Happy Christmas to you!

Well, here we are back in the big freeze again, another morning with no water, snow and icicles everywhere and thick ice inside the windows.  Our neighbour with the min/max thermometer reported -16 on Sunday night and we can well believe it because it was still -10 at 9 o'clock in the morning (just a ridiculous temperature for daytime!).  Today has not been so bad, I didn't even have to thaw the windows with my hairdryer today!  We have not had any post for about a week, so apart from the few cards that arrived early we don't have any . . . . . . or maybe no-one's sent any!  Last year we went for about 10 days with no post and then it only arrived because a neighbour saw Pam the postie in the village, collected everyone's mail and delivered it for her.  Can't blame her really, it's OK for us to venture out on the icy, ungritted road now and then, but to be doing it all day must be a nightmare and last year she got stuck and so did the tractor that came to help her out!



The caravan version of a Christmas Tree

 We have actually had quite a nice few days in a very corny sort of way.  As well as getting on with insulating the roof, we went gathering holly and ivy from our little wood to decorate the caravan.  There was a hazy winter sun trying its best to break through, but just managing an apricot glow through the snow-laden branches - could have been a scene from one of Woolworth's cheapest Christmas cards!  Lovely though in real life.  On Friday afternoon, we set off after lunch to deliver a few cards to neighbours . . . . we didn't get back until 5.30pm!  We delivered a few then met one neighbour and stood in the middle of the road putting the world to rights for a while, then stopped for a coffee at the next while she arranged her holly and candles.  Then we walked across the snowy fields to another house, back across the fields and another cuppa in front of the last neighbour's woodburner.  All very nice, but thinking about it it does sound corny!  We were also invited out for tea and cakes on Monday afternoon and have an appointment for tea and mince pies somewhere else on Thursday afternoon - all very civilised! 

So, we are winding down for Christmas now.  Tomorrow we have to collect the oak for the two external doors in the morning and we are meeting Bob's Dad for a pub meal in the evening.  I have some festive cooking to do to take with us to my sister's on Christmas Eve and we will have to hire a jack hammer to dig up some leeks from the frozen garden to take too!!!  Then we have to try and sort the chickens out for the two days we'll be away.  I have bought them some corn cobs and a stalk of sprouts to hang up in their run as a treat.  The biggest worry is water - it just freezes over so quickly.  Neighbours (I'm going to have to introduce you to everyone sometime instead of just saying 'neighbours') are going to keep an eye on them and top up the food if necessary and last year they bought a flask of hot water round for them (bless 'em), so hopefully they'll be OK.  Talking of chickens, I forgot to tell you the big news!  Peggy has started laying - what a clever girl.  They are perfect miniature eggs and very brown.  No sign of any from Bonny yet, but I don't really blame her, I'd wait for warmer weather too I think.

So, I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas - drive carefully if you're driving and don't eat too much  . . . .  well only a bit too much!