We can get back to normal.

What a fascinating couple of days we have had. The snow fell in a silent, yet persistent flurry day and night from Tuesday night to Friday morning, it settled so deeply that we lost the Boule Park and the Beach Garden was a blob on the landscape. We had a pang of conscience Thursday night with our feet up in front of a roaring fire in the lounge and decided that first thing we would make a shelter for the ducks and the swan who in the cold and difficult terrain of a snowy pond area spend all their time bobbing about in the water, which, incidentally, is warmer than plonking your feathery bum on the snow.

After breakfast yesterday, we set off in boots and woolly hats to dig out the path from hen house to winter quarters, again, and then Mike got corrugated sheets out of stock and made a great little lean-to, and to get this water foul hotel up there in the five star category he put a layer of hay down to make it even more accommodating. Mike made the passing comment that Mary could pass this way and we would be prepared for Jesus and comments like that stick in your mind and I will need to watch out for the bright star in the sky and singing from the  heavens, we have the Shepards with their sheep and a few kings are no so hard to come by these days…

The builder called to say …laters…and that he will call next week with a new flu date, I am not too upset now I am used to having the cuisiniere in the middle of the kitchen so a few more days is just fine and mike is now seriously  planning the final installation so I know it will happen, sometime in my living memory.

This morning is tinged with a wholesome feeling of optimism, Jacqueline called to say the cider is ready so I had to rally the troops and we have decided to bottle now as we all have commitments and things to do before Christmas, so my morning resonated to the gentle clink of champagne bottles getting their freshen up rinse and dry before bagging up for the off at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.  The rain has fallen all day and the snow is virtually gone from the hard surfaces, the field is still white but we are as quickly in a winter nightmare as out of it and frankly it was short, sweet with a tingle of excitement and now it is gone and done for, and we can get back to normal. Happy birthday to Dick...