Rather a bleak, cold, grey day.

Told Mr Retford I'd be away on the trip tomorrow - 'Where are you going?' he asked. 'Sevenoaks - well, Oneoak,' I said. He laughed like a drain at this witticism (six of them blew down in the gale on Friday).

A tempest overnight, apparently with gusts over 94 mph. Tree in back garden uprooted, 4 sections of fence missing, trees and walls and fences blown over everywhere. Went for a walk about 8.15 to check the route to school, which was flooded, so had a fag on the playground to make up for the usual visit to the car park. As things seemed to be abating by 10.30 I drove up to school to see what was occurring. Met the headmaster who said he'd phoned local radio to tell 'em school was closed (only 15 people turned up): an apple tree's fallen on the 6th form clubhouse too.

'This month will be remembered ... for the "Great Storm", the so-called hurricane of the night of the 15-16th and the morning of the 16th' [...]

By 5pm the warm and windy pearly-overcast weather of earlier on in the afternoon had got cooler and quieter.

Took the car, owing to my cold and the rain.

October 10th. Think I won't go down the pub tonight. They won't miss me, and it's still raining. Don't fancy getting any wetter.

October 11th. At least it's stopped raining at last. The river is up over the path.

'very wet' [...]

Cold, boring afternoon.