Tuesday 12th December 2023 - Wreath Disaster, Floods, Pools & Puddles and Boxing Day Swim

It rained on Saturday, starting earlier in the day than originally predicted.  Although I had cut some foliage from a rough area in the village, I still needed more colourful sprays from our garden for our door wreath, so I went out in the rain with my secateurs and cut a bucket full of foliage.  Previous years I have used a plastic frame filled with oasis for the wreaths I’ve made but these are not being very eco-friendly, this year I purchased a moss frame from Amazon.  One of the reviewers said they used German pins to fix foliage to the wreath, so I bought these too.  With the foliage trimmed, placed and pinned and finished off with some plastic holly berries, which I have used for years, I was very pleased with the finished wreath.  Hung on our front door, it looked good.  However, when we returned from our afternoon walk, it was obvious, the yew sprays on the perimeter were too heavy and would need trimming.  I decided to leave it overnight, in case it became apparent, after hanging longer, more adjustments were necessary.  Winds blew in during the evening and overnight, with strong gusts.   Come the morning about half of the wreath’s foliage was on the ground along with the pins.  After clearing it all up, I had a rethink and ended up ordering a half wreath on ebay.  It was such a good price, I expected it to be a bit tacky but it arrived today and I am so pleased with the quality and how it looks on our door.  

We cannot remember ever having seen persistent floods and large puddles in the village.  I think this must be down to the unusual volumes of rain in recent weeks.  Both ends of the village, on the Mundesley Road near the telephone exchange and the dip just beyond the cottages backing onto the golf course, have been regularly flooded.  Added to this there has been a huge puddle, more like a pool, near the Harbord Road gates for The Pleasaunce.  Yesterday, workmen were assessing the problem and later we saw the water had gone.  Then there are puddles failing to drain on the High Street, near the former Overstrand Court Hotel, the ground on the car park is sodden and dotted with puddles, plus water continues to run down the Northrepps Road, across the Cromer Road and onwards towards Pauls Lane.   Looking ahead at the weather forecast for the coming week, we should get some dry weather.  I truly hope so because if it carries on like it has been, somethings going to give – probably the cliffs!

The board, see photo below, with the time of the Boxing Day swim went up on Monday.  With the tide set to be about one metre at 11.30 am and if there is  a decent beach, with not too many stones and flints, the swimmers should have a good run before plunging into the North Sea.