Storm Floris

I went out during one of the lulls in the storm, after the heaviest of the rain and before the wind really kicked in around 11am, and took a picture of a soggy sweet pea flower. This was perhaps prescient as the whole sweet pea edifice collapsed in mid afternoon in the wind. I doubt it is rescuable, although there are some blooms out there which are probably still worth having. I will check it out in the morning.

Whilst I was out there, I snapped the corner of the back garden which we tidied up yesterday (see extra). In fact, ironically, we were quite pleased to have the huge leylandii hedge behind our garden protecting us from the south westerly gale today. It's not often I would say that. I was a bit worried about  the gale force winds blowing into the copper beech tree in the garden up the hill. If that came down, it would make a mighty mess of this bungalow.... Luckily, nothing serious has happened not least because that tree is also protected by the leylandii hedge. We just have a lot of beech tree debris on the front patio (indeed everywhere in the garden), although most of it has handily clustered itself at one end, so should be easy to clean up tomorrow. Anyway, the extra also shows the corner of the garden where the shed is going. As can be seen, we really don't have much grass left now!

The wind is now subsiding (mostly). There are still a few gusts, but it is not too bad now. I do find storms and high winds quite stressful. I've not really relaxed today and despite the fact that I've not left the confines of the property, I feel quite exhausted this evening. At least I've burned off most of my excess physical energy by doing a peloton workout, so I do hope I can sleep tonight. I've had a fairly successful day on "day job" work, of a mixed character. It means that I am at inbox <10 and I have crossed off the things on my to do list for this week, for the most part. I have a bunch of life laundry things that also need doing, and I haven't started on those, but I also hope to get a draft of my paper finished but the end of the week.

The storm has been reasonably intense around here, although not too bad in the town. Most of the main roads around here and the bridges, have all been closed at different times due to fallen trees, capsized lorries, and that sort of thing. Mr A went down to the supermarket this morning before the worst of the storm kicked in, and got whatever things he had on his list. This appears to have included tequila and I've just enjoyed a variant of some sort of margherita, apparently, but with blackberries. I've just learned that the man who was supposed to come round this morning to size up the site of the shed base was apparently called out to deal with a fallen tree emergency. Hopefully he will come tomorrow.

The underlying weather, apart from the rain, has not been too bad. Some rain, but not ceaseless rain, and now a rainbow is visible in the east from where I'm sitting on the sofa. Sun is coming over the shoulder of the house onto the front garden. I am sure that tomorrow things will be back to normal.