Wolds Diary: Sympathy for the flooded as wild winter weather lingers

Fortunately, I had not decided to go caving in the Yorkshire Dales during the bad weather because the video of the water cascading over the top of Malham Cove showed the terrific force of the water, and many caves will be washed out and possibly altered as a result of the floods.

It is hardly as though the crisis is over, rain is still tipping down and this is leaving many communities in a precarious situation as Christmas draws nearer.

I went out and about on the Monday, shopping and then after a walk with the dogs, when Looroll, my Doberman Sharpie cross, was most disgruntled at getting wet.

I called into my vets to get my poorly cat treated and after a couple of injections to perk him up he is much better. He has serious heart problems and I dose him - with the very best liver pate from the delicatessen - with five tablets every day.

He won’t touch his medication in anything but the best! My vet is wonderful and she is keeping him going.

In the evening, after our successful performance of Messiah, our weekly choir rehearsal was a very relaxed affair where we sang carols. This is mainly to rehearse for some imminent carol concerts. Some of the carols we sang were unusual and very beautiful, and even had different arrangements to what is run of the mill at this time of year.

The next day my handyman came round again to carry on with the decorating and essential jobs around the house that I have asked him to do.

On the Wednesday I went to sit with my friend while his wife went to the hairdressers. He is suffering from dementia, amongst other things and she needs a break occasionally.

I then went shopping and then dog walking. The weather was pretty awful, very windy.

I was in a store in Monks Cross the next day when my bank, bless them, texted me to see if I had made an internet payment of £650 the previous day. I hadn’t, so I rang them as soon as I could to discover that someone had attempted to steal this money, and the bank had blocked it.

I also discovered another smaller amount had been targeted too. I promptly cancelled the affected card, took all my bank cards off any websites on the internet and ordered a set of new ones - just to be sure.

The young man I spoke to in the fraud office was most helpful and full of excellent advice and I will be making an official crime complaint as soon as the paperwork is sent to me.

Those who steal in this way are beneath contempt.

On this occasion the quick thinking of the bank has meant that they didn’t succeed, and I would advise everyone to be very wary and challenge any suspicious payments.

I had been told it might be five days before I got a new card but it was in fact only two.

On the Friday I set off early to head over to Bridlington, to meet with a number of folk who belong to my political party, including an MEP. I had a good morning and stayed on until mid-afternoon.

My handyman was in working in the house when I got home and my bathroom is transformed. Gone is the revolting pink of the walls to be replaced by a delicate shade of ‘blossom white’.

No sooner had I got home than I was off out again, this time to put my friend’s chickens to bed.

When I last went over to Knaresborough I purchased a raffle ticket in the Oxfam shop there, in the certain knowledge that I never win anything like that.

I was called on the Friday to say I had won the first prize, a huge and utterly adorable teddy bear, so on the Saturday I went over and fetched it as I have a very suitable recipient in mind for it.

I shall call it Desmond and as I drove down the A64 I was horrified at the massive areas of flooding I could see. On the way back it was sleeting and visibility was very poor.

I do hope for better weather soon.