Monday 13 November 2023
After three days of lovely weather, mainly sunny with a morning (yesterday) of beautiful frost, it’s now reverted to normal Scottish weather. Rain. With strong wind forecast. And more rain. In fact so much rain that I’ve almost talked myself into being able to justify not doing 10,000 steps today.
![](https://greenbottletree.com/wp-content/uploads/Frosty-morning-121123.jpg)
Yesterday afternoon, I got myself warm indoors and did not want to go out again, especially as I’d already done my 10,000 steps in beautiful sunny weather. I am getting better at making myself do chores I don’t really want to do these days. I looked at the weather forecast for this week (rain, rain, wind, rain, wind, rain; you get the idea). It was cloudy outdoors but the odd glimmer of sun and blue sky. At about 14:30, I went outdoors in my new hi-vis bomber and armed myself with two different secateurs and a wheelbarrow. Within twenty minutes, the jacket was off and I’d warmed myself up cutting back some plants. I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing when it comes to pruning and cutting back but it felt positive to be cutting some of the taller plants and collecting sycamore and willow leaves from the rockery area. I filled a wheelbarrow and an arm-load. It felt good to do something, and by spring I’ll have forgotten what should have been growing in the flower beds so won’t notice that I cut all the wrong things back.
![](https://greenbottletree.com/wp-content/uploads/Eskdalemuir-view-121123.jpg)
![](https://greenbottletree.com/wp-content/uploads/Man-walking-Eskdalemuir-121123.jpg)
It has stopped raining. I’m wondering if I should see this as an opportunity to go out or an opportunity to just carry on as I am – nope, I think the window of rainlessness is actually about to come to an end, a mere fifteen or so minutes later; it’s suddenly getting darker.
We did a wash last night in the “cheap” electricity time – it’s raining heavily – and we’ve put half on the new heated dryer and half on the normal airer in my office, which is currently fairly warm due to an oil-filled radiator being on. I have no idea which method will work best but the heated dryer has a cover with vents at the top and there is warm steam coming out of the vents. I don’t how long you’re supposed to leave heated dryers on to completely dry clothes. I know, I know, Google it.