Balmy or barmy?

Even as I popped my head out from under the duvet this morning I could tell that it was less cold than it's been. By this evening the outside temperature was a positively balmy 9C - some 14 degrees warmer than a couple of days ago - positively barmy. But very, very wet. 

Speaking of barmy I watched Laura Kuenssberg's politics programme this morning. She had a brief review of the main news events of the year  - Doris's demise, Truss's coming and going, the re-emergence of Sunak, the reversal of Truss's financial policies, the coming of the Carolean era as well as the desperate, ongoing war in Ukraine which has involved so much bloodshed. And now what is essentially a UK-wide general strike, happening on top of a cost of living crisis. Seen in a ten-minute segment it does seem that we are living through the craziest times.

Later I watched the first episode of Simon Schama's History of Now on iPlayer. It was such a pleasure to watch something so intelligent, thoughtful and though-provoking. I will look forward to episodes 2 and 3.

My blip is a photograph of the pink poinsettia that I bought a couple of weeks ago at Wisley. I have been keeping it for a rainy day and today was one such.