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Hi Pigale

That was a very quick response to the fallen tree problem, well done your neighbour.

I had to drive this evening to go to my grandson's Christmas play, which was called something lke "The Amazing Advent Calander". However, I could hardly hear what the children were saying. I thought he looked great- his father had been deputed to fins his costume which, apart from the standard teatowel and belt from his father's dressing gown wrapped round twice, included a cut about T shirt (also his father's) and a jumper underneath. He also knew the songs, which some of the children certainly didn't. It was good of the teachers to give up their evening.

At about 12 I realised I was going to have to move a lot of snow and ice to get there. I had frozen snowdrifts against my tires and had to remove snow/ice from the drive and pavement. It took between two and three hours. I was a bit scared of driving but needn't have been, it was Ok except in the housing estate at the end here there was a lot of ice.

Hi, Rusty!
This morning we heard that a young puppy had been lost in the park on Sunday......
He had been sighted on Monday - he ran off and escaped capture - but has not been seen today.
I fear that he may not have survived being out in the very cold overnight temperatures of last night.
We were all searching for him this morning, but to no avail
Of course, it is possible that he ran from the park and could now be anywhere.
We may get news tomorrow morning.
The owners, as you can imagine, are frantic!
And now we have icy rain!
I am reading a very old (as in dilapidated and falling apart) book by PG. Wodehouse, that I unearthed from the depths (second row back) of my bookshelves!
It even has my maiden name written in it!
I am finding it very amusing and am even chuckling aloud!
What are you reading?
Did you order much from your perusal of Amazon?

Hello, Elle!
A pity about the lost dog.
Hope he is found safe and well.
There is no frost here tonight.
I only ordered a couple of books, so far, on Amazon.
A biography of Warren Buffett, and "Calum's Road".
I had "Calum's Road" before and lent it out and it was not returned.
I'd better order one or two more for my Christmas.
I have a wee list of "possibles"!

Hi Ros,

Nice evening for your grandson, (how old is he?) and glad you
could drive there safely. But what work to 'de-snow/ice' your car
and drive!

Could you not put some sand or grits of some type along your
drive, to save it getting icy again, in case there is sleet?
Sounds like the gritters have still not been around your area then?

BTW, thinking about it, isn't it a little unusual to have an evening
'show' for young children, particularly at this time of the year?

Hi elle

I can't imagine the puppy survived Monday night unless someone found him and took him in. Very sad for everyone.

Hi pigale.
He is 7 and I thought it unusual these days to have the play in the evening (2 , it is on again tonight), but fathers can rarely go if it is in the day and not many mothers, either. GS had all three grandparents as well as his sister and both parents to watch! A teacher had to read the parts for some children who maybe live in a remote village or farm and couldn't get there. I applaud the school's "don't give up" attitude.
I tried salt, seemed to have no effect even in quantities. Even grit wouldn't have helped the drifts against the tyres, the car simply wouldn't have got over them. I don't have any grit and the council no longer supply it, but I went into the garage and collected sawdust from the floor to put on the remaining icy patches. Today I will use ash from the fire as well- but yesterday the fire was still going!

I don't think my schools ever closed for bad weather.I wonder what today's elf and safety freaks would make of my journeys there- snow over my wellies (and chilblains), a ferry that got swept a long way down the Mersey in bad weather and smog so bad I sometimes had to ask the bus conductor the number of his bus! Plus flashers and getting groped on buses and trams and train lifts (which I dealt with and thought very little of). Just part of getting on with life.
I have some splendid icicles hanging from the roof!

Hope the puppy is found, one way or the other. Not knowing is very bad

Good morning, Rusty!
Fell dreich here!
No snow, no ice.... a lot of rain ...and very much milder......5C!
A poggy walk indeed!
Good news! The puppy was found alive and well - albeit a bit on the thin side - yesterday morning.
The story has it that he was found cowering in some bushes by a dogwalker's two dogs.
She was able to grab him, and he is now safely restored to his owner.
A happy ending!
I remember your telling me about Calum!
He built a road all by himself!
I think Warren Buffet is a rich philanthropist? American?
I intend to order more books, myself. I just cannot decide which.....
Right, coffee finished......
I am now going out shopping!
I hope to be back by at least tea-time!
Are you going to be busy today? Or can you relax?




Hello, Ros!
Miraculously, the puppy was found alive and reasonably well!
Two dogs found him, cowering in some bushes.
My grandson played the Innkeeper in his Nativity play....... Unfortunately, a lot of parents couldn't go because it was during the day.
No one thought though to notify the school, so that others could have the tickets!

Good about the puppy, not so much about the tickets. I bet they would have notified the school had they paid for them and there was a chance of getting their money back. You could have gone. What a shame.

Am lunching myself today!!

Hello Elle, Ros and Rusty (if you are around?)

Great news about the puppy - it did occur to me that he just might
have been found by another dogwalker, and after a while spent
alone in bad weather, that he might be more easily approachable.

Regarding the Nativity play, I understand that parents cannot always attend in the daytime in the week, but since the teachers were
willing to give some of their time in the evening, why not do it
on a Saturday afternoon? Many more parents are off work then.

Ros, I never had any problem walking to school, but there again
that was in Paris, and no school ever closed down except for holidays (and in my younger years, (before I was 12 or so), there was no half-term holidays in those days!
It took me around 15mns to walk to school, and again inthose
days, we girls were not allowed to wear either tights or trousers -
just socks - my mum had to rub my legs/thighs with cream ever
night.
I do think kids nowadays have got it easy, and perhaps it is for
the best.

PS - Weather report: it is windy, wet and +8C ! but the wind
makes it feel much colder; cats refuse to go out!

Hi pigale

I had to take a bus, then a ferry (later an underground train) then a tram (later a bus) to get to school; I think it was good training! In those days if you fell into the Mersey you had to have your stomach pumped. Now I understand there are fish and even otters.

I'm sure I had to wear stockings and suspenders, which might have been part of the problem.

I think there are more self-centered little monsters around than there once were! But loads of lovely children too.