Yesterday, there were two major news stories here: an attempted coup against Brown, to replace his as Prime Minister, and the weather. The coup: incredibly stupid. Hewett and Hoon, the coup makers, are not running for office in the next election. Why did they do it? Sheer hatred of Brown?

An election is required in May, 2010, at the latest. The attempt to replace Brown simply made the Labour Party look disorganized and more interested in power than governing the country. Everyone, regardless of political party, is expecting Labour to suffer a huge defeat in the coming election.

My prediction is either a hung parliament with the Tories having the largest number of seats or a slight Tory majority. This is probably wishful thinking. It would prevent too radical an approach by anyone. Brown would at least protect primary education and the National Health Service. Otherwise, I'm not sure that's a great difference in the proposed platforms of Labour and Conservative. There is enough difference that I hope Labour does better than expected.

Now for the weather. It's cold. There's snow and ice. Canterbury rarely has snow that sticks and stays and the children are delighted. News photos alternate between children sledding and cars stuck half way up a hill. There are helicopter shots of a white landscape going on and on. If I could sit comfortably in a warm house and look out the window, I might enjoy it. The house is cold, too. Everybody's house is rather cold, I think. Too much pressure on the energy supplies; today's newspaper said gas was being cut to industry to keep houses warm. Some houses are also without electricity. Snow on trees, broken branches hitting the electric lines, means no electricity which probably means no heat as well. Freezing in the dark is entirely possible. I imagine we’d join Candy, French Bulldog, under the duvet. (She’s spending her time either crouched in front of a radiator or under a duvet, with Michael.) Even Belle, Miniature Schnauzer, is finding the current weather a little daunting.

A couple of days ago, Michael and I hung a curtain in front of the front door to block the cold air coming in through the letterbox and gaps in the door frame. (Houses over a hundred years old with most of the original features include gaps.) I intended to make a curtain for the kitchen windows, another source of cold air. But it was too cold to work in the front room sewing. So I spent most of yesterday in bed, reading.

Our house has three floors. In the winter, the temperature changes as you climb upwards. The ground floor is very cold. I’m sitting in my office on the groundfloor, fingers almost too cold to type, so I’m going to finish this up and retreat upstairs, out of the cold.

Norse mythology captures the current weather and my mood. It's not a cheerful body of myth; even the gods are doomed.

"I find no comfort in the shade
Under the branch of the Great Ash.
I remember the mist
of our ancient past.
As I speak to you in the present,
My ancient eyes
see the terrible future.

"Do you not see what I see?
Do you not hear
death approaching?

"The mournful cry of Giallr-horn
shall shatter the peace
And shake the foundation of heaven.

"Raise up your banner
And gather your noble company
from your great hall,
Father of the Slains.
For you shall go to your destiny.

"No knowledge can save you,
And no magic will save you.
For you will end up in Fenrir's belly,
While heaven and earth will burn
in Surt's unholy fire."

— Doom of Odin,
from the Book of Heroes.

[found at http://www.timelessmyths.com/norse/ Jimmy Joe has complied the website]

It's the sort of hopeless ending that would occur to a people living in a frozen wasteland. At least Ragnarok puts political machinations in perspective.