Muffled

It's amazingly quiet this morning. All sound is muffled. It began snowing a few hours ago & is still falling. It's not very deep so far but nonetheless the deepest we've had it so far this winter. For the first time the taxi doesn't seem to have arrived to take a child who lives next door to school. At least there are no tracks in the snow to indicate it's been. I suspect that finally children in the area are being allowed their first day off - a chance to play in the snow.

My first task of the day was to get to the laundry room while I still could. I got out some prawns & cheese for dinner. I then popped to the garage for a bottle of riesling to wash it down with. At the rate the snow is falling I can't imagine wanting to venture out, let alone being able to, much later on today. I also hastily put out some bacon rinds for the birds. I suspect they're having a hard time of it at the moment.

I'm really looking forward to the spicy stir fry the Fox is making this evening. I suspect I will be ready for something with plenty of chilli in it to warm me up by then.

We did venture to the village pub yesterday. I couldn't help feeling sorry for the likes of Howard, a regular, who had to vanish outside in the sub-zero temperature to have his cigarette. He recently found a pub which had a separate shelter, with heating, tables & chairs, & TV, for smokers. He was envious of locals there. Neither of the pubs we usually go to have such facilities. Instead people wrap up well, hover outside the door & dive back in as quick as possible. I feel sorry for older people, pensioners like Little B, who are not about to change their ways & yet have difficulty coping with the cold, wet &, at the moment, ice.