Ever the Optomist

The winter's here have a little bit of everything. The temperatures never really get all that cold but it's the variety that gets me. Lets take this weekend for example.

Both yesterday and today I looked outside my lounge window and was greeted with bright blue sky and sunshine. I'll admit, I was a little over enthusiastic and dressed with just a long sleeve T-Shirt, a sweater (or jumper as they say here) and my jean jacket - good for the wind. Then threw on the muffler, gloves and a hat and I headed outside.

Met a friend for coffee and scone, then walked to another cafe (still sunny) and met B for a bacon and egg on a bun.

Headed off with a friend to an Antiques Warehouse and the clouds started to roll in, and then the wind started up again. (the wind here is a whole 'nother story) But every now and then the wind would stop and it didn't feel that bad.

Walking through Kelvingrove park the crocuses and daffodils were all up and blooming. It was a good 30 min walk to this warehouse and it felt good to be inside and out of the wind as I was starting to get a bit chilled. You'd think being inside I'd start to warm up, but this place is not heated because it's a warehouse.

This place is HUGE and it's jammed full of stuff. You really need to walk through it twice as the first time you're overwhelmed but what all you see. Second time through you can start to process everything and be specific in what you're trying to find. I was looking for old cameras, found a few but didn't purchase anything.

Anyway, it was about half way through the second time that I became aware of how cold my hands were (I was wearing gloves) but didn't really think too much of it other than to put my hands in my pockets. I think I was in there for about an hour or perhaps slightly longer, but when I stepped outside the gray skies were back and it started to sprinkle.

We walked along Argyle street towards city centre thinking once we got there we'd step into a cafe to warm up. By the time we reached Central Station the flood gates had opened and instead diverted into the Arches bar/restaurant as it was the closest.

Sitting down and taking off my gloves I looked down at my hands to discover that the middle fingers on both hands were blue, yes really blue down to the first joint. I looked at my friend and said "That isn't good is it". So I go off to find the bathroom thinking I'll place them under warm water, but the taps were cold. No problem, I'll use the hand dryers. You know those modern ones that you just wave your hands underneath and the automatically turn on. But these didn't, neither of them.

Great.

Back to my seat and I ended up just sitting on my hands for 45 min until the blue had disappeared and my fingers were pink again. Phew!

Today - Sunday, I looked out and once again blue sky and sunshine. Not to be fooled twice I wore TWO long sleeved T-shirts and my big heavy wool coat, gloves, scarf and headed off to church. After the service went to a small cafe for coffee and another scone and realized I had no cash. I walked a few blocks to the ATM and could feel the sunshine on my face and how warm it felt.


It was the perfect day to go on an adventure so I hopped the underground to St Enoch station and then walked up Argyle street to the Barras market.

It's a big market, but not very picturesque when I compare it to last weekends market in Greenwich. I didn't take many photos as there were no colours jumping out at me.





As I took this picture though I commented to my friend that was with me.... "Hmmm, looks like the flood gates could open up at any time now", I went snap with the camera, started to put my camera back into my bag and it began to rain. By the time we walked back to the Underground station (10 min maybe) I was looking like a drowned rat.

Now I sit curled up in a blanket wearing my 2 long sleeved T-shirts and a hooded sweatshirt underneath a blanket.

I think I'm almost warm.