The dog walk this morning was really fun. For while the south of England was promised a thick coating of snow all we got here was a deep frost, leaden cloud and heavy rain. By the time the two dogs and I ventured out, wrapped in our respective coats, the wind was whipping the rain into our faces, the mud was up to our ankles, the cold was making our noses drip and the only fun to be had was crunching the ice in yesterday’s puddles with the tip of my walking stick. Even the dogs, normally quite happy to dash through the forest in the hope of finding a deer to chase or a squirrel to terrify, were subdued and happy to get back home. Though as soon as we did Sod applied his Law, the sun came out and suddenly it was spring. I suppose that’s the great thing of being on the Sunshine Coast…while my Loyal Readers living elsewhere get what they’re given we quietly, secretively, sometimes frustratingly, seem to do our own thing. Don’t know whether to gloat or be disappointed. Anyway, over the south today at midday it looked like this:
Now to other things: the Tooth Fairy made an appearance here last night. Bay has for the past few days had been proudly waggling her very first loose tooth, but yesterday evening was doing her teeth and realised there was a gap where her tooth should have been. In a child’s mind, that spells treasure. But how much these days? Sixpence in my day, I recall. I think our kids got at most 10p. Maybe 20p. On a dog walk recently a small boy informed me his Tooth Mouse - yes mouse - had left him £2.50. That seems excessive. Sophie - sorry, the Tooth Fairy - settled on a glamorous silver and gold £1 coin. Bay was delighted.
Talking of gaps, Forestry England are hard at work in Friston Forest at the moment. Each year they decide on a section of the forest to manage and renovate: this consists of felling trees, clearing undergrowth of unwanted saplings and brambles as well as replanting and creating vast areas of mud. If you’ve never seen them at it, here’s a taste:
Not to be outdone I - aided and abetted by Sophie, Bay and Rosie, whose initiative this was both because our predecessor found Roman coins in the garden and because we’re cheek by jowl to the church’s graveyard - began hunting for spondulics of any sort with my Christmas present: a metal detector. Great excitement as the instrument pinged its way round the lawn and flowerbeds but sadly to no avail. Well, not much avail…just a few nails, bolts and a hinge until the bitter wind forced us indoors. But as Scarlet O’Hara so stoically said, tomorrow is another day.
And finally: an ear-worm from 1964. I’m afraid it floated into my head as I was tramping through the mud this morning and thinking of today’s blog title. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoRLIJJSG4o
My profuse apologies.