It has been a miserable day weatherwise - constant rain and flood warnings in force for local rivers, the Isla and the Ericht and for the Tay into which they run. Carlisle is under water and storms have been lashing most of the UK but in particular the North of England and Western Scotland. Snow/ blizzards forecast for later this week but today was cold enough (+4C) but with windchill taking it well minus.

So apart from a hasty trip to the shops today has been a keep indoors and keep dry and warm tick on the calendar. A pity really, since I used to like being outside in stormy weather, especially lightning. But now I have to be more cautious and make sure that I avoid the worst of it, at least for now.

Especially annoying since the countryside during and after a storm takes on a particular character of its own, however "cultivated" it is normally, it quickly becomes obvious that surviving storms is something it has learned to do rather well. This goes for many of the wild creatures who share it with us. If you doubt this, next time go find a convenient local rookery and watch them. Rooks are consumate survivors. I only wish the same could be said of us.

And I started reading Ian Rankin's new book "Fleshmarket Close". It is a Rebus book, and therefore about, or rather set, in Edinburgh. Rankin continues to absorb and entertain and his stories have always been dark ones. This is about, or rather involves, immigrants and racism as well as the usual underlying problems of a Scotland where so many of the population are being left well below the poverty and consumer culture divide. What surprises me is that the critics have finally started to understand what Rankin is writing about - and has been from his earliest stories. There is crime enough and the punishment is that peculiar Scottish cocktail of heroes led by donkeys and fed on carrots.

And no amount of rain can ever wash that away.