No Sign of the Big Melt!

Well, we had the heavy snowfall in the early hours of Wednesday and as of today, it’s showing no signs of melting.  With more snow forecast tonight, who knows how long it will hang around.

Jon and some neighbours helped clear the top end of our road … partly so we could get our cars off, but mainly so that another neighbour would be able to get back into our road.  He’d been stranded in Basel overnight as was attempting to drive back home.  He managed all but the last 20 metres and had to have a helping hand!

Temperatures have really dropped the last few nights … Thursday night saw the temperature in Thatcham drop to a chilly -11°C – I’ve never known the temperatures to drop that low around here before.

We’ve also had icicles hanging off the conservatory rook and gutters, as well as off the car!

  

The weather is really tough on the wildlife so Jon has been feeding the birds and making sure they have access to water.   We are lucky enough to get quite a wide range of birds visiting … robins, blackbirds, starlings, collared doves, blue tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, goldfinches … with the occasional great tit and coal tit (and the very occasional Sparrowhawk!).  We’ve now got two more visitors to add to our list: two pied wagtails and a black cap!

  

I’ve signed up to do a Scraplift Circle Journal and have decided to scrap the photos of the Fly-Drive Holiday we did around the East Coast of the USA and Canada back in May 2000.  2,000 miles in two weeks!  The only downside is that I only have a few digi photos from this trip, the rest were taken on Jon’s film SLR and my trusty APS.  Scanning the photos in has been a little time-consuming to say the least, but well worth it, bringing back lots of memories of the places we saw.

I’m in two groups, so should get a fair few LO’s completed for the album.  Here’s my first two scraplifts.

Group 1

Above is a scraplift based on this LO by Rachel (Taniwha).  It’s absolutely the perfect title page for my album.

Title page showcases some of the places we visited on our trip which will feature in more detail as the album progresses.

Group 2

The above is based on this LO by Claire (weetabix).  It will be the LHS of a double page spread on the Twin Towers – the RHS will feature photos from the Top of the World. 

I have incorporated a large journalling panel … it’s a 6”x6” card pull-out (from under the blue star paper) with my memories of our visit to the WTC and also my recollection of where I was when news broke of the tragic events of 9/11.

Big thank you goes to Rachel and Claire for allowing me to use your work as the basis for this Circle Journal.

Materials:

• Scenic Route Liberty Papers (red star paper from scrap box)
• AC Thickers
• Kaisercraft Bloom & Aunty Sarah’s Bloomers
• Small square beads (Grp 1 LO) – Early Learning Centre
• Metal Embellishments (Grp 1 LO) – pin badges bought of eBay
• Rhinestones and Ribbon – from stash

Worst Snow in 30 Years!

We’ve had our first snow of the New Year and apparently it’s the worst in Berkshire since 1981!!  I certainly don’t remember school being closed for more than a day though!

It was on the news that a severe weather warning was in place and to be prepared.  It started snowing about 4pm although very light and gradually got heavier as the evening progressed.  The sky took on an eerie orange glow … street lights reflecting against the snowy sky.  This was the view outside before we went to bed …

… and this was the view that greeted us when we awoke in the morning.  It looked to be about 4-5 inches of snow falling overnight! 

Unsurprisingly, Callum’s Pre-School didn’t open and he won’t be going back until Monday now.  More surprisingly, I was amazed that Callum’s swimming lesson was still on.  We usually walk to swimming lessons but had to leave more time as Callum loves knocking the snow off the branches and making snowballs!

It was really eerie arriving at the Sports Centre.  There were no cars in the car park (it’s usually full to overflowing!) … not even tyre tracks in the snow.  When we got in, Carmen was there (Callum’s swimming teacher) and three members of staff and that was it.  They hadn’t even unlocked the door to the changing rooms!!  Callum had a one-to-one swimming lesson and for once actually turned his ears on! We got back from swimming … had a snowball fight with the neighbours, Callum made a Snow Angel and we built a snowman.

We also dived across to the corner shop this morning.  We were really running low on vegetables as Waitrose had been stripped bare when I got there at lunchtime yesterday.  Sadly the Co-op told pretty much the same story!  Managed to get some apples and with perfect timing, a freshly baked baguette for lunch!  It was even still warm.  Just debating if we need to reclaim the carrot back off the snowman as we may need it for our tea tomorrow :).

I just hope we can find some potatoes from somewhere sometime soon!

Count Down to Christmas!

It’s only now that January has arrived that I’ve had a chance to sit down and realise that this December was pretty full on, but great fun!

Callum got very excited over his three advent calendars!  Yes THREE.  He got one from us and one from both sets of Grandparents.  The Playmobil advent calendar was a great hit and very good value for money as it came packed with figures, motorbike and loads of police accessories and a scene you can create.  He knew exactly which number he had to open next and made sure he knew where the next days door was! 

Callum had his last Nativity Play at Pre-School and got his promotion from being a robot last year to being the Donkey this year.  Once again, the Pre-School came up trumps and was impressed with the number of children that wanted to do a solo song.  Callum sang Humpty Dumpty!  I had spent the day before baking for the cake stall but thankfully this year we had more help with people so didn’t need to do as much! 

That evening, all the girls headed off to the Regency Hotel for one of their Party Nights to celebrate Bev’s 40th.  Great night was had by all.

We managed to book tickets for the gang to see the Panto at Newbury Corn Exchange.  This years treat was Puss in Boots … and it did not disappoint!  It’s only a small production but it is so well done.  The Panto Dame’s version of Cheryl Cole’s “Fight for the Love” complete with replica costume.  Fantastic!!

As in previous years, we headed off to the Christmas Tree place in Bagnor to find our perfect tree.  Sadly there are no more trees growing in the field (that are big enough to cut down and take home anyway!) so all the trees had been imported from another grower … and were twice the price.  Really hope there is another local grower that decides to offer the same service as it was just not the same this year and this is one tradition we would love to keep going.

A good friend put on a little Christmas Tea Party for the kids one afternoon and the kids had an absolute ball, filling themselves up on Lisa’s fabby sweet treats. 

Thames Valley Air Ambulance also held another fund raising event at Highclere Castle.  Lots of stalls, the majority selling stuff that is not my taste in the least, but managed to pick up a lovely bracelet and a couple of stocking fillers for Callum. Janine and I also took the boys down the Festival Place to go on the little Santa Train and see Father Christmas.  It was Kian’s treat last year – something for him to look forward to once he’d recovered from Chicken Pox, but the boys loved it and wanted to go again this year!  We also introduced them to the delights of a “Babycino” at Costa Coffee … it’s just warm milk, sprinkled with chocolate!

The second weekend in December we had the first of three Christmas Dinners.  Jon’s parents came down to have an early celebration as they were not spending Christmas with us this year.  In hindsight it was probably a wise move given the snow that arrived a couple of days after they left!

On the Sunday, we caught the train into Newbury to watch “Reve d’Herbert” (Herbert’s Dream).  Wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it was a pretty spectacular display and I really enjoyed it.

The last day of term quickly arrived … as did the snow!!  Term finished with a Christmas Party for the children and most managed to make it in in spite of the weather. 

The weekend before Christmas we went up to Mum’s for Christmas Dinner #2 with my brother and his in-laws.  Great meal and my parents must have been mad as they agreed to have all four boys staying for the sleep-over!! 

 

Callum woke all the boys up in the morning, but Mum and Dad had the last laugh taking them out on a really long walk and completely tired them all out!  Callum got his energy back by the afternoon as we’d organised another little party for them in the Pre-School Hall.  Half an hour before the party started, the snow arrived and it was obvious it was here to stay. By the time the party finished, there was several inches of the white stuff and none of the roads had been gritted.  All the local people were OK but it took Janine’s friend 7 hours to get back to Tilehurst.  It took Jon 4.5 hours to get back from Maidenhead that night.

Only three sleeps until Christmas and we were taking the kids to the Cookie Cafe today to make some Christmas Tree decorations.  They had a ball and crammed as many smarties, liquorice strings, raisins etc, onto their decorations as possible. 

It was lovely seeing Callum so excited this year – Santa had left him a message from the Portable North Pole telling him he would be getting a lorry if he was good.  He was adamant that Santa would want a glass of fizzy water to wash his mince pie down and left a carrot out for Rudolph.  Santa came over night and he loved opening all his presents.  This year was a bit of a Playmobil-fest but he is really enjoying playing with it and pretending which is lovely to watch. 

 

We were having a non-traditional Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day.  Homemade Mushroom Soup, followed by Beef Wellington (wow Mum you came up trumps here!) rounded off by Delia’s Squidgy Chocolate Log.  YUM.  May be repeated again next year.

We had a Wedding in Cumbria to go to in between Christmas and New Year and luckily most of the snow had disappeared.  The journey up was very slow – 7 hours!  However, the rainbow that we saw in slow moving traffic around Stafford on the M6 was truly amazing.  Not only was it a double rainbow, you could actually see the ends touching the ground!

Thankfully the snowed stayed away for the big day (apart from that generated by the snow machine!!).  Fabulous wedding and of course the bride looked stunning.  With people travelling from all corners of the UK, everyone made it too.

The only down-side (for Dad anyway!) is that Mum is wanting to recreate the “Clarence House Conservatory” in their house next Christmas!!! It was stunning though.  It’s not often we get up to Barrow and we really pleased to have the chance to catch up (albeit briefly) with Dad’s sister and brother and our cousin, Gaynor.

With things being so hectic, we opted to see the New Year in quietly at home.  Happy New Year everyone – hope it’s a happy, healthy … and wealthy one!!