Relief

I tend to forget about the boating lake - though it’s some time since you could hire boats and row here. It’s now the home of two resident swans, a few assorted water fowl, and, when they feel like it, a fair number of marauding gulls. 

Today it’s iced over - hardly surprising considering the bitter winds blowing off the nearby sea. The swans stand firmly on the ice, necks wrapped around them like extravagant scarves, heads tucked in against the wind. The invaders - herring  and black headed gulls - perch delicately on the, ice, occasionally stepping out gingerly, unsure. There is a small area of free water into which they occasionally venture - particularly if there is a chance of food. 

Some fly in, or fly out, water take-offs and landings seeming preferable, but they appear to have mastered the technique of Ice landings too; slow down, landing gear out, gradually drop. Safely down - nothing to see here. He looks down at his feet - or their reflection. Relief. 

And talking of relief - today we had our covid jabs. A phone call from the surgery invited us for today’s appointment - I must admit to feeling quite emotional.