Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Calm after the storm

The water has all gone on our little bit of coast. The marshes have been drained so the water level is lower than it was before the storm. There are still mountains of stones from the beach that need pushing off the road and back into the beach. Several people drowned in the village where I take Olivier back for his lift to Poitiers. When I went for my leg treatment last week my doctor told me that her husband operated on a man from that village just before the storm and on Sunday they had to tell him that three of his family were gone.

A man was arrested because he’d gone to the mayor of the same village claiming to be in charge of the cleaning up procedures. The mayor was suspicious and made inquiries. It turns out the ‘official’ has already been in prison for organising the building of two kilometres of motorway a few years ago. (the modern version of delusions of grandeur perhaps?). He’s on his way back under lock and key.

The wind has turned around and is now coming from the North-East (Siberia). It has been very cold for over a week and looks like we’ll have to wait for another week to get back into spring mode. It’s lighter in the evenings, so when Rob gets home we go out for a walk, it’s lovely, but so cold.

I have daffodils! About twenty years ago I planted some bulbs and for several years now I’ve seen the leaves but no flowers. I think that some animal or bird must have moved them around or something because they are quite separated out and I have four flowers.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, congratulations on your daffodils. Mine are just small, reluctant green stems for now, but given warmth and some sunshine they will eventually flower. They always do.
We too often underestimate the power of nature, as well as some people's capacity for self delusion. All best wishes.

Jo said...

I'm glad the storm left you all in one piece!

cassie-b said...

So much damage! It's just hard to believe that a storm can create so much havoc.

Mary Lou said...

My squirrels moved all of my bulbs around. The tulips are all out front now, and the daffy's are in the herb barrels! Silly squirrels.

Anji said...

Graham: Right on both counts.

Jo: All alive and well, in this village at least.

Cas: We had forgotten how it felt ten years ago - perhaps it's for the best

Mary Lou: Not everyone has squirrels as gardeners