Dear LPG, 

I went to look after my grandchildren recently while my daughter and her husband went off to one of the rare Christmas parties they could attend together. The bad news is they live in the depths of Kent, some 35 miles away from my home, but on the upside, I am so lucky to be able to help them in this way occasionally and feel equally as fortunate to be still able to drive at my age.  

If I asked, one of them would come and get me, but I feel it essential to return to the open road now and again while I still can.  

I am a bit of an early riser and don’t like to let the early bit of the morning go to waste, so I want to make my exit nice and early the morning after, if you know what I mean. 

Over the years, I have not needed to do as much motorway driving as I used to, and so I have made it a rule to set out for home when God provides me with a little light to see my way properly.   It seems that whoever is in charge of the UK’s roads sees fit to save energy by finding a few more motorway lights to turn off at night as the years pass. I like to wait till the first light, which, during the winter months, often puts a bit of a damper on just how early I will make my getaway.   

As all internet readers know by now, anything can be found with the help of Google, and when daybreak is going to happen, each morning is no exception to that rule. 

While working out the best time to leave to balance getting home early with being able to see the way, I learned that if you thought it was yesterday, you are technically a bit of a day out. If LPG has shared my message on the day I have asked them to, the actual time of the winter solstice deviates a little annually and will happen at 03:27 in the early hours of tomorrow morning, December 22nd, this year if you happen to be in London.

The whole thing is dictated by how the earth travels around the sun while it is spinning and where on earth you find yourself. I found some internet explanations, and suffice it to say, it is all a bit technical and over my head.

No wonder we are all a bit lopsided; we are just following our planet’s lead.

OS, Croydon

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