weather – T E Shepherd

I think that this week at #work might be a shorts kind of week… #weather

Thomas — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 20:29:20 +0000

I think that this week at #work might be a shorts kind of week… #weather

The calm after the storm

Thomas — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 20:49:24 +0000

So, after much media hype the storm to end all storms (as it was billed) proved to be somewhat disapointing. It seems odd to say something that wasn’t as devastating as it could have been is disappointing. Please don’t think for a minute that I would have wanted it devastating for any property, life, or the environment, but I think, if I’m honest I was hoping for some kind of extreme of weather. Extremes of weather are exciting which is why people do go down to the sea tho look at the waves coming in, it go out and arrange in the rain during thunderstorms. Aside from half an hour of moderately heavy rain at 6 o’clock this morning we didn’t have any (non-devastating) drama.

The roads were blissfully quiet on the way to work though, and by half-seven it was the most beautiful autumnal day, so there were plus points…

On the second day of advent: it’s snow event

Thomas — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:18:00 +0000

I’ve been feeling a bit left out. It does seem that I live in just about the only county in Britain that isn’t currently affected by snow. There’s snow to the north of me, snow to the south of me, snow to the east of me, and snow… Okay, yes, we have a sprinkling of the white here and there but nothing more than an icing sugar dusting of white.

I realise that for many they would rather see the back of the snow and I shouldn’t complain but its so darn beautiful. It also seems to bring out the best in people as they find ways to muddle through their lives and carry on as normal. That said, why on earth should we find ways to carry on as normal. I wish that more people would look honestly at the situation (probably somewhere midway between ‘don’t travel unless you really need to’ and ‘the actual weather in your area’) and make decisions about whether they need to travel. Certainly anyone who can work from home should be allowed and encouraged to, and given the facility to do so where necessary so that the only people on the roads are those who absolutely have no other choice.

And if, after all of this we lose x-number of snow days? Well, so be it. Truth is, in our country, currently and historically we don’t get long periods of severe weather in the winter so it would be ridiculous to resource the infrastructure to cope with this. Of course, if this is a fundamental shift of our environment and it becomes something that lasts for a month or more then yes, the infrastructure needs to change to allow for our lives to continue as they do in other countries. Until then, lets just enjoy the beauty and the wonder in these scenes…

( see more )

On the eleventh day of Christmas: when the snow finally falls

Thomas — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:03:00 +0000

It’s kind of ironic that when we finally get snow of any note, the rest of the country appears to have got tired of the white stuff and are now concerned about the danger it brings and how much longer they have to endure it. Excuse me! Can you leave Oxfordshire out of it, and just let us enjoy the fun side of snow for a little bit. We’ll come round to join your way of thinking eventually, but right now we just want to sit and stare, and tomorrow, make snowmen…

Straw Lamb

Thomas — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:46:00 +0000

It’s a blustery afternoon, too wet for gardening, so instead I set about finishing up this year’s jam making: today, strawberry jam – my favourite. Further to my experiences with the raspberry jam the other day, I make it in two batches, back to back.

Mmnn, making jam as the rain falls… 🙂

Momentary Relief

Thomas — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:22:00 +0000

Finally we get rain; not much rain but some rain. I got the washing in, and then returned to the patio, outstretched my arms and felt the large, warm, droplets of water on my face. Bliss! It’s enough to make you sing, umm â¦ to sing in the rain! Yay!!

Decisions, Decisions

Thomas — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:44:00 +0000

~ And back to John Lewis on a Saturday – the novelty is wearing off of our Saturday trips to John Lewis – to see Nick for a final kitchen planning appointment. We review the plans and make a few amendments and then all but place the order. It’s still a bit more than I was hoping to spend, and we are compromising on not having the integrated fridge freezer but it is going to be a nice kitchen, and well, well worth it.

~ The trip home really wasnât nice though. The rain and the wind was abysmal and the number of idiots on the road, unbelievable.

The Wild and The Wet

Thomas — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:14:00 +0000

Yesterday was threatening. Today, the rain and the wind and dark swept in. I don’t think it has got light all day. Umm… I bussed it to work today it was so bleak and foreboding and dark and wet. Now I’m home, and I’m not going out again. Today is for hibernating. Today is for autumnal coziness in front of the (or be it fake) fire.

Fingers crossed for a change (the weather forecast)

Thomas — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:00:00 +0000

1. On Wednesday night, the weather looked good for Saturday and Saturday night, but come yesterday morning it was altogether much more of a ‘damp’ picture. That said, they are now saying its going to be nice on Friday again, broadly speaking, so maybe we might get lucky for the Bicester and Abingdon Concert Band firework spectacular in Garth Park on Saturday night.

2. I’m trying not to think about the viewing on my house last night. I want to know. I want to phone Alexander’s and ask them. I’m not going to. They’ll phone me just as soon as they hear something.

3. Em just phoned me from outside a (closed) animal sanctuary with a couple of fledgling Jays that some helpful soul had ‘rescued’ and brought into the vets. There was much squawking down the line. I did however leap onto the phone with the anticipation that it might be the estate agent. What have I become?

4. Okay, have just heard from Alexanders. The lady from Jay Close liked my house, and the south-facing garden, that’s good. But let me get this straight:

We, Cypress, are interested in Spruce; Spruce are interested in Jay; Jay are intersted in Souldern, and to make things happen, Cypress; Jay have put an offer in on Souldern; Souldern are moving into somewhere rented in Banbury; Jay are waiting to hear what about their offer on Souldern so that they know what they can afford to offer on Cypress.

5. Because its fun, it passes the time, and its a damn sight easier to understand than house chains, I’m going to continue with yesterday’s iPod on shuffle. If anything it is an insight into my random and eclectic musical tastes! *grins*

Sigur Rós – ( )
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Everything’s Alright
Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights [skipped]
Zbigniew Preisner – Ellipsis 3 (from Three Colours Blue)
Melanie C – Positively Somewhere
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Stone The Crows
Sandi Thom – When Horsepower Meant What It Said
Maurice Andre – Concerto no. 8 in B flat major (Trumpet Concertos)
Diana Krall – It Was a Beautiful Day in August/You Can Depend on Me
Chantel Kreviazuk – Feels Like Home
Bernstein – Finale: adagio (from West Side Story)
Madonna – Nobody’s Perfect
Mozart – Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K550 (andante)
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Overture (from Phantom of the Opera)
Vanilla Ninja – Black Symphony
The Darkness – Hazel Eyes
Lily Allen – Friend of Mine
Beth Orton – Absinthe [skipped – as reprise from yesterday]
Feist – The Park
John Williams – Hook-Napped
Sixpence None The Richer – Breathe Your Name
Andrew Lloyd Webber – On This Night of a Thousand Stars
Kylie Minogue – Your Love
KT Tunstall – Miniature Disasters
Elgar – No. 3 in C minor (from Enigma Variations)
Patrick Doyle – The Wooing of Catherine (from Henry V)
Mike Oldfield – The Wind Chimes, Pt. 1-2
Lene Marlin – You Weren’t There
Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition: La grande porte de Kiev
Vanilla Ninja – Outcast
Enya – Lothlórien
Robbie Williams – She’s The One (from Soundrack to Saaremaa)
Hayley Westerna – Who Painted the Moon Black?
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Call Me Rusty
Mozart – Sonarta for Piano and Violin in F, K. 377: Allegro
Mark Knopfler – Morning Ride (from The Princess Bride)
Bizet – La cloche a sonnee (from Carmen)
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Go, Go, Go Joseph
Nylon – Feel So Alive
Beethoven – Symphony no. 4 in B flat major, op. 60 (adagio)
The Beatles – Don’t Let Me Down
Jamie Cullum – These Are The Days
Sugababes – Too Lost In You
Bryan Adams – I’ll Always Be Right There
Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Journey to the Heaviside Layer
Birgitta Haukdal – Að eilífu
Beth Orton – Touch Me With Your Love
Katie Melua – Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (live)
Sky – Skylark
Buffy: Once More With Feeling – Walk Through the Fire
Kristin Chenoweth – Popular (from Wicked)
Catrin Finch – Suo Gâo
All Saints – Pure Shores
Grieg – Volkslied op. 12 No. 5
Írafár – Eldur i mér
Van Halen – Top Jimmy
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Prologue (from Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat)
Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
Debussy – Le Tombeau de Couperin (Foriane)
Katie Melua – Mary Pickford
Tchaikovsky – Children’s Galop and Entry of the Parents (from The Nutcracker)
Peter Gabriel – Open
Faithless – Insomnia
Dionne Warwick – Do You Know The Way to San Jose?
Beth Orton – Paris Train
Spin Sound – Shuddup (mix one)
Atomic Kitten – Tomorrow and Tonight
Reduced Shakespeare Company – Born Great (from The Complete Millennium Musical)
The Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There
Norah Jones – In The Morning

Yuck, yuck, yuckity-yuck!

Thomas — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:33:00 +0000

So rain was always on the forecast for today, so I was always planning to get the bus. That said, when I was getting up, the weather actually looked okay-ish, an I was halfway tempted to cycle it. By the time that I got to the Park&Ride it was a steady drizzle, and by the time we’d got into town it was proper, drenching rain.

I’m so glad that I stuck to my plans and bussed it.

Tricked!

Thomas — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:45:00 +0000

All I can say is, it had better rain this afternoon â say between 4 and 5 o’clock! I say this, not because I want it to rain but because I don’t want my feelings of being tricked by the weather forecast into taking the bus because of squally rain instead of cycling through what seems to be the most gorgeous of mornings, to come to fruition.

That said I did get to read on the bus, which when you are spitting distance from starting a new book is always good!

Mixed up

Thomas — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:18:00 +0000

It’s warm today, and I feel a bit stuffy and sticky in my sweater. Yesterday I had a thinner shirt on, which is weird because yesterday it was freezing. It’s all the wrong way out.

Bloomin’ Cold

Thomas — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:30:00 +0000

It’s a beautiful day out there, but by heck it’s cold. It was a nice cycle ride though, into work, even if my tootsies were frozen upon arrival. And my tummy seems to be a little bit flatter â or am I seeing things? I probably am, when I say that it’s possible I might even be a little shapelier.

This is uncharacteristically becoming something of a Bridget Jones-esque post… :-

20080306-1258 Edit: Too right it was cold. Just heard on the weather forecast that temperatures got down to –8° last night!

The wedding; the Cash

Thomas — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:10:00 +0000

Snow! Itâs hypnotic, snow in headlights as Emma and I drove in convoy through High Wycombe after dinner and budget discussions with her parents. Kind of an awkward experience, it does sound like we can have enough for the non-fussy kind of wedding that we want.

It’s all in the name

Thomas — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:43:00 +0000

Whilst my heart goes out to all those affected by this weekend’s flooding, one has to think that you should not be surprised when flood plains flood. After all, the event is there in the name isn’t it?

I also find this picture of Upton-on-Severn very facinating. Upton-on-Severn? Too right, it’s Upton on Severn! But also, look carefully at the outline of the old town. Yup, it’s dry, and it’s bordered precisely by the flood waters. Centuries ago, our ancestors new what they were doing…

Dark and inspirational

Thomas — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:23:00 +0000

Yught! I woke the sound of rain – heavy rain, and decided, considering the forecast to ditch my normal, trust two wheels and bus it from the park & ride. I think Iâve made the right decision. Weâre sinking into ever-decreasing gloom – itâs as dark as night.

Strangely though, Iâm finding it all rather inspirational and invigorating. This true dark is rising weather and itâs great! Okay, now there are flashes of lightning, and no end in sight for this rain. Iâm finding it quite hard to resist the temptation to write my novel its so damn inspiring, but oh for my blasted conscience.

Still, in other news. At least my water butt should be full by now.

We’ve had a lot of rain. Well, it’s been very wet.

Thomas — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 23:43:00 +0000

This is indeed true, what I say. However what is, perhaps more curiously interesting is that despite the (pretty much universal) perception that we have had a near two months of constant rain, I’m not sure if that’s been the case. These last two months have coincided with my cycling to work, and looking back it’s actually been a fairly even split of waterproofs and non-waterproofs days. Indeed, there have been just two occasions when I have got seriously wet.

/observation

Crossing the Quad: Changeable

Thomas — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:03:00 +0000

The water filter here in the H215 corridor is out of action today (the lights on, but no water comes out) so I’ve had to cross quad to the canteen to get my pint of water.

Warm and sunny one way, really quite pleasant.

Cold and grey upon my return. :-

Sheltering under bus stops

Thomas — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:20:00 +0000

1. At about 3.30 this afternoon it absolutely pissed it down with rain, and my heart sank. By 4 o’clock though it had cleared up to a mild drizzle, and there was even a wee bit of blue sky visible somewher over the centre of town as I left OUP via the quad. It was all lies though. Damn lies and deception. Back on the Woodstock Road and the heavens opened with big clunking rain drops. I battled on, in my waterproofs, until when I almost at the ringroad, and where I have to cross-over, I found myself a bus stop to cycle straight into and stop under. I stayed there and sheltered for a while but it didn’t really ease off so in the end I made a run for it (or should I say ‘a cycle for it’…)

2. So we have a new Prime Minister. Well I wish him well. Certainly Gordon Brown can’t be any worse than Tony Blair. The thing is I am actually still broadly in favour of the Labour party. They’ve not been as radical and as socialist as I would have liked, and they have had a lying, deceitful, dangerous and deluded leader at the helm for ten years, but even so, I do still feel better off (both me, and also as a country) and the country does seem to be moving in the right direction – broadly speaking.

3. I was thinking. People often complain about about Labour (and the Lib Dems) moving increasing to the centre and right-of-centre ground, but actually you could look at as being where they have to be in a country that has become broadly conservative. I guess it all depends on whether there is still a left-right movement throught the parties. I wonder how much Labour has taken the country to the right, and how much the country and taken Labout…?

The blustery day (reprise)

Thomas — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 22:57:00 +0000

1. Yes, dear readers Britain has once again been ravaged by storms. And yes it has been very bad in places (did anyone see the footage of that aeroplane trying to take off from Birmingham airport?), but like all of Britain’s bad weather the media and the weather forecasters always manage to over dramatise things and and make them sound much much worse than they actually are. This is not to say that is very sad that some people have died as a result of the weather (any loss of life is always sad) but it is important to remember that these winds were nationwide and the loss of life was remarkable small. Also they are only splashed across the national headlines because of the media’s habbit of reporting every event in such situations. If the wind hadn’t have been so widespread, and just one or two people died, would it have been reported…? The agenda of the media to dramatise events like this in these situations does irritate me.

2. I am once again living Lakeside.

3. Some more new pieces at band tonight, including one on on that funny handwritten-style of printed music that I found next to impossible to play. It’s also particularly impossible to play when it’s all on ledger lines above the stave and in seven (yes seven!!) flats. I think the composer might have realised that he was being a bit harsh on us when, near the end, we actually got given about four bars with just the one sharp!!

4. Managed to do some more crits over at CritiqueCircle today, but seem to have done a splendid job of procrastinating away from my own novel. I must fix that this weekend.

5. I want to see the film Miss Potter. I may go tomorrow night…

The blustery day

Thomas — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:24:00 +0000

1. Got woken at 3 o’clock this morning by wind – no blustery gales – and I’m sure rain. However later on, the lake outside my house had gone down a bit, so I don’t know. At the Green Road roundabout I thought for a minute the car was going to take off with the wind, and it’s been blowing around all day being very noisy and inconsiderate, and flexing the glass in the windows of the solicitors office next door.

2. First band tonight. A couple more challenging pieces in which I alternate flute and piccolo along with Amy. I really like my piccolo when I get the notes right and they sore off over the top of the band.

3. And I met my new neighbour today, or at least one of them. Tim’s girlfriend was out, but Tim was outside his front door with his mate having a crafty cigarette when I got back from band. He seems like a nice enough guy.

4. It’s now getting close on a week, since I worked out what I need to do finish revising Part One, and I haven’t yet. Not because I can’t but just because I don’t seem to have had time. I will I will I will make sure that I don’t fritter my weekend away and get on and do it. I need to finish it and get the book *out* there…

5. …that is, except, I had a phone call this morning. Blackwell’s have got the book I ordered in. Four British Fantasists: being a book about Alan Garner, Penelope Lively, Susan Cooper and Diana Wynne Jones – or to put it another way, just about my four favourite authors of all time, in one book.

Living on the Lakeside

Thomas — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:10:00 +0000

Anyone living in the UK will of course be aware that, following the days of fog pre-Christmas, we have been treated to days of rain post-Christmas. It has, to put it simply, been very wet. So wet in fact that I am now living on the shore of a lake. I’m not exactly sure how big a lake needs to be in order to be called such a thing, and if I’m honest we’re probably not talking a real lake, but I would definitely say that it is too big to be counted as a puddle. What’s more I have to drive through it, and reverse into it in order to leave for work and park my car in the evening. It’s big; it’s wet; and its not going away.

Okay, I’ll fess up. It’s blocked drain, or a blocked soak-away, I’m not entirely sure of the exact technical description of the whole in the ground with the broken grate over the top which is currently not doing the job for which it was intending. I’ve had an exploratory poke at it with a long stick, and even stuck my hand down as far as I dare, and I deduce that it is well and truly blocked. I also have a nasty feeling that it is my responsibility being technically speaking being situated in the miniscule part of England which I happen to own.

Tomorrow I shall phone the council and, pleading all ignorance say that there is a blocked drain thing at the end of C****** Gardens which is causing a flood. Hopefully they’ll come along with some variety of big lorry thing, hopefully with those fashionable flashing lights, pand suck whatever build up of yucky soily stuff is down there out.

On a day of cloudless blue skies and dry heat…

Thomas — Sun, 10 Jul 2005 13:58:00 +0000

Today is the kind of day which really puts me in the holiday mood. Yesterday I spent god only knows how much money on essentials like suntan lotion and insect repellent. Even with the 2 for 1 offers at Boots, the final bill put on my chip’n’pin debit card were something in the region of my weekly food budget. Ouch! And now today, I am moving from reading in the garden to cooling off inside in front of the computer. I thought I would check the weather forecast for Romania…

Firstly, Timisoara, for the 14–16 July, and then…

…the Retzet Mountains, from 16–24 July…

I have to keep reminding myself that when I checked the long range weather forecast for Estonia in 2003 it said thunder and rain, and in the end, it was cloudless blue skies, a heat wave and not a drop of rain for the entire two weeks.