DH's birthday

My DH celebrated (is that the right word to use? Read on and you'll see why I wonder) his birthday today. The reason I query the use of the word 'celebrated' is that as a result of the continued winter weather, visitors have found it difficult to get to us. Our DD and her children did eventually brave the freezing temperatures and the slippery hill, leaving the car parked in a local car park (and paying for the priviledge!)and spent an hour with us. They brought cards and a present, and it cheered the afternoon up.

But that visit brought its own 'problem'. The cat is now out of the bag that we have taken delivery of a brand new car!

We were booked to pick it up on Tuesday, and it was with some trepidation that we watched the weather as the afternoon advanced. At the time we had to go to the dealer's it was quite clear, but as we signed the documentation, then had the 'handover' procedure, the weather closed in and it became a little nervewracking. By the time we got the car to our house, sufficient fresh snow was on the road and our drive to make negotiating through parked vehicles a white knuckle ride. We couldn't turn into our drive because there were vehicles parked too close to our entrance. Ultimately, DH just reversed into the space at the top of the drive and abandoned it! Needless to say, in the subsequent days it has been stressful, wondering if anyone might lose control of their vehicle while negotiating the narrow space left between our car and the ones on the opposite side of the road.

We hadn't said anything to the offspring about the new Galaxy,so it became the subject of many questions, and DD discussed with us her own ideas about leasing a vehicle. However, private leasing can be quite expensive, judging by the few websites we looked at.

Although the weather had stayed bright today, with no snow showers, it has started again this evening. I'm worried about my Christmas shopping, not to mention the depleting fruit and vegetables!

Snow, snow, snow no more!

We are well and truly in the grip of Siberian weather! It started snowing in earnest on Tuesday afternoon, and has subsequently laid sufficiently to make transport a bit of an issue. Being on the side of a hill our drive is quite steep, then our road slopes down, joins another which continues the downward journey - and guess what, the return journey is all uphill!! Given that our roads are too minor to be gritted as a priority, winter weather produces a challenge!

It has to be said that this type of weather is usually a once a decade event, but given the length of last winter's harsh temperatures and continual snow cover, and now this early start, one wonders if 'climate change' is truly becoming a major problem.