Fun in the snow

This update is going to be quite a simple one as pretty much all we have done is played in the snow and hidden from the snow. So, here goes. Snow.

Snow fall on Friday morning

Two puppies outward trails

A lot of snow on the Roof Terrace

A panicking with Thelma jumped onto the wall

"LET ME BACK INSIDE!"

The snow-chucking commences

A lovely cleared Roof Terrace

We went to bed only to be woken at about 1am by a huge thunderstorm which hung around right over head for hours. I probably wouldn't have been so disturbed by it if Louise hadn't been panicking and needed calming down. It was banging and crashing and raining hard for a while but eventually we did both drop back off to sleep. Our decision to give the men Friday off proved correct when we woke up to a covering of snow and more falling. It was deep enough already and it kept coming pretty much all day. The puppies were very unimpressed, as per usual, and were just in and out to the toilet and didn't want to stay outside at all. Once the snow stopped falling so hard A went up onto the roof terrace to throw snow off as she wanted some fresh air. The Little Lady called across to say there was some post waiting in town but we weren't about to risk the hill just for that - it can wait. Thelma wanted to see what was going on so she jumped up onto the wall. Twice. A almost had a heart attack both times and sent them inside with me. Louise was very pleased about this and dashed back in. There was quite a lot of snow up there and as it kept falling there was once again a shallow covering by the time I went up to take a picture of the completed job. The balcony hasn't been done as of yet and now it has frozen so it'll just have to stay there.

All kitted out for the walk into the village

Snow lying deeply on narrow branches

Thelma and Louise sniffing intently

A very snowy village indeed

Chasing madly into undisturbed, deep, snow

The hill on Friday afternoon

Little Lady brings her cattle for water

A kicking snow at Rambo, who loves it

A snow chase

That afternoon we decided to take a walk to the top of the road to see how bad it was (in case of emergencies) and to get some fresh air together. This was a good idea. We wrapped ourselves up warm (A in her super home made scarf) and strolled across through the deep snow. The puppies dashed ahead loving every second of it, now they were actually outside, sniffing and digging and chasing around through the snow. The hill proved to be quite snowy however a plough has been up and cleared it a bit and it's passable if we really need to get out. Fortunately we don't yet and hopefully won't have to at all until this has passed. On the way back we met the Little Lady bringing her cows round to water at the top of the village - they don't stop for anything here. When we got back Rambo was waiting and so we played with him for a while before heading inside to warm up.

Snow at the back door

Thelma very not impressed with her tracksuit

Louise also doesn't like it

We're all wrapped up

Snowy Rambo

Snowy Thelma

Snowy Beard (post-tumble)

The next day was much the same except this time when we went out we didn't go for a walk but played with Rambo and the puppies for a while before putting Rambo away (not wanting to risk over-excitement and the snapping-at-Louise incident from the other day) and getting our bum sleds out. We slid for a fair while until our bums were totally numb then headed back inside. I was walking along talking and looking at some of the icicles that are so impressive at the moment and didn't notice the sand-pile at all as the white snow on white snow background with no sun didn't even give a shadow hint that it was there. A second later I was on my face in the snow and A was rolling on the floor laughing. She asked if I was OK once she got her breath back and, of course, I was as I just rolled down into the deep snow. I was also laughing too much to talk for a while. The hot shower after this was much appreciated!

Monsters hanging off the balcony

Flat roof building icicles

Off the wood store

Julian's monster

Frozen back door

So yes. Icicles. There are quite a lot of them around at the moment and some are of impressive size. The one hanging off Julian is that which I was looking at when I fell over the sand pile. The aluminium exterior doors continue to present problems as well - the kitchen one has ice on it every morning, inside, and the back door on the stairs is totally frozen.

Rambo about to catch a snow ball

Looking across to the parents' hotel

Oak tree and front entrance in the snow

Rambo really loves the snow

On the top bank

Looking across the local town

Snow on the front lawn

Comfortable in front of the fire

Yesterday we got outside again to play with Rambo who struggles a bit on his own all the time. He loves the snow so much his joy is infectious and he brings a smile to your face as he bounces around chasing snowballs and having a ball. It really is so beautiful outside as well so getting out there is a bonus and probably we'd not bother if it wasn't for him. He has recently learned how to knock on the kitchen door; after the success of letting him in on Christmas day he has been in a couple of times over the past few days, sitting near the fear and being very good.

Tracks heading across the Chicken Enclosure

A close up, with the contrast fiddled with

Finally for this update are these tracks. They came out of the Green Building and across to the Chicken Enclosure, through the fence and over to the wall of the building. It's a very strange looking trail with quite large holes for the feet and a continuous drag in the middle. Does anyone have any idea what it could be?

The forecast is for more snow over the next few days so we're probably at least another week away from being able to easily get out; it's a good thing I bought a huge pile of pizzas when we went shopping last.