Lull before the storm

All the weather forecasters seem to be getting theirs knickers in a twist - or several twists as there is more than one forecaster.  We were warned last night that there is a seriously deep low pressure system - the lowest for more than a hundred years - heading our way and should be arriving this afternoon.  Train operators have suggested that people should travel before lunch if possible and those hoping to fly off to warmer climes - or colder ones for that matter - are advised to contact the airlines before starting out.  Surprising to me was the warning of wind speeds of up to 80mph; I would have expected higher than that.  We are also due for a substantial amount of rain.

Actually, we have already had plenty and the wind has been rather ferocious as well.  When we set out for the evening on Saturday, the Old Bat could hardly stand even though she was clinging onto my arm.  It did seem to be calmer yesterday and we even had a blue sky so I set off across the fields in the afternoon.  I should have known better.  The field was a quagmire - just as it was last winter - and the wind was a lot stronger and colder than I had anticipated.  Added to that, there were cows in the field - and Fern (the dog) doesn't do cows!  They terrify her.  So I detoured into the nearby wood, where the paths were an inch or more deep in sodden leaves turning into much.

Now I am tasked with collecting the turkey and other meat, and I shall be doing it on my own as the Old Bat doesn't like the wind that is building up.

I'll leave you with a picture I took yesterday afternoon.  That's the new American Express Community Stadium looking like a stranded flying saucer with the buildings of the University of Sussex to the lft and those of the University of Brighton to the right.