Ice Storm

During the last week of March there was an ice storm such as I have never seen before. For hours sheets of snow were tossed about by a strong wind. From 6 pm cars were stranded on Glenshane Pass a few miles from here and it was 2 am before all the drivers and passengers were rescued and brought to local halls where they spent the night. A photograph taken from the air the following day showed a thin dark line with a single lane of tiny parked cars crossing the white television screen.

Many people lost their electricity supply that evening. Poles were blown down and overhead cables broke under the weight of frozen snow. As I sat beside the fire with the two cats the lights flickered every few seconds, but we were lucky. The power stayed on.

Banjo and Sherpa react differently when they are forced to stay indoors. That night Banjo was restless and repeatedly went to the door asking for it to be opened. When it was, and he was hit by a blast of icy wind he quickly retreated. Sherpa withdrew, as she did during the worst of the winter snow. She showed no interest in food or lying on a warm lap, but curled up on a chair beside the radiator.