The fun and games really started on Tuesday, with the arrival of the awful weather we’ve experienced this week. Many love snow, but I have to say the only place I believe snow looks good, and the only place snow should be is on Christmas cards.
It’s cold, it’s disrupts everything and it’s dangerous, there’s been one very tragic death, that I’m aware of, this week caused most likely by this horrendous weather.
Benji dog had his first experience of snow on this Tuesday morning. As I opened the front door he was not sure what to think. He cautiously put one paw on the front door step, seeing this didn’t cause any unexpected pain or distress he decided to go all the way out, and was soon walking along at great pace through this strange white stuff that appeared from who knows where.
This particular Tuesday also happened to be the 13th birthday of a very special person, the one and only grand-nephew, Rio. There was a very strange coincidence with this birthday and the weather conditions, as on this very day 13 years ago, snow did fall over our glorious town.
4.00pm on Monday 28th February 2005 I met young Rio for the first time and held him in my arms. Only 17 hours old at that point, and now 13 years old - how did that happen?
Unfortunately, Rio’s birthday fell on a school day this year so main celebrations took place during the previous weekend. But the present giving took place on his birthday, which included a device called a Nintendo Switch.
As Rio’s mum and dad were putting Rio’s sisters to bed he and I had much fun playing with this new toy. It was like going back to the days, many years ago, of baby sitting a very young Rio, we used to have some fun in those days.
Moving onto Wednesday in our week of cold weather, the day brought some more snow, but luckily for us not as much as the previous day, much to the disappointment of a certain niece, whom was hoping and wishing the transportation system would come to a complete standstill enabling some well deserved (her words, not mine) snow leave for her. The main feature of Wednesday was a bitter cold wind, making it a most unpleasant affair being outside.
Here’s the nearby stream, with a thin layer of ice.
The trip after work to Eastbourne town centre to stock up on essential supplies was a unbelievably arduous task that took much effort to complete, the wind and cold was relentless. A similar feeling when completing the Benji doggie walk later that evening.
I’m going to bed. Pyjamas, dressing gown on, covered with two duvets, two blankets and some soothing gentle music playing, as I drift off to sleep.
We now come to Thursday and yet another inconceivably cold day, the scene during the morning dog walk.
The situation with the cold just gets worse. I’m sitting in the office at work, having great difficulty concentrating on what I’m doing. -3°C feels like -9°C is what it says on my phone. That wind is evil and gets in the slightest little crack or gap. My whole body just feels frozen, and that’s sitting in an office next to the heater turned to it’s highest setting.
The day progresses and in the afternoon I get a text message from niece Ashley to say you’ll be taking two dogs walkies tonight. Get home and I meet 4-year old Minnie.
Dear Ashley has rescued Minnie and given her a home as her previous owner can’t look after her anymore. Minnie is the same breed as Benji, a shih tzu. A very friendly dog, came running up and greeted me with much enthusiasm, although I’d never met her before.
Unfortunately, the rigours of the day with the insane cold prevented me from stepping outside to take Benji and our new arrival walkies. Ashley’s mum and dad took the two dogs out into that unforgiving weather.
I soon retreated to my bed to the sounds of that wind still whistling the tune to which we were all now well and truly tired of hearing. Despite the additional bed clothes, as previous described, and the fact I went to bed fully clothed I awoke many times shivering, and having great difficulty in returning to sleep.
Morning arrived after a night that lasted forever. Most other places in the UK are covered in snow, we in Eastbourne had very little yesterday, but we continue to suffer with the cold and bitter winds.
The time comes to take doggies for their walk. Collars and leads all in place and myself wrapped up well, off we go on our umpteenth walk for Benji and initial walk for Minnie.
There we are walking along, everything going well, despite the ever cold conditions. Benji stops to do that which doggies go outside to do. At this point a serious problem occurs as Minnie slips her collar and runs off. Benji has not finished what he was doing, but I have to pull him away as we have an urgent mission to catch Minnie before some tragic fate becomes her.
Luckily, she didn’t run too far and responded well when I told her to stop. The next task was to get the collar and lead back on, no easy task whilst holding on to both dogs and in the atrocious weather. This whole event made the rest of the walk a rather stressful affair, with me having to keep a close eye on Minnie, making sure we had no repeat performance of these events that could have had tragic consequences.
Back inside, it’s agreed a new collar and lead will be purchased and off to work I go. Feels like the past few days have been like working in a fridge, a fridge set to it’s lowest setting. Every fibre of my body is feeling the cold, my legs are aching in this temperature. I’m still wearing my coat and scarf, and mittens, but although the heater is set at maximum I can not get warm.
Time to seek help, another heater is found in a vacant office, I now have heat directed to me from two different locations, I start to warm a little. A busy morning ensues and eventually lunchtime arrives. Oh no, back out into that cold.
I arrive home, sit on the side of my bed with the intention of testing my blood glucose level and taking insulin before I prepare and eat lunch. I look at the various medical equipment on my bed to carry out these simple yet essential tasks.
The affects of the cold over the past few days, the stressful situation with the dogs that morning and being busy at work had all taken their toll. I just could not think what to do with the items I had laid before me. My blood glucose levels had dropped too low, an unfortunate common problem diabetics suffer.
I walk into the kitchen, were luckily my step brother sees the problem and feeds me with dextrose tablets to restore my sugar levels to a sensible level. At this point I’m soaking wet with sweat and shivering with intense cold caused by another affect of low blood glucose levels, the body temperature falling very low.
I foolishly think I’ll be able to quickly get over this and get back to work, but that was just a pipe-dream. I eventually sorted out the sugar levels and rest in a warm room.
Imagine my relief at the change in the temperature, lack of wind and the sun beaming it’s rays upon us on Saturday morning.
That has been a difficult week.
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