Barney and Me

Yesterday I went to the cinema to see the early evening screening of The Lady in the Van (excellent: both sad and funny, a very moving story) and then had to fight my way back to the car park through the winds and rain that was Storm Barney. Needless to say, I arrived home soaked through and cold, but nothing that a soak in the bath couldn't remedy.
 
So, one warm bath later and wrapped in my dressing gown, I was about to settle down with a relaxing mug of hot chocolate.  Picture the scene ... mood lighting from a single lamp, CD playing quietly in the background, and I was closing the blinds to shut the night out and savour that feeling of being safe and warm inside while the storm raged outside. I'd just reached the French doors leading onto the garden and pressed my nose to the glass to see if I could see what was happening in the garden when something smacked against the outside of the glass. 

One screaming fit later, I plucked up the courage to turn the outside lights on and try to see what had hit the glass door. The lights revealed my favourite clematis doing some sort of breakdance along the decking, smacking into the glass doors at regular intervals.  The storm had ripped the top of the plant from its trellis but it still seemed to be rooted, so I thought the best thing to do would be to chop it off and see what it looked like in the morning.

So, dressed only in my dressing gown I ventured out into the stormy night to look in the garage for the secateurs.  Of course, I couldn't get to the light switch because all of Julie's things are still piled in front of it, so it was a case of hunting in the dark.  I don't know why I didn't have the gumption to wear a coat over my dressing gown, but all I can say is the cold wind was getting everywhere!  A life time later, at least that's what it seemed like, I found the secateurs and cut the clematis away and stuffed it in an empty compost sack in the back of the garage - not as drastic as it sounds as it needed to be done but I'd planned to wait for more favourable conditions! 
 
Looking at it this morning I can see that it has uprooted itself on one side so I've tucked it all back in and am hoping that it survives. There's no other damage thankfully, just a few twigs and various bits of greenery that appeared from I don't know where, which only took a few minutes to pick up and dispose of.  I've been luckier than some of my neighbours, who lost fence panels and wheelie bins.  Just wish it hadn't been my favourite plant that took the biggest hit ... still it's quite resilient so it should grow back as healthily as ever.  Time will tell! 

Comments

  1. You recounted this amusingly though I'm sure it didn't seem quite so funny at the time! I'm sure the clematis will rally - mine seems to react best to the most brutal treatment. Good luck! Sounds as if your area fared quite badly in the storm. Nothing quite so drastic round here, though I was waiting at traffic lights a bit after 9pm and could feel the car juddering as if someone was shaking it. I had to go out several times to retrieve errant bins and contents. I decided to give up eventually, till I realised that my own had flown over the road and was causing an obstruction. Needless to say, this morning's litter was something else!

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  2. Some powerful storm!! I do hope the plant does recover and grow, but what an adventure!

    betty

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  3. Sounds like quite an adventure!!!!

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  4. Oh my, you were brave. I'm sure the clematis will survive.

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  5. Although I have never met you I can kind of visualise this. It does sound very funny and I am glad you saved your clematis but I hope you didn't put yourself at risk going out in your garden like that.

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  6. Wonderful recap & yes several chuckles in reading. I thought as you ventured into the garden, needs must, although not sure I'd be as brave as you. It wouldn't be only the clippers that I'd be carrying! The wind can be so unsettling but to be so nasty as to rip up your clematis, that's just plain rude. Glad you & the rest of the house & property are ok.

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  7. Oh that did make me laugh - I am glad Barney didn't blow you away. I never think to put a coat on at 3 am when the dog insists she just HAS to go out (she doesn't like the dark and I have no outside light so I go with her to hold the torch !)

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  8. I loved this story Eileen and could picture you out in the dark. We didn't suffer too badly here, I'm glad to say. My son lost a fence panel which will be replaced this week.
    I have a story about night wear though. Yesterday I had decided to put on my big fleecy top that I sometimes wear in the evenings when I am in the campervan. It is pink and not what I would normally be seen in, but indoors it is cosy and I don't have to worry what it looks like. Except that I had signed up for a webinar and sat down with my headphones to watch and listen, only to discover it was interactive. There was me, in the top corner, for all the world to see! I moved the screen so it only showed the top of my head, to which the trainer commented that she couldn't see me very well. Good job she couldn't read my thoughts, especially as the training was being recorded and available to others to watch afterwards! Luckily the room lighting was low and I lowered the screen a little but it made me laugh and was a good learning experience. Next time I sign up for a webinar I will make sure I look presentable in case it is interactive and I am seen!

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