8 As
Sun-through
Brighter around 1100
1400 HALO

Typically 6 Cu Sun

Got tons of work done in the morning. The hotel room environment is so unstimulating that work seems fascinating by comparison.

Some sun
SPOTS OF RAIN

0600 8 Sc
SPELLS OF FINE RAIN
1500 <8 Sun

First morning working as a digital nomad. Kept swinging between thinking it's the worst mistake I ever made (on a par with educating Marmalade), and thinking it's the best idea I ever had and being astonished by my audacity in choosing to improve my life in such a bold way.

Walked 2 miles into Grainley and back for a keyboard. Interesting that wireless is now the default, and to find a wired one I had to go to a place with a bigger selection.

Got rained on on way back, caught in a shower, but the sun came out again and dried me off to some degree.

Later had first nomadic Zoom meeting. I thought the Premier Inn free wi-fi wasn't up to the job but colleagues said it was better than my previous home connection.

Have been thinking - 'Now I'm only responsible for my bags, the car, the stuff in the units and a few boxes at M's house. I am free!' No more side passage or roof or damp to worry about.

RAIN overnight
Sun and SHOWERS
2-8 Cu
some huge
1200 THUNDER SHOWERS
1830 CuNian seen

As you can see, not only did I neglect to supply myself with cartridges, but with a working biro too. It must be many a long year since I had to do a diary entry in pencil.

Lovely morning; set myself to serious work fixing the batch files I use for my past diaries so they'd work on the laptop. It was good 'digital nomad' practice. Getting an entry typed up and weather-checked gave me a feeling of stability.

About 2.15 dark clouds came over and there was a shower, rain on the windows. I felt very cosy, as if I was on holiday, but I never have to go home, because I don't have a home now.

0600 0 Sun
1000 4 Cu
1200 8 Sc
SHOWER
1415 SHOWER
[usual ink changes to pencil] 2030 RAIN

Noticed that now I don't have a home as such, I've started to attach homely sentiments to my storage units.

8 Sc
OCCASIONAL RAIN

Had to park up the road at the house. Got call to say completion had occurred. Slowly went round saying goodbye. I could by then have moved the car to right outside the house, but I thought no, it's a piece of Earl's Court I mustn't take to Maidenhead.

Perhaps fittingly, the space was empty when I left, as it was when I arrived. I walked down the path, I laid my hand on the pillar, I looked back once, and then I got in the car and drove away.

Windy
<8 9p Sc
Few sun-breaks
1200 on, SPELLS OF RAIN

After the last half load came back for my bags and cases - how empty the house looked without a load waiting!
I thought of 'This house is empty now' at the end of Vieux Carré. But it felt exciting too, like going off to university in 1988.

As I drove I could feel the stress of the parking thing, and the move, just dropping off me.

Stopped at the Turnpike for hotel supplies. My nomadic existence has begun.

0000 Moon
0400 0 ->Sun
->8 Sc
1100->->Windy

This is my last night staying at this house. It was the parking that spoiled everything, because I couldn't feel secure when I was away, and I couldn't have anyone come to do improvement work because of the need to preserve the parking space.

I don't rule out owning a house again, but it's been such a relief to hear the rain at the hotel and know I'm not on the hook for fixing the roof, or to see the dilapidation here and know it's no longer my problem.

I will miss having the garden, and the big windows and high ceilings.

SPELLS OF RAIN
Also sun
Huge Cu
1550 HEAVY SHOWER

Text first thing in the morning inviting me for second coronavirus vaccination.

0500 0 Sun
0800 4 Ci, small Cu, S
->huge Cu
1330 SHOWER
1515 SHOWER
1715 THUNDER SHOWER

Excellent shower on the dual carriageway on the way home - saw black 'rain-brooms' ahead, temp dropped from 16°C to 10°C, lots of standing water on the road. Then a wonderful period of sun and dazzling spray like a good dream, and rainbows in the spray when seen in the mirrors behind me.

RAIN overnight
0500 8
Some sun later
1500 Huge Cu 16°C
1510 VERY HEAVY SHOWER 12°C
1530 10°C
1600 SPELL OF RAIN

4-8 huge Cu Sun
SHOWERS
1915 RAIN

0600 8 RAIN
->
SPELLS OF RAIN
1430 Brightening
1700 7 large Cu Sun
1930 SHOWER
2045 RAIN

8
SPELLS OF RAIN a.m.

Got the news that we'd exchanged. Unpleasant rainy drive back, but thought 'I'll never have to worry about that damp course again.'

0600 8
0900 RAIN FLURRIES
to
1400 RAIN
1600 cont

Trimmed the euonymuses so they don't overhang the gate/pavement. I think it will be good karma if I leave the place in good order for my successors.

Put the rubbish out - for the last time?

2-6 Cu, Ci Sun
Warm

0750 SHOWER
Sun 2-6 Cu
More Ci later

Did my washing at 5am as suggested by mum - their washing machine is very quiet. Hung it out in the garden at 6.

RAIN overnight
3-6 Cu Sun
Warm
Windy

NB for next weekend that I can't expect to get optimal parking, especially if the weather's bad.

Leaves on the trees waving in the breeze on the way home, reminding me of Survivors series 2.

Typically 6 Cu, Ci Sun
Warm

Horrible weather driving to Dulchester. Was lucky to find a parking space at the house at 9am, because of course people weren't keen to go out.

0500 8 Ns RAIN
Breezy
~1100 stops

Had tea on garden bench with mum.

0-4 Cu Sun
Cold air

These last couple of evenings I've noticed that placid Apr/May evening light I love so much. Something unhurried about it.

0-8 Cu Sun
1300 SHOWER

Sun 3->≤8 Cu
Cold
1700 SHOWER

0700 Sun huge Cu
->typically 6 huge shower Cu
SHOWERS
(some HAIL)
Windy

MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY. Just took a look out of the guestroom window, my very old bedroom 1975-1982. Surprised how many memories were stirred by the view of the garden and the trees across Galen Lane.

≤8 Sun
becoming WINDY
->
1800 VERY WINDY
RAIN

Very localised shower after lunch - raining at the house, but the Avenue was all dry when I drove out of Dulchester ¼ hour later.

0900 6 fair-weather Cu Sun
->
larger Cu
1445 SHOWER

Had very pleasant Saturday evening dinner with parents; we sat a long time afterwards over our Chablis, talking.

0600 0 Sun
0800 1
-->
≤7 vertically developed Cu

0800 4 fair-weather Cu Sun
Larger Cu at times

I have been thinking about getting my non-evil neighbours a farewell present when I leave. Like wine perhaps. But I didn't know what kind they like. Until I had the bright idea of looking in their glass recycling bin - Shiraz and prosecco.

Sun More cloud as day progresses

≤8 Sun-breaks
Cold
Breezy

Typically 4 Ci Sun
Air cold

The earliest feasible completion date is now May 17th, when the hotels will be open again.

Driving around these last couple of days has been like breaking the surface after being under water. A sudden glorious burst of light and space and sound.

0600 <8 Bright cracks
Cold
1300 Sun

Took ages to get to sleep - from 8-2 I slept about 3h in instalments, streaming the World Service on my mobile phone.

Some sun
Wind cold

The selfish neighbour had parked really close - I had to go back and forth about 6 times to get out, but when I did, the road was clear of traffic so I was able to give him a farewell 'Fuck. You.' double beep before driving measuredly away.

Once I got to Mugsborough I felt as if I was arriving in the TARDIS, like 'what historical period is this?' I didn't know whether the Enway Road junction was a roundabout or a T-junction like it was when we were young children, and near the Gables I began thinking of 1997-98 when I lived there, and found it odd when a text arrived, because I didn't have a mobile then.

It is so nice to be away from the house after more than a year at home during the shutdowns, and to be away from the parking after a decade of angst.

Typically 4 Ci
till
c.1600 0 Sun

This is like the 'press button to exit' on my last visit to hospital, when I spent so long photographing the sign to capture the moment, that there wasn't a moment.

All kinds of factors seem to have united to bless this project. The weather, the parking, work. I'm hoping that's a good omen.

0 Sun

Last night about 2.30 saw a strange light on the bedclothes - realised that the friendly Moon, low in the West, was shining through a crack in the curtains onto the bed. Heartening.

0600 FROST?
->Sun
typically 4 Cu

Took a few more boxes in the van, also the diary chair and table. I'm writing this in a deckchair in the bedroom.

0600 8 high
Cold
--->
1500 6 fair-weather Cu Sun

0500 0
->Sun
->0/8 high haze
Warm

0500 MIST
--->
1000 c.3 flat Cu Sun
Warm

Sun 2-6 Ci

0600 0
->Sun
0930 3 Ci
->Ci & Cu
Air cold

Remember the other week when I found myself appreciating the garden and house now that I'm leaving them? While typing up my 15-years-ago diary early in the morning found myself at the old flat appreciating that just the same one sunny Sunday. The next day I was coming to view this place...

Now I find myself coolly excited. It's a fine sunny evening with bright blue sky, and I have now a feeling of potential and adventure and things opening up, as if I'm sailing out into bright blue seas.

0600 0 FROST
->Sun
1400 ~5 Cu

0700 0 Sun FROST
->->
0900 8 SHOWER
then sunny intervals

~4 Cu Sun

-1°C overnight
0600 FROST
->
Sun 6 large Cu

Traffic back to normal, also fumes. 'The air would soon be reeking of petrol.'

Odd granular frost in the morning. I'd've thought it was a frozen sprinkling of snow, except it was only on places where frost would be (cars, roofs, fence rails, grass...)

Last night btw, for the first time this year, noticed when getting into bed at 8pm that there was enough light coming through the curtains to make it abnormally early to be going to bed.
Also, very early in the morning, about 4 am, with the streetlights still off had fine view of Arcturus high in the SW and Scorpius to the south. Seeing Arcturus in the west in the small hours in April like seeing Orion and Gemini marching before the dawn in the east in July.

-0°C overnight
0600 0
GRANULAR FROST
Typically 5 large Cu
Sun

Up at 4.15, beautiful morning.

0800 0 Sun
->1000 5 Cu

4/8 dirty Cu/As, S Sun-through
Breezy
More sun in the evening

Some sun

A couple of times now I've looked out of the back bedroom window at the tidy lawns and the garden path, and the brightly-painted shed and the bright green fir tree, and the apple tree, and wondered if I really want to leave it all. But 'location'. I can't be happy here, and I told the house I would try to sell it to someone who could appreciate it, and I think that's what I've managed. 'Life is a casting off.'

Some sun

Typically 5 Cu Sun
Cold

Sorting out Private Eyes at the storage place. Among the 2013 ones I found an April Fool cover with evil Boris Johnson, caption 'I'm going to be Prime Minister'. Chilling. An example of what Orwell said about Louis-Napoleon and Hitler, that for an adventurer it's good not to be taken too seriously early on.

-0°C overnight
Typically 4 large low Cu Sun
Fresh breeze N

EASTER MONDAY. I like Easter Monday because it's more special than a normal bank holiday, but you don't have to do anything special - no buns to buy, or turkey to cook.

0400 9°C
0700 8 low dark Sc, wind cold strong N
0945 Brighter but SNOW 6°C
1030--->
1430 5 Cu Sun

0700 8
--->
1100 ~1 Sun
Warm in sun

I've mentioned the unusual self-checkouts at Wilkinsons which are actually just ordinary ones which you operate while a staff member looks on benevolently. Particularly enjoyed using them today, I quietly whistled the Superstore theme as I trained the scanner gun on the goods.

≤8 with sun-breaks
Cold

GOOD FRIDAY. Colder today.

≤8
Some sun-breaks
Cold

0500 Moon-through
->Hazy sun
Breezy

Early in the morning about 7.10, walking up to the Tesco Express with the hazy early sunlight falling on the sign, reminded me of 1989 and early mornings full of possibility. If things go right, in a few months' time I could be seeing the early Wednesday morning sunlight anywhere.

0700 ~3 Sun
->0
->Cloudier
Warm

Beautiful weather.

0700 2 Sun
->->
0 Sun
Warm

House looks quite nice now, especially with the fine spring weather.

0700 8
-->
1100 Sun
-->
1500 0
Warmer

Got up quite promptly about 0330 GMT because I didn't want to lose time to the clocks going forward.

8 As, Sc Sun-through
Breezy

Breezy
0630 0 Sun
1000 5 flat Cu
->more cloud

Gave lawns their first mow of 2021. I suppose sooner or later I'll be mowing them for the last time.
Rain was due at 3pm but it arrived at 2.15, while I was still on the fourth and last lawn. Had to get partially inside the shed to clean and oil the mower afterwards. Quite cosy in there looking out at the rain falling on the garden.

Occasional sun
1415 SQUALLY SHOWER
Breezy

By 12.20 everything was in storage, so I took the van back and walked home. Had very pleasant walking lunch, with BLT baguette across the fields and Co-op flapjack up Cheeseman Rd. Sky had clouded over by then but it was still very pleasant, I felt like I was making full use of a hunk of time. It reminded me a bit of being out and about playing on bikes on a Saturday.

It began to rain as I neared home, that really was perfect timing. Just had time for a cup of coffee, and to thank 7.30am me for doing the washing up.

0700 0 Sun
0830 1 Gradually
->
1400 8 Sc, SHOWER.
1515 Sun

0900 Sun ~5
->
1100 Hazy Sun
->
1500 8

Walking along Barrett Rd in the morning on my way to the units, appreciated the early morning, early spring sunshine.

Much sun
Cloudier in the afternoon, clearer in the morning/in the evening
Warmer

Much sun
Warmer

0600 <8
1500 Sun-breaks

≤8
Sun-break in the morning
Cold

Took some books to the storage unit early in the afternoon. Nice spring-like day with fair-weather cumuli.

Typically 4 fair-weather Cu
Sun
Breezy

8
SPELLS OF RAIN
Cold

<8 Sun-breaks
AM LIGHT RAIN

Barrett Road, along which I walk home from the unit every morning, has narrow pavements on most of the E side, so when coming home I often have to cross to the W to avoid infection from people walking the other way. Reaching the other side after just such a crossing this morning, I saw I was under the canopy of a pink cherry tree, the blossom subtly bright against the grey sky. The sight filled me with hope, and made me think about what I'd read about spring 1945.

0600 8 RAIN
stops
Sun-break.
PM SHOWERS, some sun

0700 Sun
->≤8

0800 ~3 Ci Sun
Cold
1600 8 RAIN
1800 cont

Windy
Some sun
1400 SQUALLY HAIL SHOWER
CuNian seen

Windy
0730 8 Cold
1100 SQUALLY RAIN
1200 Some sun

Very windy overnight and in the day - badly-timed for recycling day, the street was like a tornado of plastic. Mine stayed in place though because I wedged it in with the bags of cardboard. Thank goodness I had the chimneys done.

VERY WINDY Gusting F8
0700 ~7 Ac
Some sun
->SQUALLY RAIN
->
Sun Large Cu
Warmer
1745 RAIN

Nasty cold rain on a cold wind all day.

0700 8 RAIN
Colder
Breezy\1600 cont
->WINDY

I've always had a dislike of thinking about complicated things that I'm not interested in, but since I was ill in January it's got very strong.

1000 0 Sun
3 Cu p.m., flattening and clearing again

Cold overnight -1°C
0700 8

Cold overnight -2°C FROST
0730 8
--->
1500 ~4 Sun

8
Brighter later

Surveyor came. He wanted the loft open (I was told yesterday) so I put a single insecticide dispenser up there, though it's much too early and cold.

0700 8 Cold
later RAIN
1115 Sun breaks

0700 SKY OBSCURED MIST
0800 FOG
0900 MIST
->8 S
Cold
1600 RAIN
1900 cont

0700 8 Cold
--->1500 0 Sun
Warm 11°C

FIRST DAY OF SPRING.

0700 8
Cold
HAZE
Brighter later, sun breaks

Cold and foggy at first, got very cold coming back from the storage place.

0700 SKY OBSCURED FOG
Cold
->
1100 ~6 Sun
1500 0

Felt very economically optimistic on the way out in the morning, with the fine (if cold at that hour) warm weather and prospect of an end to the shutdowns. If other people feel like that, it means house price inflation.

0800 2 Ci
FROST Sun
->Warm

0300 0 Moon
0700 FROST Sun
->Warmer
1200 1 Cu cells
1230 2
1530 6 flatter darker Cu

0700 <8 Sun rising into cloud
->->8
Colder.

Walking back from the Tesco Express just after 7am and looking at a fine orange-yellow sunrise through Ac and As, I was reminded of much earlier in the winter when I realised that one benefit of all the changes I'm making in my life is seeing so many dawns.

0700 <8 Ac, As Sun

Bloke came to do EPC for the house sale, very personable. He said everyone was pleased to see him because it was someone new to talk to.

Much sun
Windy

0800 6/8 Ci/As
Sun-through
1300 RAIN

Quite springlike today, a bit like that day in February 1985.

Sort of 'enjoy the silence' day today - fine weather and self-esteem.

Much sun
Warmer still

For trip to unit wore green summer coat instead of new grey one, the weather was so much milder.

Coming home had a feeling rather like Feb 1990, of being surprised by hints of spring because I'd got used to grimly surviving the winter, and had vaguely assumed it would always be winter now. Felt a bit like Abby when she sees the spring flowers in Corn Dolly.

Much sun
Warmer

Coming home for breakfast the weather was cold, but oddly pleasant with the sun shining through high grey cloud.

0830 <8 As, Ac Sun

Work COVID test a bit of a trial - it was all set up for smartphones, and although I had one with me, I was annoyed that the website didn't mention this, so I pretended my Doro phone was my only one. So everything took longer and I got my result by text.

While waiting for the test result had Tesco picnic lunch outside. Crows have grown bolder than ever, I had to watch them the whole time to stop them coming too close.

Test was negative so went inside. Office much tidier than I remembered. My work diary was still open at March 16th. The world before the plague...

Packed everything I wanted. Left my work heels because if there is somehow a formal occasion and before we go back to work on site, I'll buy new ones, it'll be a pleasure.

0830 8 WINDY
->some sun
1030 RAIN
1500 Stops Sun

Heard the For Sale board going up at 1215. Looked out to see it and was smiling for some time afterwards, and now, whenever I think of it. If I'd known it would make me this happy I'd've moved ten years ago.

0630 8
LIGHT RAIN
intermittently all day

So coming back under a grey stratus sky with dark grey Cu bits underneath, the rain having stopped, I felt calm.

0715 'Red sky' Sun sunrise
->->8 S
0745 RAIN
1445 HEAVY RAIN
1515 stops

0300 RAIN
~1000 stops
1345 Sun
Warmer

An ice dam formed in the gutter outside the back window - cleared it with the houseplant watering can filled with hot water, by leaning out of the window.

While packing books at the storage unit, I found £100 in £20 notes I'd stashed in one of them. Checked whether the plastic £20 had come out yet, and found it was a year ago! With no-one using cash since then, no-one noticed.

Wonder if it's necessary to keep cash stashed about the house now. Neither Brexit or COVID has required it so far, indeed COVID has made cash much less useful.

Some sun
Warmer
1300 3.5°C
Breezy

Literally freezing in in the storage unit (I brought a thermometer) - thank goodness I put that fan heater in there.

Humidity has been very low this week, like 50% indoors. Consequently the snow and ice has been drying up without melting and making everything wet - they've been sublimating.

Coming up to 8pm and it seems to be a little warmer. Or to be strictly accurate it feels warmer and the outdoor probe says 0.7°C rather the -2 one might expect on recent form.

Very cold
Windy
Sun
Ci etc
2000 1°C

Sun typically 6 or 6/8
Cold

<8
Some sun

0400 ~2 *
AM Some snow
PM Sun
Warm in sun

0800 Sun
~3
--->
1300 8 S

Walked through snow to the storage place. Got very cold while I was in there, because I wasn't moving about enough. Warmed up when I got home.

It's exactly 30 years since the great snow in 1991.

More SNOW overnight
4" lying by 0800
Fine SNOW later. Very cold
1930 SNOW
2030 cont

Snowed almost all day, particularly heavily around 10am. I'd pushed the snow off the car with a broom while idling it, and by the time I'd finished idling it 20 minutes later, more had built up.

The bright white snow-light always makes me feel sleepy, as if I should be hibernating.

0700 RAIN
0730 SNOW
cont
1500 Slackening
3" lying, Windy

0430 HEAVY SHOWER
0700 <8
SPOTS OF RAIN at times
1300 RAIN
1800 RAIN

Sun came out in the afternoon, had the bedroom window open.

RAIN overnight
0600 8
->->clearing
1400 Sun Ci
Warmer

0600 0 Moon * FROST
0700 MIST
->FOG SKY OBSCURED
Sun above?
->MIST
1430 RAIN

0700 8
0900 RAIN
stops
Clearer PM
Warmer
Some sun

Not in a good place today - mental fog and that feeling of wanting to cry when anything goes even slightly wrong. Cheered up a bit after 2pm when - after a bright sun-break from a yellow-grey Feb 1990 style sky - the clouds cleared rapidly.

House is now at least tidy enough for an agent to see it. Will make a call.

0700 8 MIST
Rain
0800 stops
0900 Brighter
1400->->
Clearing
Sun

Did laundry - good drying weather.

Typically 0-4
Sun
Windy
Cold

Just after 8, saw the early sun shining onto the beech trees at the top of the park, and felt the cold promise of the good part of Sunday. A bit like being back on my paper round.

0400 0 Moon
0600 FROST
6-8 Sun

Horrible cold wet day. The FT had the r/wallstreetbets logo on its front page. Now that's not an image I ever thought I'd see.

0500 RAIN
8 Sc\Windy E
1500 cont
2200 Moon, cold.

RAIN overnight
0300 Moon
->~4 Sun
1500 cloudier

Extraordinary scenes with r/wallstreetbets in the mainstream media because they've pumped up the price of some game retailer - and today because the bubble shows signs of bursting and they suspect foul play (rather than the nature of bubbles).

0300 RAIN
0600 8 stops
0930 clearing
->some sun

0600 8 Cs *-through
0730 ->->MIST
0900 RAIN
stops
1400 <8 Sc-allop Sun cracks
1800 8 As Moon-through
Milder

0700 <8 Bright cracks
FROST
1230 4/8 dark Ac/As Sun-through
1330 SHOWER
1730 RAIN

Bright cold frosty day. Back from early morning work just before 8. Saw the sun rising again, very inspiring.

0400 8
0600 0 * FROST
0800 Sun

Dreamt I was back at work and died of COVID, and they threw my body down the stairs.

Talked to parents on phone , they were pleased by my improving mental health. Wondered if it was the Biden inauguration on Wed that made me improve on Thu?

0600 -2°C
<8
HEAVY FROST
Sun-breaks
AM. SHOWER

Went to the loo in the town centre. That's the first time in over 10 months I've used any toilet other than my own at home.

0600 8
0800 ≤8
c.1400 Bright cracks
Cold
1530 RAIN
->SNOW SHOWER
1845 SHOWER

Wonder if the improved weather these last couple of days has anything to do with my improved mood, which continued today.

0600 0 * FROST
≤2 Sun all day

Woke up tingling at 2.30am when I heard a crash, of my recycling box blowing over. I intrepidly went out into the gale with a head torch and picked it up.

In the morning went out to the Tesco Express. On the way back I had a sudden feeling that I was thinking more clearly again. Saw a beautiful sunrise across the river valley just as the sun reached the horizon. The clearing of my mental fog.

So nice to hear 'The White House spokesperson' and remember it isn't some cunt any more. Little leaver Britain is suddenly looking out on a limb.

RAIN overnight
VERY WINDY
0600 1 *
0800 2 Sun
--->
1400 8

Spoke to parents on phone. They both got the Pfizer vaccine yesterday.

Earlier watched Trump being flown away in the helicopter. He gave the marine a surprisingly smart salute. The marine had a face-mask on. I wonder if that pissed Trump off?

Biden just arriving at the Capitol now.

(Later) Best bits were 'Madam Vice-President', Lady Gaga doing their national anthem, and JB doing the oath. Imagine being in politics all your life, all those times going back and forth to Delaware on the train, and then finally getting to that point?

0700 8 Dark
1100 SHOWER

Am eating more sweet things than usual at the moment. Not like me at all.

0400 RAIN
0700 7
-> 8 OCCASIONAL DROPS OF RAIN
1400 Sun-through
2000 WINDY

0400 ~2 *
0600 8
1300 <8 some sun
Warmer

0700 FROST
Much sun
COLD

Snowed in the morning, so that my one-way storage trip had to be taken very carefully, as did the onward leg into town. But while I was there the snow turned to rain, and coming back was just annoying and horrible.

Am having to do everything very slowly and deliberately, and also find I'm even more easily distracted than usual. I still feel quite calm though, as I said before it could be pleasant. Very sleepy too, which is odd because I was in bed for 10 hours last night. The sleepiness and calm are the odd factors - if it weren't for them I'd think it was just a matter of too much alcohol. But too much alcohol makes me jumpy, not calm the next morning.

0700 SNOW
~0900 about ½" lying
-->RAIN

S's dad is in hospital with COVID. Slight improvement since yesterday, apparently. Worrying news about yet more mutant strains.

Good online video of one of the Trump insurrectionists 'requesting' a pardon for the president. She says 'I'm facing a prison sentence', with an expression and intonation that says 'The very idea!', but you can tell she thinks it's going to happen.

0800 8 medium Sc

It's been raining more or less continuously since about 9am yesterday. Got soaked and chilled when I went out, made a cup of tea when I got back like in the 'Tea - best drink of the day' ad, which was very effective: I saw it when I was a girl and I always make tea when I come in soaked.

Moving from real to metaphorical weather, felt less in the fog again. Made myself an avatar, a section of skyline and grey but promising sky.

These have been a good few days in personal development terms, I think there's been a healthy downsizing of my ego.

RAIN overnight
cont
8

Still felt sleepy, but perhaps not quite so much in the fog.

0600 8 FROST
0800 DROPS OF RAIN
--->1300 FINE RAIN
1800 cont

Spent all day trying to think of how to introduce myself on the new site - then someone posted a cloud photo and I immediately realised that two contrasting cloudage photos would tell the story well.

RAIN overnight
0600 8 RAIN
~0800 stops

0600 8
AM Some sun
Breezy

-3°C overnight
0600 8
1200 + some sun

Fine starry sky at 6 am, head of Draco very plain. And then a bright cold day.

M had a splendidly encouraging bit in the email he sent me today, about tearing apart the animal trap of neighbours, work and England and throwing it aside into the 'bracken of middle-age'.

0600 0 *
->Sun
HEAVY FROST
COLD

People on streets taking great care to keep 2m apart - walking into the road to pass each other, like in April. Weffolk cases have dropped back to 3500 - still very high, but below peak.

0700 8 MIST
HEAVY FROST
8 all day

Golden flood of light from westering sun in the afternoon, very encouraging.

Much sun
Cold

Noticeably lighter in the morning. Fine old half-moon seen through cloud-wrack as I came back from morning walk.

Incredible scenes from America this evening. At 6.30, I was distracted from my worries about the evil neighbours by Mitch 'no chin' McConnell giving a striking speech about how the 'stop the steal' stuff was all nonsense, and thinking 'This is how Hunter S Thompson must've felt watching the Watergate hearings', when suddenly it all spiralled out of control and Trump's neo-nazi supporters actually broke into the capitol and set about trashing the place, getting to the very door of the congress chamber. Imagine if they'd been Black Lives Matter people, theyld've been gunned down on the third Capitol step. Sterling stuff from al-Jazeera's frontwoman Patty Culhane.

Whatever would Louisa M. Alcott have thought?

RAIN overnight
0700 <8 Moon-through
Some sun later

Shutdown announced last night.

0700 SHOWERS
->
RAIN
Brighter at times
8
1930 RAIN cont

Some COVID deniers got slung out of the hospital for taking pictures of empty corridors to use in lying social media posts about supposedly empty hospitals.

SHOWERS & INTERMITTENT RAIN
Some sun

On going out noticed signs of dawn, I think for the first time at that hour (~7am).

0500 SHOWER
Clearing
Sun
Cold
More and longer SHOWERS after 1000

Been a while since I was out and about at Saturday lunchtime. Quite pleasant and sunny by then.

0700 8
->Bright cracks
->1300 ~5 Cu Sun
Cold

NEW YEAR'S DAY. Max temp yesterday was 1°C, hasn't been over 4°C for days, so house has got very cold.

There's a sort of cold clarity about New Year's Day that I like. That's particularly surprising considering I usually have a more or less bad headache to start the day with. Brendan Behan writes about how people in prison brisk up at New Year because some of them are now going out this year, or next year.

Took Christmas decorations down, for the last time here I hope. I won't be putting them back in the loft - they'll go into storage.

It's going to be a difficult start to the year - the coronavirus is running riot and vaccination has to catch up.

8 all day
Cold
(0930 MISTY)