Last week lockdown was not too bad in many ways, as being in the garden was nice, the sun was out, birds singing and the air was warm. If you had the potential to be outdoors safely and legally, it really wasn't so bad. Saturday was positively balmy and we knew summer was on its way.
All that changed on Sunday as the wind turned to its most cruel direction - north east. Nothing good comes of that wind, particularly when it is strong and gusty. The outdoor thermometer got bashed around and broke. Being outdoors was painful and unpleasant, even if it looked beautifully sunny. The wind dries out pots and planters, which then have to be watered, but you have to choose the right time or things freeze.
The medieval builders who put up our house knew all this, so we have few windows and thick walls to keep out the cold and the wind. However the backdoor, which the cats use to move around their realm, faces that direction and when they are out, the wind comes in. Soon the girls will be trapped inside and we can light the log fire and warm up a bit.
Of course the north east wind is not good for cats either. For a good scientific reason (that I can never really get my head around) cold weather encourages static cling. If you are a cat, covered in fur, this is annoying, not a good look and when you are being stroked by your servants, you are likely to emit sparks. Fergus is modelling the pre and post- stroking look, and got rather worse after I was told to stop taking photos and pay attention by Spooky (the small black person with bad attitude). One of the other cats, after producing two loud cracks of static, avoided me completely.
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