Microclimates

We have always known Rock HQ was the wrong side of the mountain, anyone wishing to build today would choose a place that was flatter and had more daylight, and as a consequence has its own micro climate. As I type this drinking a very alcoholic ginger concoction (not at all home made honest guv!) there is no truth in the rumour that anyone living here turns to alcohol due to lack of vitamin D.

There have been times when we are a 2 degree variance in temp over the valley average. Not that I am a geek and meticulously record the temp and rainfall daily. Of course I don't, meticulous and record are not traits I possess. I just notice these things.

Anyway the point of this is that today Vic and I set out from HQ on a mission. As we travelled a few miles from our front door the backside of Vic made an impertinent attempt to overtake his front. I would like to say that my ever so switched on driving skills averted disaster, but that would be a lie, it happened so fast that by the time the rear of the car settled to where it should be, ie. following me, I had just thought of steering in to the skid . Instead I thought aaaarrrggh ice!!! but as the now blackbird proof brain of Vic (see previous) was telling me we were a balmy 8 degrees in the red, ice was not the cause of the strange handling, no, more likely the tyre pressures which I had sort of addressed before leaving.

Sort of as in that tyre looks flat I must sort it.

It was at that point in my cognitive ruminations that I saw a silver Ford Fiesta sail past backwards on my side of the road, and as Vic's magnificent ABS juddered us to a halt the driver of the now crumpled Fiesta was climbing out of the passenger door and thanking his lucky stars that Vic the Volvo was more sure footed and steerable than his Ford.

Over the I'm sorrys I've just passed my test and Dads going to kill me I established that he wasn't hurt and that indeed despite the air temp the road was a sheet of ice, for several miles, which was why he had carried straight on backwards instead of following the curve of the road. I left him after we phoned Dad who set out to rescue his first born and I made it to my destination without further ado.

Not for the first time I was grateful for the robust constitution of Vic.

Cheers Vic.