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THERE must have been some red faces in
the Meteorological
 Office
after they issued the forecast that this summer was going to be a
Barbecue Summer, hotter than usual.
They should have stuck to
their usual claim that it is impossible to forecast weather for more
than five days ahead, and preferably no more than three.
Their predictions built up
hopes that this year we were not going to be facing yet another
gloomy summer, and plans were made for Staycations - a newly-coined
word, well abbreviation, meaning a stay-at-home vacation. Why pay
good money to go abroad if you could get the same weather for a
fraction of the price in familiar surroundings?
True, the poor weather
didn't centre on Nantwich. Much of the rest of the North West of
England was faced with the same gloom. Meanwhile, the South East of
England - around London and beyond - had sun on many days, when the
clouds from across the Atlantic turned North East as they crossed
the west coast of the UK.
Personally, I looked
forward to days of sunshine that would enable me to shoot the second
of a trilogy of videos about my home county. I should have known
better. Instead, what we
 got
were dull days that were the exact opposite of what was required.
The picture at the top of
the page was, admittedly, an extreme example of the weather we had,
although it does correctly represent the ratio between dark rain
clouds and sunny breaks.
So that other "plague" -
road works (above, right) in the town centre as the gas pipes needed
attention - hardly seemed to matter. Strictly speaking, as the
centre of Nantwich is pedestrianised, they are "pavement works".
Not that it makes much
difference as delivery lorries have to come through town to reach
the shops in the absence of any access at the rear of the premises
they are trying to reach.
Just two years on from the
last time (June 2007), we were faced with
a dismal prospect of yellow barriers spoiling the view for tourists
and residents alike.
And restoration and
improvement work at St Mary's
Parish Church, also in the town centre, didn't help.
At least that is now
completed and the more usual pleasing aspect (left) has returned.
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