3.02.2020 Near miss, but no cigar!

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Monday 3rd 39-43F, damp, misty and heavily overcast. You can have sunshine and showers or just showers today. Eeany, meany, miney... A brisk walk to the lanes in spotting rain. One neighbour's barking dog was being choked by another's smog. The mist has cleared now. I hear this year's, small, diesel, family car from VW is to be called the Smoka.

Tuesday 4th 37-43F, bright, lots of blue sky and calm! I was fooled by the shelter of the garden. There was quite a westerly breeze once I cleared the gate. My first obstacle was avoiding a white Tesla as I crossed the road. It made no effort to slow or avoid me. So I had to sprint onto the opposite verge. I have seen the same car daily for a couple of weeks now. It seems rather bulbous compared with others so may be an 'Y.' The tyre noise is little different from most other car's overall noise. So I was just unlucky in my timing this morning. Wouldn't it have been ironic if I had been run over? Global headlines! Tesla kills poor old pensioner!

On the way back from a brisk walk to the lanes a juggernaut lorry passed on the other side of the road. It was dragging a spray halo well above head height and several times the width of the road. I was prayed from head to foot and my eyes were stinging.

Fortunately I was only ten minutes from home and could thoroughly rinse my face and eyes. I'm am trying not to imagine the filth on the roads with dead rats and amphibians decorating the asphalt at intervals.

Wednesday 5th 27-41F, calm, clear and bright. A sunny morning is forecast. White frost on the grass and the previously soggy ground was now safely frozen. Walked up to the woods and back down along the marsh in an hour and a half. Inspired by the low sun I took lots of photographs today. Crows were having a noisy, aerial scrap over the marsh. Though not a single water bird in sight on the wall-to-wall ice A family of wagtails flew past. I haven't seen one for quite a while. They are very commonplace in summer. Often to be found foraging on country lanes. Presumably where cars had knocked down insects. We have regular visitors to our roof and garden.

An afternoon ride to the shops. A cold crosswind had a touch of headwind going with a slight tailwind on my return journey. I was trying to keep up my cadence to my usual 95-100rpm. My knees were hurting on the way back. Probably for letting my cadence sink too low. 15 miles. The temperature has dropped to  a rather cool 35F now.

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