the TV.

Not that it matters, as half the channels have been knocked out by the poor reception.

The ground is sodden, and the river has flooded once again.

The prospects for better weather are not good. More rain tomorrow, and heavier rain too.

It is the 28th of June, midsummer in England.

Is it any wonder that I am so completely fed up?

Tell me that I am wrong. Go on, I dare you!

Quiet day, quiet night

~ beetleypete ~ 8 Comments

I wasn’t very busy today. I got up quite late, and soon after, made some breakfast for us both. After checking e mails, and perusing my blog, I got ready to take Ollie out. For some unknown reason, I ran a bit late, and it was almost 3 pm by the time we left. For a change of scene, I took Ollie to the recreation ground, over by Beetley Village Hall. There was no sport being played today, and the place was deserted. Ollie likes the woods that fringe the pitches, as they are home to lots of squirrels. However, after two hours walking around in circles, not one squirrel had appeared to be chased. They were obviously having a quiet day too.

Returning via High House Road, we bumped into a dog-walking friend going in the other direction. She asked me about the Vet in Swaffham that we have changed to, and I gave her the details. I walked Ollie back along Elmham Road, where the verges are so wide, he doesn’t have to get too near the much-feared main road. Everywhere was very peaceful. We only saw two cars, and no other people. Once home, I got the ladder out of the shed, and went into the loft. Next week, we are taking lots of baby stuff over to Julie’s daughter, who is expecting in November. It has been stored in the loft for months, and I wanted to get it down when she was there to check off what needs to be taken.

I then prepared the evening meal, a traditional roast, and Julie spoke to one of her sons on the telephone. It was all very normal, a typical Sunday. Later on, we watched some TV, mostly things we had previously recorded. At 8.30 pm, a car drove past on the dark street outside, and we looked at each other, somewhat surprised. It is indicative of how quiet life is here, that the passing of a single car after dark can be a cause for remark. Julie stayed up quite late, something she will no doubt regret tomorrow, when her alarm goes off at 6.30 am.

It is now 1.50 am on Monday, as I type this. I haven’t heard a sound since that car passed all those hours ago, unless you count the increasingly strengthening wind. The view from the window is as black as ink, not a chink of light anywhere. Beetley has long ago closed down for the night, and I am guessing that it’s going to be another quiet one.