Rain and Roadworks

Summer appears to be over for the time being down here in rural East Sussex and the monsoon season has firmly set in. Little dog and I have just got back from her daily perambulation around the block and we are both soaked through. She is now catching up on a few zeds in her basket after drying herself off by rolling around on the front room rug.

We started the morning off by taking Mrs C to work in Royal Tunbridge Wells which is a bit posher than Royal Uckfield and is also legitimately allowed to call itself by the title of royal. Normally this journey takes us approximately twenty-five minutes but not anymore; well not for the next twenty weeks at least.

Today it took us an hour to travel this distance because as we passed Boars Head near Crowborough we hit a traffic jam. It then took us thirty-five minutes to crawl to the head of the queue near Bunny Lane where we discovered a road works sign and temporary traffic lights. Something however appeared to be missing though from this bucolic rural scene and that something was a gang of workmen and assorted machinery who should have been digging great holes in the road.

A cynical person might think that this is just a ploy by East Sussex County Council to slow down and manage the flow of traffic crossing the border into Kent. Or are they just jealous of Kent County Council, who are having all sorts of fun at the moment turning the M20 Motorway into one giant lorry park, by creating their own mini version of Operation Stack on the A26.

After dropping Mrs C off at her work place I decided to find a different route back to the old homestead. In the pouring rain on greasy roads I took my life in my hands on the back lanes of deepest darkest Sussex. Have you ever seen the film 'Deliverance'? Whilst I stayed alert for danger (and more road closures)  Little dog got into the spirit of things by falling asleep and snoring loudly for the entire journey home.

I've spent the rest of the morning baking bread which is very therapeutic. It's a great way of relieving all that pent up stress by kneading and punching back the dough whilst imagining that it is the head of the East Sussex Highways department (makes a change from the Home Secretary). I'm really looking forward to repeating the journey later when I collect Mrs C who upon arriving home will say 'I never eat bread' as she cuts herself a thick slice.

A few pictures of the floods in East Sussex

According to the News Channels on the television and radio we have just experienced the wettest winter in England since records began in 1905. So far in February we have apparently suffered a months amount of rainfall in two days and there is still one week left until the end of the month.

It is very wet here in the South of England, but luckily in East Sussex we have got away quite lightly. We haven't suffered the floods that they have had in the South West and the Thames Valley, thank God.

I've been out and about with my camera taking pictures of the flooded fields in and around the area that I live using HDR or High Dynamic Range Photography. By taking three separate exposures of each scene and blending them together, the pictures have more depth to them. They are not flat, washed out or too dark like a single exposure can often be but appear closer to what is seen by the human eye.

Yesterday the sun came out at last after six weeks of rain and storms and it was like a spring day here in the South East. Unfortunately though we are set for more wind and rain during the coming week, however after that the weather is going to settle down apparently. It could be worse though, we could be up to our eyeballs in snow and ice with below freezing temperatures like our American Cousins. Anyway, meanwhile I hope that you all enjoy the photos.

A Grand Day Out

Yesterday It is was four days into the new year and it was still raining constantly over this sceptre'd isle and it showed no sign of abating in the near future. The authorities have been advising people not to travel unless really necessary as many areas of the country are either under water or in danger of being flooded. However Mrs C and I had an important appointment and despite the dire warnings of impending doom we had every intention of keeping it. You see, we were going to visit the country home of Her Majesty the Queen.

Our destination was Windsor Castle and yesterday was chosen for our visit some weeks ago by dear friends of ours who had bought us tickets as a surprise Christmas present. Not wishing to disappoint either them or her Majesty (or waste the tickets) we decided to risk life and limb and brave the elements. So leaving Little dog snoring in her basket we set off on the fifty mile journey from deepest darkest East Sussex to Royal Berkshire in our trusty old automobile.

The rain poured down continuously throughout our journey and streams of water washed across many of the country roads. On the motorways our visibility was greatly reduced by spray from heavy lorries, but undeterred we pressed on, after all we didn't wish to disappoint her Majesty (It turned out that she was still in Sandringham, never mind).

Windsor is a bustling tourist town on the south bank of the River Thames about thirty miles west of London dominated by its magnificent castle, our destination. The town and castle look splendid even on a wet and dreary January day. The only thing that mars there splendour is the loud noise of jet aircraft overhead (Why did they build the castle so close to Heathrow airport)? Still a little aircraft noise and a bit of rain wasn't going to spoil our grand day out.

The castle was still decorated for the festive season with holly wreaths festooning all the lamp posts and christmas trees visible through the windows of the private apartments. The medieval fortifications, towers and buildings were very impressive and awe inspiring. Surrounding the Round Tower is a moat, long since filled in and now containing a lovely sunken garden with a series of water falls and ornate pond. Despite the weather I was able to take a few pictures.

Our tour included visiting Queen Mary's Dolls House, a miniature version of a 1920's Grand Society house complete with electric lights and running water, even the plates on the dining table were made of real silver. The State Apartments containing many fine pieces of furniture and works of art and St Georges Chapel, all of which were magnificent. There was also an exhibition of paintings and drawings by members of the Royal Family which were really impressive. Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures as photography is banned inside of the buildings.

Mrs C and I had a brilliant day out at the castle despite the inclement weather and we are already planning a return visit sometime in the summer.

A wet and windy New Years day

Happy New Year for 2014! After a week of constant  rain and wind over Christmas, the first of  January dawned with bright sunshine streaming through the bedroom curtains................ Then I woke up! It was all just a pleasant dream, the rain is still bucketing it down outside from a leaden sky. However on the plus side the wind has died down, if only temporarily.

Little dog is suffering from cabin fever due to the lack of a decent walk. She is sulking, like a grumpy old bag lady and even looks a little bit moth eaten. We both need some fresh air but the seven day forecast shows more rain and wind for the following week without a break in sight. With no hope of a break in the weather we left Mrs C tucked up in bed with her Kindle and a cup of coffee while I put on full waterproofs and Little dog barked excitedly. Then out into the elements!

It was about 10:00 am when we set off and apart from another hardy dog walker we were the only ones daft enough to be out and about. Our route took us from our little house up to Ridgewood, along the Old Eastbourne road to the small hamlet of Palehouse Common. From there we walked along the little country lane to Framfield before cutting back across the fields to Ridgewood Village and home.

The rain poured down from the minute we left the house but this did not deter either of us. I find it quite exhilarating walking in this weather and Little dog is just happy to be out and about. I noticed that all the fields were sodden and the roads had small streams running along each verge. They ran down hill into low lying hollows that had turned into small lakes over the past few days. I've walked this route in sunny weather and these hollows are usually dry and filled with leaves but now they were in danger of overflowing and flooding the lanes.

We were out for about an hour and a half and Little dog was really enjoying her walk, she appeared to love all the water as she insisted in walking through all the little streams and puddles. On returning home her delight at the water diminished drastically when I carried her up stairs and put her in the bathtub. She loves the water but hates being bathed, still she is now lovely and clean and fit to be seen in polite company.

Mrs C and I have just enjoyed some home made curried Butternut squash soup with crusty bread for lunch and we are all settled in for the day. The wind is howling outside and the rain is lashing down against the windows but we are all cosy indoors with Little dog asleep on the sofa beside me while I write this blog entry. Hopefully Little dog will now cheer up and stop being such a grumpy old lady, but somehow I doubt it!