A day off and a day out . . .

Today was my day off and as  I hadn't been up to London for ages I decided I'd have a day out and go to Mass at Westminster Cathedral and a mooch around the Catholic bookshops nearby.

In the cathedral I bumped into one of the Friars of the Renewal that I know from his visits to the parish.  Then after the beautiful Mass when I was browsing in the bookshops I bumped into one of the priests from a neighbouring parish at home.  The Catholic world is a small one!

As well as attending Mass, I love to spend some time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.  It's amazing how close to the Lord one feels and how easily one forgets that the busy, bustling world is carrying on as usual just yards away.  Fantastic!

As I was on the train home, the sun suddenly burst through the clouds and I arrived home to see the garden bathed in sunshine.  I wanted to post a photo on Twitter of our camellia which has burst into bloom recently but for some reason Twitter wasn't cooperating so I thought I'd post a few snaps here . . .

One good thing about this long cold spell and the delay of the onset of Spring is that all the spring bulbs have lasted for ages.  These little tête-à-tête daffodils have been in bloom for weeks.

Normal service has been resumed . . .

I'm glad to see things are back to normal . . . Saturday afternoon and I'm tackling a pile of ironing, listening to Five Live Sport on the radio and watching the rain out of the window - happy days!

Please don't think I'm complaining. I'm still really enjoying the novelty of rain! And, what's to complain about when I'm snug and dry indoors looking out at the garden suddenly springing to life again.

Funny how the beginning of the football season coincides with almost the first bit of rain for weeks and weeks (at least in this part of the country).

'The sun has got his hat on . . . '

What a fantastic day it was in 'Sunny Surrey' today!

I somehow feel a little bit guilty about being happy on Ash Wednesday. But then again, we are told in today's Gospel, 'When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do . . . '

The weather forecast at the beginning of the week was rain/sleet/snow all week. I don't mind the experts getting it wrong when we end up with a glorious day like today. The sun certainly did 'have his hat on' in this part of the world - all day.

Coming out of Mass this morning, I decided I'd go to the local garden centre and buy some pansies to cheer up the garden. Naturally, they were doing a roaring trade as this must be the first decent day we've had so far this year.

I managed to do quite a bit of 'tidying up' in the front garden and now we have some lovely big pots of pansies all ready to burst into colour at the first sign of any more sunshine. Photos to follow once they've had a chance to settle in. Oh, God is good!

I hope you enjoy the video. It's the obvious choice :-)

Roll on Spring!

I was getting fed up with the picture of the snow at the top of my blog. It was making me feel depressed every time I looked at it and I was sitting shivering at my keyboard!

The new picture was taken at Alderley Edge in Cheshire a couple of years ago, at around this time of year - probably about 3 weeks later in the year. Actually yesterday was a lovely sunny day here and I was hoping to take a few photos for the blog but didn't manage to fit it in after all.

Looking around the garden now that the snow has gone, there are signs of life - lots of bulbs appearing. I love this time of year when we begin to see the new growth after a long, grey winter.

Among the earliest bulbs to flower in our garden are a little clump of daffodils right by the front door. It really cheers you up when you put your key in the door. They are always out well before St David's Day. Here's a photo taken in February last year.

Sorry!

Oh dear, it's all my fault! Looking back on my blog for something I wrote before Christmas, I also noticed what I'd written on 15th December here.

So you see, this awful weather is all my fault! If only I hadn't opened my big mouth . . . fancy actually wishing to get 'snowed in' can you imagine anything so foolhardy?

I'm very sorry everyone. I've been doing my penance . . . I've cleared the drive of snow 4 times this week already!

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening . . .

'Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening' . . . One of those poems that you learn at school and are stuck in your mind for ever . It felt just like that going for a walk this afternoon.

The poor old birds on our local pond were struggling find a bit of unfrozen water.

Lovely Christmas card shots for next year!

The entrance to our road on the way home. I don't think I'll be driving to work tomorrow, somehow.

No, dear reader, you're quite right . . . my hibernation didn't last long after all. I suppose we humans are not really cut out for it. It sounded like a good idea but I couldn't resist wrapping up and going out for a walk in all that beautiful unspoilt snow I could see from the window.

I'm sure it won't be so much fun tomorrow when the reality of not being able to get from A to B really sinks in.

I expect everyone is writing 'snow posts' today but the scenery is so beautiful it demands it.

I'm hibernating!

Looking at the weather forecast and the freezing temperatures which apparently are with us for the rest of the week, I've decided the best option is to hibernate.

Well, if it's good enough for Yogi Bear and Boo Boo (showing my age again!) it's certainly good enough for me.

Tomorrow is my day off and luckily I don't need to leave the house unless I want to. I thought I'd better do a bit of research and find out what preparation is needed as it's not something that we humans are used to doing . . .

'Some animals hibernate over the winter, going into a very deep sleep.'

OK, that sounds easy enough.

'Hibernating animals usually retreat to a den, a burrow, or a hollow log for protection and shelter.'

Do you think snuggling under a duvet counts?

'During "true hibernation," the animal's body temperature drops, and its rate of breathing slows down. These hibernating animals are very difficult to awaken.'

Oh-oh! I do have to go to work on Thursday. Is there something else I could try?

'Most animals will eat large amounts of food before hibernating, adding body fat that will nourish them during the winter.'

Oh, I think I could manage that if I tried really hard! I've still got loads of Christmas choccies to get through before Lent begins.

'Occasionally, hibernating animals will awaken periodically during the winter to eat. When most hibernating animals awaken in the spring, they are very hungry.'

No problem. I'll just keep a few Lindt treats by my bedside, just in case.

'Some animals are not "true hibernators," but they do become dormant over winter or go into diapause. For example, during cold winter months, some bears go into a dormant state in which their heart rate is extremely low, their body temperature is relatively high, . . . . and they can be roused.'

Perfect! That's it! I'll go into 'diapause'. It sounds just the job. See y'all on Thursday!

Information courtesy of Enchanted Learning.

'Snow on snow' . . .

The view from our front door this morning . . . Very pretty but a very hazardous journey to the main road which luckily was clear. When you get to the 'slopey bit' at the end of our road before it joins another quiet un-gritted road, the power of prayer really comes into its own!

When I got back from work this afternoon, I found the Pater Familias up a ladder putting up the outside lights, aided and abetted by Number One Son and the tree had been brought inside from the back garden where it had been resting for a few days. With a CD of carols playing in the background, I'm finally feeling a little bit more 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' and less 'Bah, humbug!'

Number Two son is expected home tomorrow and hopefully we'll be able to decorate the tree together and put up a few decorations around the house here and there.

More importantly the crib has been unpacked and is now in situ (minus the infant Jesus of course and the Kings). All ready to blessed in the next few days, I hope.

South of France?

As usual on my day off, I went for a little walk in the morning; today it was to meet a friend at a local coffee shop. As I walked along the footpath at the side of the road in the blazing sunshine, I couldn't believe the sound of the crickets in the grass verge. It really felt like I was in the south of France. I tried to record the sound on a video so that I could post it here but they must have known what I was up to as every time I pressed the record button there was a deafening silence!

Later in the day I went to the garden centre and passed another sign that maybe I'd been teleported to a village in Provence. Coming up to a mini roundabout you pass a beautiful lavender field which today was magnificent - just a sea of purple. On the return journey you get a better view as you are looking down on it slightly as it lies in a dip. There's an amusing sign on the roadside warning motorists of 'purple hazard ahead'. True, it can be quite a shock if you're not expecting it. I couldn't take my own photos as I was driving but found this one on the web.

So, not South of France after all but South of England. We're certainly enjoying Mediterranean weather at the moment though. I'm not looking forward to the thunderstorms when they eventually arrive as they inevitably will after this prolonged spell of hot weather.

Derby Day . . .

What is it about British sporting events and the weather? We've had days of glorious warm, sunny weather recently and when did the rain and cooler weather decide to put in an appearance? Just a day before the Derby race meeting of course. Rather than put money on a horse, I think a more certain way to get a return on your money would be to put a bet on rain in Epsom on Derby Day - what odds do you think you'd get from Paddy Power?

I work on Saturday mornings and today I had to drive past the racecourse on the way to work to drop number one son and a friend at Epsom station. Even at 8.30am the course was a hive of activity with stewards everywhere and car parks already beginning to fill.

A few spots of rain don't deter us, do they? Coming home over the Downs just after lunchtime, I passed a steady stream of people walking to the racetrack - mainly locals at this time of day and quite a gathering of people around Tattenham Corner railway station waiting for the Queen to arrive.

Although they have moved the area for the fun fair this year, you could still see activity in the middle of the Downs with many rides doing good business and plenty of people queuing up for drinks and snacks from the burger vans.

It's a quite unique race meeting, I think. You see plenty of top hats and tails and very smart ladies in the 'posh' end and equally large numbers of the rest of us ordinary mortals in other areas. All out to enjoy a day at the races, a day at the fair and a little flutter; whether picnicking, snacking on fast food or enjoying a full champagne lunch with all the trimmings, everyone is enjoying themselves.

June is bustin' out all over . . .

'Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June'

(Al Bernstein, American actor)

For a change we seem to be entering June with appropriate weather - long may it last. Although not officially Summer yet, once we get into June, it usually feels as if it's here already.

June to me is;

The Epsom Derby (just down the road for us),

roses, lovely roses,

Wimbledon - and naturally strawberries and cream,

a glass or two of Pimms at the least excuse,

cricket,

walks in the countryside finishing with a cream tea whenever possible,

queues in front of ice-cream vans,

bees buzzing around lavender,

Trooping the Colour,

long hours of daylight,

'These are a few of my favourite (June) things.'

How about you?

This 'n' that . . .

I was going to post about the fantastic weather we've been having . . . until this afternoon when I realised there's a lot of the wet stuff around!

We had a lovely afternoon on Bank Holiday Monday. We couldn't go out for the whole day as we'd promised to pick up number 1 son from the station at lunchtime after he'd been to a morning concert in London (no buses on the route home from the station on Sundays and Bank Holidays - how are we supposed to 'do our bit' for the environment, I wonder?)

We decided we'd pick him up, go for a nice pub lunch and then drive out a bit and have a walk. We managed the pub lunch and the drive to the walking spot but that's as far as it went. I'm afraid the combination of a delicious meal, a glass of wine and a warm car are better than any sleeping pill - it's alright I wasn't driving!

So, we did enjoy the beautiful countryside at its spring-time best but only through the windows of the car.

I just thought I'd mention too that it's a year since I started this blog - hence the bottle of bubbly. I don't think we have any champagne at the moment but I'm sure we have a bottle of wine in the fridge. I shall investigate later.

You get better weather with the BBC!

Interesting, isn't it how different two separate weather forecasts can be.

Like many others, I'm watching the forecast with hawk-like eyes at the moment hoping that it might be possible to take the car to work tomorrow.

Both of these forecasts were given at the same time today;

First of all the BBC:

Then Google:

Now, I know they're in different formats but no matter how you look at it Google predicts snow on Friday and Saturday and the BBC doesn't. I'm going to stick with 'Auntie' and hope she's got it right!

Not really about the snow ...

Just a footnote ... I've got loads of time today as I'm 'snowed in' (what a fantastic expression).

Looking out of the window, I can see neighbours and their children out playing in the snow (funny how a bit of snow brings out the child in most of us) and chatting to those who have ventured out saying, 'everybody's out, buying milk and bread etc. what a lovely sense of community .'

I'm itching to get my wellies on and do the same.

Even more snow ..

I know I've already posted pictures of the snow last night but how can you not take more photos when it's so beautiful outside?

The view from my window told me straight away that I wouldn't be going to work today.

Having spent an anxious evening worrying about whether or not my husband would make it home last night, I was relieved to hear that he was within half an hour of home at about midnight, having left Manchester soon after 7 pm.

Half an hour in ordinary driving conditions, that is ... however, a later phone call at about 1am told me that he couldn't get any further and he had made it as far as the office and was going to try and get a few hours' sleep there (home from home anyway!) I was happy to hear he was in the warm and dry at least.

It really is just like a scene from a Christmas card here.

And finally, this shot taken at about 8am shows just how much snow has actually fallen. It looks a bit surreal, almost as if a snowman is slumped in the chair.

I'll try not to mention the snow again for a while!

A little bit of snow ....

As a friend commented on my Facebook, it looks just like icing on a cake.

Quite magical! View from our bedroom window at 10pm.

View from our front door - will it be possible to get to work tomorrow?

It's a little bit cold over here!

For all of our family in warmer climes (Indian subcontinent and our Antipodaean relatives!) here's a glimpse of what the weather is like 'over here'.

The unusually cold weather has been with us all week. One of the compensations of the prolonged frosty weather is the beautiful scenery it produces.


Spare a thought for us shivering over here whilst you're enjoying your barbecues and beach parties.

Surprise!

Strange how we're always surprised to wake up to find snow on the ground, even in January.

I didn't have time to take any photos before I left this morning but managed to take a few shots of the church when I arrived. Not too many made it for Mass, understandably. The car park was quite treacherous but luckily there was some rock salt to use on the worst areas which quickly melted the snow.

The main roads are all clear this evening but it's beginning to freeze again so dangerous conditions for driving. Our road, like most cul-de-sacs, is like an ice rink as it doesn't get gritted by the council and doesn't have the volume of traffic to melt the snow.

We're off to the theatre tomorrow evening so hope the weather improves before then.

Snow in Autumn

What a surprise to wake up to snow on the ground this morning! It was very cold though when we walked back from the Grumpy Mole last night after a delicious celebratory dinner. The garden looked so pretty I just had to get out there with my camera and take a few photos.

These polyanthus are doing a grand job despite the snow.

And just look at this little cyclamen - the word indefatigable comes to mind!

And yet, despite the wintry covering, our large beech tree still looks magnificent with lots of beautiful Autumn leaves left.

Manchester . . . and back

Can you believe it - after thinking about it several times during the week, and reminding others not to forget - guess who forgot to put their watches back on Saturday night?? Luckily nothing was lost by this (apart from an extra hour's sleep!)

After a leisurely breakfast - one of the best things about staying in an hotel, I think - we set off to visit a local beauty spot, Lyme Park.

It was a glorious, bright but cold morning as we left Manchester and arrived at our destination but about 10 minutes after we'd begun climbing the up the hill to 'The Cage' to admire the view, the heavens opened and we were soaked.

The photo shows the really leaden sky - this sort of weather in these sort of places always make me think of a scene from Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre or similar novels where the heroine finds herself on some bleak, barren moor in the middle of terrible weather. You expect to bump into some romantic hero complete with riding breeches at any moment!

We 'repaired to a local hostelry' as they might have said in one of these novels; had a lovely warming lunch and also took the opportunity to change into dry clothes.

The weather on the journey home was also very mixed and we saw a splendid rainbow - the second one that day. The photo doesn't do it justice but it's not bad considering it was taken through a car window and travelling at speed.