Wind Chill -6Degrees

Even brass monkeys with incomplete anatomy were distinctly absent this morning when His Lordship and I ventured out.

I can't recall a wind so searingly cold in its intent, flayling faces and whipping round our extremities. Our sortie was akin to an Arctic expedition without the snow. I may prefer a colder climate to a very hot one, but I draw the line at living the life of an Inuit.

My Nanouk of the North hat was again in use, as it seemed were her brothers and sisters on other heads, and yet there was a young boy of about 13 from the local school without a coat and with his sleeves rolled up to reveal bare arms, seemingly unfazed by the temperature. I wonder if his mother knows.........

With a strict out and back walk with no loitering, I noticed these tulips through the window of the local cafe as we passed. One of them is beginning to find life hard too.