The weather yesterday was astonishing. When I first ventured out in the morning there was a damp wind flicking up litter but no hint as to what was to come. For the last 72 hours the weather people had been promising violent storms and sending out warnings by the hour. A warning had been given on the news in the morning regarding not going out unless it was absolutely necessary but that was a non-starter on a weekday. Nobody’s boss is going to accept the excuse, ‘I can’t come into work today because it’s windy.’
By the end of yesterday afternoon we had seen winds topping 91 miles an hour, as recorded by the weather station at the local TV mast on Winter Hill.
There had already been a lot of rain put down overnight which was now cutting channels through any loose debris and bubbling up through storm drains. I was visiting my mother where we sat drinking cappucino and watching the windows in the house opposite shimmy as the winds rose higher and higher. The contents of builders’ skips were flung up the street and ‘For Sale’ signs stood no chance, bending swiftly as the wind struck them. Through the kitchen window, in the back of the house, garage doors alarmingly took to flight like pieces of paper in the factory yard.
The aftermath is clearer today with gaping spaces on roofs where tiles have been ripped off and fences blown down. Several trees in nearby parks have been uprooted whilst, amazingly, my old, cankerous apple tree is still standing. The roof of a local Royal Mail delivery office has been partly ripped off and several gable ends have been blown in.
Six people lost there lives in this area, most through falling masonry. One man died as his lorry overturned and another man had a heart attack as he battled to secure his fence against the wind.
Yesterday was stark and frightening, many people escaped just in time as they fled from crumbling buildings. Several schools in the area are closed today as teachers and pupils look at the smashed walls and shattered roofs of their classrooms. It was often people’s vigilance that enabled escape in time as buildings came apart.
Today is quiet, it’s probably windy but not so you’d notice.
Another recipe suitable for a breezy day.Tomato and Rosemary Soup
The secret of the excellent flavour of this soup is allowing the tomatoes and onions adequate cooking time so the flavours develop. Suitable for vegetarians.
Serves 2
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- a small bunch of rosemary, chopped
- oil for frying
- salt and pepper
- 2 oz of Feta, cubed, and ciabatta for serving
Method
- Gently fry onion for 10 minutes.
- Add tinned tomatoes and rosemary.
- Simmer, covered for 45 minutes, not allowing mixture to become dry and burn.
- Add a cup of water then puree.
- The soup is now ready to serve with cubes of feta and ciabatta.
Can be frozen.
