Monday 11th. March

well....we suspect that, like everyone else, we've had an "interesting" day. It started with Dad heading off at 8ish to pick up AA and convey her to work. Town seemed okay....and dad managed to get on the radio to give an "update on the driving conditions".....what does he know?...sitting behind the wheel of his Range Rover with the heating on full blast....hardly a "hands on" report. Anyway...he returned at 5 and pronounced that it was "getting icey out there". He bought neighbours (that he had met in the lane) in for coffee and a chat....but wasn't impressed to find out the Son No.1 was still out somewhere....

The boys (and Bex, who was having a day off from Highlands) had all been "out west" today. The snow was much better out there so they discovered....plenty of tales of stuck vehicles that they helped pull out, and also stories about sliding down hills sideways towards sheer drops (well, that's how Becky described it).....anyway, all returned safely and in plenty of time so that the tall one could get ready for work.

The fireman is on a night shift this evening, and not a very pleasant evening to be out and about. He's already been to St. Brelade's to cope with a tree that had fallen on two walkers.....not too serious we hear now....broken leg and other stuff....but nothing really nasty thank goodness.

Just as we were eating supper one of Dan's mates turned up with his dog. Lovely.....just what you need in your kitchen as you're about to eat....a snowman and his snowdog. Needless to say that the kitchen floor resembled an ice rink....but Jessie was happy as said snowdog is her "mate"....there wasn't much snow left on him once they had charged around the kitchen a couple of times. Another neighbour dropped in a little later offering home made beer (he had just been "walking past"...as you do in the middle of a dark snowstorm) ...don't say we don't have nice neighbours....but not quite sure it was a "beer evening".

Thomas appeared an hour later.....only to decide that he needed to go out again to return Snowman and his dog back to Grands Vaux.....so he, friend, Dan and dog all departed into the blizzard....they may be some time. Although dad wasn't particularly impressed, it was either that or find 2 extra beds for the night, one human and one canine. Dad was left trying to put the cat out...every time he picked up the cat and opened a door or window (to throw cat out of) there was much clawing and screaming which ended up with cat back on the sofa and dad back in the medicine cupboard looking for plasters. Eventually the cat was grabbed and deposited very unceremoniously into the yard from quite a height....can't say that we thought it was very impressed.

Mum walked Jessie in the snow today...but on a lead all the time. can't imagine what Jessie thought of that....then she did the same this afternoon. It was dad's fault apparently, as he had warned us all about trees falling down before leaving this morning.....consequently the dog walker refused to go anywhere near the woods.....as it turned out, they were probably the safest place today....a little bit sheltered and not so exposed.....

As we type, the last of the boys have returned home....so we have managed the whole day without injury to either person or vehicle....quite an achievement under the circumstances. No doubt the tall one will have some tales to tell in the morning.

Dad has lined the Range Rover up in the yard again tonight... more meetings that have to be attended tomorrow.....but will he get out? there's no doubt that the conditions will be far worse in the morning than they were today.....stay safe people....it's snow joke out there!!