Bartimaeus

After the storm some people had suffered damage to their homes, but the forewarning to not travel and lack of public transport could have reduced some injuries. Some lorries blew over and made me wonder when driving was ill advised why any lorry drivers would go out as they are most at risk. When I worked in Fife it used to be regular for the bridge to be closed to high sided vehicles. 

We had seen blue lights on our street on the day of storm Eowyn but didn’t know the cause. Two days later we went for a walk and there was police tape across the door. We wondered what had happened and whether it was related to the storm or not.

The trees on Bruntsfield Links look intact but down by the canal some branches had been cut to make way for people to walk on the tow path as some branches or a small tree had given way and fallen over the fence. Further along I saw a squirrel carrying lots of grass and crossing from one side of the canal to another. It managed to make it’s way from a tree on one side to the tree on the other, but there was also a branch in the water. I guessed that its drey had been on that branch and it rebuilding its nest in another part of the tree. Imagine if your home was in a tree during high winds!

The storm was water off a ducks back to the mallards. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in a rowing boat in the high wind. They seemed to have escaped tree damage. 

Better weather was on its way and with a sunny forecast Shane proposed a walk along the Fife coast. We took the train to Aberdour and set off along the coastal path.

He knew where the cafes were so we walked round the headland and we were soon having a lovely lunch at Aberdour Silver Sands. We have walked on the beach itself in the past but today was high tide so we stuck to the higher path. We had a look along some bits of beach but there was a risk of heading along some rocks then finding no access further along so I was glad we stayed high. It was as well the high tide was already in and we were not caught out by trying to go on the beach as we later found a sign warning of very fast incoming tides. Walking on the road took us past attractive stained glass set in a wall, a bright feature.

We accessed the waters edge at a slip way. It was very steep and I was taking care not to slip myself. Cold water did not appeal and getting out looked very hard.The birds with the option to swim or fly were still standing in a large flock avoiding the water. Taking the photo felt quite precarious, but I held on to a wall.

Trees and the tides weren’t the only things bringing living precariously to mind this week. Bryn had recently had the good news that his job was safe. He hadn’t realised it wasn’t. The centre he works at, along with two others had been taken over by a new company. The other eight centres were  closing and his centre might be trying to honour the bookings made at other centres. They would be extra busy but the majority of the centres were closing and I can only assume some people may lose their jobs, though some might be employed at the saved centres. Bryn received a phone call saying they wanted him back a few weeks earlier than he had originally been planned, no doubt as a result of the takeover. We had a farewell meal out the day before he left. Short term or zero hour contracts are commonplace these days and we realise he was fortunate to be still employed. Perhaps it is also hard work as well as luck though as the reason the centre he works at was one that was bought over was because it has the best customer feedback. We were happy with our food drinks and service at the restaurant too.

Since he left we have had a message from a neighbour saying that our shared chimney was damaged and repairs are urgently needed. Still not quite as urgent as the flat further along the street where the chimney collapsed, he revealed. The effects of the storm affect some more than others even in the same street. Sometimes there are major  repercussions and some damage is more limited.