Thursday 14 January 2010

Cold and contrast

What a difference a year makes. Last year, Chez Szondy was hit by record cold and snow that left us stranded at home for nearly a fortnight, destroyed one of our cars in the ensuing floods, and forced me to finally admit that I live in the country and buy what is basically a small four-wheel drive truck that pretends it's a car. Now, the entire northern hemisphere is blasted with arctic temperatures and insane snowfalls from the American Midwest to Beijing, and Britain faces the traditional St. Hilary's Day cold with another delivery of snow. Meanwhile, at Chez Szondy is enjoying a rainy 50° F. because all that cold air on the other side of the Cascades acts as a barrier that causes the warm El NiƱo winds off the pacific to pile up on this side.

It's a nice change, but instead of my enforced rest from tending the garden, the wife is already hauling out the seed catalogues and talking about Spring vegetables.

Swings and roundabouts, I suppose.

No comments: