Sunday, February 05, 2012

Baby, it's cold outside

Some of us (me!) thought that because we'd got to late January with very mild weather, then it was plain sailing till Spring. This past week has proved me wrong, however. We got a fair bit of snow on Monday, and after a very cold week (it was -8 walking to work on Thursday morning, -12 with wind chill, and even lower temperatures overnight), the last bits of snow were disappearing from the streets when I woke up to snow again this morning.

I get pretty excited by snow - it doesn't snow where I'm from in New Zealand (well, a few flakes were noticed in high places last winter, which was very very unusual) so it still has novelty value for me. Especially since last winter it snowed once, lightly (in early December) in Tours and lasted a couple of days on the ground, and the winter before that I was in Nice, where it did actually snow a few times, but it's not exactly Winter Central. I got my fill of snow in England both years though, unlike this Christmas where there was no snow to be seen.

But I must say, snow is more exciting when it's either sitting on the ground looking pretty, or falling when you're inside looking out. I made the mistake on Monday of deciding to walk home regardless, since I thought otherwise I'd just be stuck freezing my arse off waiting for the inevitably late bus, and then have a long journey home in traffic packed in like sardines on the bus. It was not very fun to be out in, though - the wind was blowing the snow directly at me under my umbrella, especially on the bridges across the Cher and the railway, where it was absolutely freezing cold. I had my fingerless gloves on, and my fingertips puckered up like I'd been in the bath for too long - I couldn't keep them in my pockets due to holding my umbrella. By the time I got home, I was wet, my shoes were leaking and I was very cold! I made home-made chicken soup followed by hot chocolate with Baileys to perk myself up a bit.

On Wednesday I went to the gym - I'm used to walking home in my gym gear and shower at home, so I forgot until I got outside that I was in shorts with bare legs! I basically ran all the way home, so maybe that's a good training technique!

Yesterday was a bit warmer (about minus 3) and nice and sunny. I went to the "cat expo" with a couple of friends. Bit disappointing - I was expecting to be able to pat/play with the cats, but they were all in plastic-covered cages :( I suppose I understand they don't want everyone hassling them, but it was a bit of a bummer. Paying 5 euros to look at 800-euro cats in plastic boxes isn't my idea of fun. We followed up with a nice lunch - a "tourangelle" version of tartiflette, where they replaced the lardons with rillons, a special Tours kind of pork confit, plus a litre of wine between the three of us. Very ladies who lunch.

Some photos from the last week:


I risked turning into an icicle to take a photo of the Cher in Monday's snow-shower


Sunset over the Cher on Wednesday or Thursday - not snowing, but very cold!








The half-frozen lake in the park


A bit of snow on the ground in the park - I'll try to brave the outside world and take some more pics today since it's stopped snowing


Snow falling in a different park


The view from my bedroom window this morning. Since all my other windows are skylights, it's pretty dark in the flat today and I can't see out!

13 comments:

  1. Lovely photos. Hope you don't make a habit of walking in parks in the dark though. M x

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wasn't in the park in the dark.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad to hear it!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for sharing your winter wonderland! I really like the effect of the big snowflakes in your photos. I'm going to have to play around with my camera and try that if we get more snow today.

    ReplyDelete
  5. All you need is for nature to supply the snowflakes and to turn your flash on :D

    Definitely much snowier today - I read online it's 10 cm!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think it's the cutest thing that you went to a "cat expo" ! We'd so be friends if I lived by you!!

    How disappointing that you couldn't play with them! Isn't that the whole point of a kitty expo?!

    Snow is definitely romantic, I think more so when you're inside watching it fall...with a hot totty. :)

    Bravo on ging to the gym, btw!! I've given up for the week.. : /

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would have thought so! I expected SO MUCH MORE from the cat expo :( I even got a dirty look from one lady because I dared to stick a fingertip in one of the cages that wasn't covered and touch her precious kitty.

    Well, I haven't been since Weds, so I don't know if congratulations are in order! Try to get my a into g tonight though!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ahahahahaha! I'm picturing you sticking your fingertip in the cage! So cute.

    Again, we'd sooooo be friends, if I lived by you. We'd be trying to snuggle attack the kitties together!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Someone should tell Mme Coquine what a "hot totty" is!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. LOL! Oh no! Did I say something dirty? I thought a hot totty was a hot alcoholic beverage!

    Am I wrong?

    Uh oh...what did I say??

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ha ha - totty is 'a chick (girl) - the drink is a hot toddy :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ha ha, no shame in not knowing obscure British slang! I'm sure plenty of people would enjoy watching snow fall with a hot totty though ;)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ahhhh! So funny! I would make that mistake!

    Thanks for the FYI. :)

    ReplyDelete

Feed the Comment Monster! Rawrrrr

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.