Saturday Saga

Well, we have had snow, look:

I don't know what it is about snow that makes Barnaby instantly revert to his two year old self, but there we are.
On Saturday John and I were due to attend the Amber Valley Riding Club dinner.  They are the people who organise the pleasure rides we've been doing for the past few years.
But it snowed.
Undeterred, we got changed and set off down the road, down the steep hill, (all fine) and into the nearest town, where we slid right across the road.  There was loads of snow. 
We decided it wasn't worth trying to make the journey, especially if we ended up getting stuck there and having to stay the night.  Neither of us had a phone either.
So we decided to try to make it to Tesco instead as we had no food in the house and no idea how long the snow would last.
So we shopped.
It was still snowing when we came out.
All went well until we got to the bottom of the steep hill.  The poor car just could not (or would not!) get up the hill.  John revved and revved.  And down we slid.
I am trying to make this sound slightly comical, but to be honest, it was one of the most frightening situations I've ever been in.  I didn't know whether it would be worse to slide slowly into one of the dry stone walls or gain momentum as we slid further and further down the road, possibly to the junction at the bottom to be hit by an oncoming car.
After ten minutes I decided I could stand it no longer and leapt out of the car.
And so began the trudge home.  Fortunately this presentation dinner isn't a particularly dressy affair and I was wearing a wool dress, thick tights and my three inch heeled boots, in which I can normally take about ten strides before collapsing into the nearest seat!
But I decided just to take little steps and keep going.  Then I realised that in my haste I had left my gloves in the car, but luckily I was wearing my black fluffy hat, which did quite well at protecting me, but every time I came to a gap in the hedge, the wind whistled through it and froze my face.
On and on I walked, past the riding school, up and up and up, the boots actually doing surprisingly well at sinking into the snow and giving me a firm footing.
No sign of John or the car.
And then another car passed me and the young male driver offered me a lift.  It frightened the life out of me.  I said, "No it's okay, I only live there!" pointing to just beyond the crossroads.  I asked him if he'd seen a little silver car and he said no, but there were lots of marks in the snow.  Oh dear.
As it happened, John had driven back down the hill and gone the long way round, which isn't so steep and had actually set out to meet me.
I looked like a yeti by the time he finally caught up with me and we went indoors together to thaw out and sit down with a ready-cooked chicken and some hot chocolate.
Oh well.  I've emailed the organisers of the dinner to apologise for our absense and ask if we can collect our awards.  I wonder how many people actually made it through. 
As for me, I'll be staying indoors as much as possible, from now on.  In fact, there's the possibility of a little 'better-late-than-never' hibernation in the offing.
Thanks for looking in today.  Wrap up warm, everyone.  And if you have any elderly neighbours, just pop in and make sure they're okay, will you?  I get so worried about people at this time of year (and don't forget to feed the birds!)
Jane

Still Snowing...

As my title suggests, there has been no change in the weather. Pongo and I measured the drifts yesterday, and it is up to five feet in places. We cut a section out and I stood in it, with just my head protruding at the top (I am five foot seven). Now Kirsty the cat is hiding in it, ready to pounce on any unsuspecting passer-by.

Apparently we had temperatures into minus double figures last night. Everyone seemed fine this morning though, and Mr O has made it to work for the past two days.

Barnaby insists on going out each morning, and poor Zak has to accompany him. He looked at me yesterday as if to say, "Do I have to? Just to keep him company. I'm quite happy here with my pile of hay and my rug on really." Poor boy. It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it!

They come in after an hour or so. Barnaby is phenomenally clean, whiter than white. I've given him a good groom this morning, and he's gleaming. He is actually due to be clipped again, but I think that would be a bit mean, don't you? I wonder if he realises what a kindness I have performed (just by leaving him alone!)

Mr O appeared at lunch time yesterday, to my astonishment, and basically said that if Son 1 wanted a lift home, it was now or never, as it was still snowing. Son 1 lives near Nottingham, and apparently the roads were pretty clear, so they got there safe and sound. I am so glad he came, though, he made things so much easier. I had to do everything myself this morning, and realised how hard it is to push a full wheelbarrow through the snow, even the short distance to the barn, but then I found the sliding door had frozen shut. I had to ring Pongo and ask him to come out and open it for me, which he did. Then he offered to muck Lyndy out, which was wonderful (Lyndy is his horse, after all).

Of course, this is the perfect weather to sit indoors, with the fire on, and make some cards. The irony is, even if Mr O can get them into work, the recipient can't get in, so the cards will have to sit on her desk until Monday.

I've made this:

I am learning to assess a card when I see it in a magazine or on a blog, and ask myself what it is about the card that is so appealing. I saw these papers and couldn't resist them. They are the sweetest thing I've seen all Christmas. I am so in love with that pastel blue and red colour combination.

The papers I ordered from America are based on this colour scheme. Of course now we have so much snow, the dustmen haven't been, and neither has the postman, so my chances of getting these papers before Christmas are now nil. Never mind, they'll be something to look forward to next year.

I've also made this, as the person I'm making the cards for also wanted a birthday card for her nephew, one from her and one from her son, so this is the one for her son to give his cousin.

I've never made a pop-up card before, and it took me ages to get my head round the instructions, even though I had a picture of the finished item in front of me. But once I'd done it, it was pretty obvious, so I'm bound to make some more of these.

I emailed the customer to ask what her nephew was into, and as you can see, she said football. I had a bit of a panic because I realised if I ordered something to use it wouldn't be delivered, then I had a brainwave and ordered the pyramage above from Craftsuprint. How brilliant that I can just pay for it and download it, and there it is, ready for me to use, without any post involved. That's clever, really, isn't it? No wonder they're saying, "It's the way forward in card making."

I hope all my readers have a good weekend. I am trying not to panic about Christmas shopping. People will have to have money if I can't get to the shops, but it's not the same, is it?

We were also supposed to be going to a dressage competition on Sunday, but of course, it's cancelled. It doesn't matter now, because a) I haven't been able to practise because of the snow, and b) there's no way I'd drive the lorry there anyway. They've postponed it until the following week, but I still don't know if we'll be able to get there. Such a shame, I was looking forward to it.

So wrap up warm, everyone, and look after yourselves (and anyone you know, who could do with a helping hand). I'm off to bake a cake, my first one with duck eggs. Wish me luck!

Mrs O.

December Will Be Magic Again!

Of course it started snowing the moment I'd finished my previous blog entry (declaring that it wasn't snowing!) And to be honest, it's hardly stopped since. To my delight, Son 1 is here to help me muck out, as Missis is in America and won't be back until Friday. Of course, I was thinking to myself, that if I had help mucking out, I'd actually have the energy to ride. How foolish of me! We woke up this morning, and this is the sight that greeted us:


It's hard to give you an idea of scale, as everything's basically white, but it's about 3 feet deep, or up to my waist.
It took Mr O three hours to get home last night, a journey that usually takes forty-five minutes. He said vehicles were either jack-knifed or just abandoned all along the route. I was worried sick. Then this morning, he took a shovel, and tried to dig the car out. He gave up after an hour. I was so worried and angry I rang him and said, "Are you in the car?" "No," he said, "I'm just outside the house." Then he had to dig his way back home!



By this time, Son 1 and I had got up and got dressed. We fed the horses, then donned waterproof leggings and set out to find Mr O. We had to dig a trench from the back door to the stable doors, then from there to the barn (where the chickens now sleep wherever they see fit, as it's far too cold to expect them to survive in their little shed) and from the barn to the muck heap.
To my astonishment, Barnaby was kicking his stable door in a 'bally well let me out right now!' sort of way, so Mr O put his rug on and led him out. He marched into the field, then started galloping up and down, stopping every now and again to roll, and push his nose through the snow. We put Zak out next to him, and I've got a fantastic video of them galloping up and down together, looking rather spectacular. If I can upload it I will.
(Go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCnSmq4l_8s to have a look).

In places the snow is up to my waist. 'Er Indoors loves it. The cats were trapped in the cat room, with snow half way up the door, so no way of getting through the cat flap (though I'd love to have seen Purdy try!)
I don't think many people have gone to work. (Apologies to you if you've struggled through to get somewhere!) I am so grateful that Son 1 was here, and that Mr O has had to stay home. I am so pleased that my horses are just outside, as I know many people haven't been able to get to their yards to do their horses, or have faced a long, arduous walk.
Pongo is obviously at home with the boys. He bravely volunteered to walk to the local farm to buy milk as that's the one thing I'm running out of.
It is stunning out there, I must admit. I haven't seen snow like this since I was about seven. I can remember walking along the verge at my grandparents' village, slipping into the ditch and the snow came up over my head. There hasn't been snow like that in my own childrens' lifetime, but my grandchildren are certainly dipping in. I've seen some lovely photos on Facebook of The Flower Fairy playing in the snow. Facebook may have its faults, but it's fantastic at times like this, just for being able to keep in touch and see what everyone's experiencing.
More snow is forecast for tonight. I don't know where it's supposed to go, we are full up. I'm starting to wish I could ski.
Hope you're all okay, and coping.
Keep warm eveyone
Mrs O.