Despite this valiant effort by my boys to clear the road so that I would be able to drive into town today, nature defeated us by spreading a layer of ice over all their work. I had a message from a neighbour up at Bowden Corner that the postman had left our , and Paul and Sarah's post, at her house so I cautiously walked up to collect the post. It is always a pleasure to visit her house, she is an amazing artist and crafts person and her home is filled with her beautiful craft work. I was also most entranced by a tropical aquarium with some fish and many different sorts of living corals. Outside, her husband who is a joiner has built some impressive aviaries which house finches and orange canaries?
The view from Bowden Corner looking towards the coast.
Same view, interesting sky.
Bowden Corner itself showing how much ice there was on the road.
Back down at Paul and Sarah's a lot of the lake was iced over. Paul was making another trip into Tescos so Peter went with him to buy fresh vegetables and other stuff that I hadn't been able to carry home yesterday. Apparently going up and down the hill on the quad bike was a bit of a white knuckle ride as it slipped and slithered on the ice.Back at home the boys cut the top off one of the leylandii and it has made an adequate Christmas tree, I've gone for the restrained bling look this year . I haven't had a brilliant day today as I suffered with nausea all night and didn't get to sleep until 5.30 and I still feel pretty rough today. A bit disappointing at this time of special meals and plenty of chocolate. I think it is that tummy bug that has been floating round school for a while. Never mind. Peter got me some peppermint tea and that has been very soothing. We had our special Christmas Eve meal with lots of fish dishes and I couldn't resist some smoked salmon and dill herrings with a little black bread.
The poor state of the roads has meant that for the first time in 15 years we haven't been able to go to the village church for midnight service.Instead I watched Midnight Mass on tv. It was at Westminster Cathedral and brought back many memories for me as I used to go to mass there with my mother, I even sang in the lay choir for a little while. It has been a very long time since I was at a full Latin mass but you never forget. But personally I connect better with God in less ceremonial circumstances.
It's nearly 2.00 in the morning so now I can say
HAPPY
CHRISTMAS
TO
ALL
