Monday was spent in the unheated gazebo at our grandchildren's school, along with my daughter in law and a few others, turning it into a grotto for the forthcoming school bazaar. Fortified with lots of hot drinks and a school meal, we worked together for six hours, until we were happy with the end result. We had to admit, by the time we left it looked quite magical.
On Monday evening I had a phone call from my sister in County Durham, where they were experiencing very heavy snow, along with thunder and lightening. So heavy, in fact, that she compared the conditions to those in Norway, where they had lived for many years. K & A had been out on their skis, the mode of transport for A to reach his place of work the following morning. Like K & A, Mike and I remember experiencing similar conditions when we lived in Sheffield, but never in our 31 years in the West Midlands.
By Thursday, after being couped up in the house too long, I set o
ff down the lane, suitably attired, just as the 'snow' began to fall - mini polystyrene balls with an uncomfortable sting, whirling and swirling out of the low, grey sky. It wasn't pleasant, and not far into my walk I realised I'd made a mistake by wearing far too many layers, when my own personal central-heating system kicked in. Eventually the snow stopped and the masts re-appeared out of the mist, as can be seen from the first photo. What a difference a day makes! Yesterday morning was a real sparkler, so I was up and out early, to take more photos of a winter wonderland, stopping to take another shot from the same spot. Standing under an oak, I realised that it had begun to shed its 
leaves, which were falling all around me, crackling onto the crisp snow, and I've even managed to catch a few in the second photo. It was the same with all the oaks that I passed. Underfoot, the snow was as soft as talc, glistening as far as the eye could see, under the blue sky, but still not even ankle deep. Perfect for a brisk walk. Look who I found - a familiar friend from my first Blog, wearing its warm, red coat, and accompanied by a friend. And here is yet another shot of MFT or, as Mike said when I showed it to him "Not another photo of your favourite tree!"
ff down the lane, suitably attired, just as the 'snow' began to fall - mini polystyrene balls with an uncomfortable sting, whirling and swirling out of the low, grey sky. It wasn't pleasant, and not far into my walk I realised I'd made a mistake by wearing far too many layers, when my own personal central-heating system kicked in. Eventually the snow stopped and the masts re-appeared out of the mist, as can be seen from the first photo. What a difference a day makes! Yesterday morning was a real sparkler, so I was up and out early, to take more photos of a winter wonderland, stopping to take another shot from the same spot. Standing under an oak, I realised that it had begun to shed its 
leaves, which were falling all around me, crackling onto the crisp snow, and I've even managed to catch a few in the second photo. It was the same with all the oaks that I passed. Underfoot, the snow was as soft as talc, glistening as far as the eye could see, under the blue sky, but still not even ankle deep. Perfect for a brisk walk. Look who I found - a familiar friend from my first Blog, wearing its warm, red coat, and accompanied by a friend. And here is yet another shot of MFT or, as Mike said when I showed it to him "Not another photo of your favourite tree!"After some retail therapy at Boundary Mill (most of it Christmas present shopping) it was home for a quick sandwich and coffee and back out again to our gra
ndchildren's school for the Christmas Bazaar. If the crush was anything to go by, it seemed to be very successful. Chris, on the keyboards, was playing seasonal music and requests, the hot pork bap was the best I've eaten for a long time, and we even won a couple of prizes on the tombola. Our granddaughter was working hard on the bric-a-brac stall, and our grandson enjoying himself dancing to the music and eating chips with tomato sauce (not both activities at the same time, although I'm sure he could manage it). Eventually, it was the turn of our family group to visit Santa in his grotto. ( Lucky for him, he had a blanket over his legs and a heater at his side). The children rushed in to meet the main man - I don't know if they noticed the finer d
etails of his 'log cabin in the forest' but we adults thought it looked pretty good. R, on his return from work, joined us towards the end, just in time, probably, to help S and the rest of the PA to do some clearing up.
ndchildren's school for the Christmas Bazaar. If the crush was anything to go by, it seemed to be very successful. Chris, on the keyboards, was playing seasonal music and requests, the hot pork bap was the best I've eaten for a long time, and we even won a couple of prizes on the tombola. Our granddaughter was working hard on the bric-a-brac stall, and our grandson enjoying himself dancing to the music and eating chips with tomato sauce (not both activities at the same time, although I'm sure he could manage it). Eventually, it was the turn of our family group to visit Santa in his grotto. ( Lucky for him, he had a blanket over his legs and a heater at his side). The children rushed in to meet the main man - I don't know if they noticed the finer d
etails of his 'log cabin in the forest' but we adults thought it looked pretty good. R, on his return from work, joined us towards the end, just in time, probably, to help S and the rest of the PA to do some clearing up.After more snow last night, woke this morning to find it thawing - ugh! This will please some people. Still, there are warnings that the cold weather could continue into the New Year. Suits me.
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