It's all about the weather

Can you remember back before the snow to the wind?? Well, these photos were taken on that really windy day, the Wednesday just gone. I was working from home and decided to take the dogs out for a run once it had stopped raining. As we battled part way up the hill we met a chap from the pub. He said it was crazy rough up on the tops so I decided to take the more sheltered path along the side of the cement works. This could have been a mistake.

The first half of the run was through a wood! It was clear that a great deal of that wood had already come down in the wind as we pretty much ran over a carpet of twigs and branches. Eeek. The wind was howling through the trees in an extremely concerning manner but it was at least quite sheltered in the wood.

At the end of that path you hit a back road into Castleton called Pindale. At that point the wind came racing down from the moor and the damage started to become even more worrying.  I don't remember ever hearing such loud wind - the trees were clattering and screeching.  The one in the pic below had suffered some proper amputation loss.

It was actually pretty alarming so I was somewhat relieved when we got to the end of the tall trees.

Then I realised that surprises could arrive from anywhere! That crumpled metal was not there last time we ran past this farm. I think it must have been a roof as there was yellow loft insulation embedded in the hedgerows for some distance.  There was a LOT  of damage that day.

Unsurprisingly the golf course was empty so we could take our favourite route home.

This week has been MUCH better for food and exercise. 2 good runs and lots of hilly walks. I'm on track for a loss but only if I manage not to go slightly mad again before Monday as I did last night. We had an excellent win at darts and doms (an unprecedented 10 nil!) which, combined with unusually tasty red wine in the pub, led me to down 5, I checked, 5, medium glasses! That is a whopping 875 calories. Whoops

Today has been better. 2 long, snowy walks and healthy food
but a slice of Christmas cake and 2 shortbread biscuits have also snuck in..  I think it's the cold, it makes you want to snuggle up with comforting contraband.  So the upshot is that I have already had my treat day for this week so I have to be good at the football tomorrow. Stern thoughts please.