The snow came this morning, or at least tried to. Then it turned to sleet and resigned itself to just freezing rain for the rest of the day. Driech 6+ probably. Anyway, dearest daughter who is now a high powered executive running Scotland, departed with husband for more tropical climes in Wales for Xmas, leaving humble self and long suffering spouse with dog and best wishes as they disappeared into the blizzard.

Well it was a bit more complicated than that, but around 10.00am this morning I found myself with said dog in car, in rapidly descending snow, wondering where to take it for a walk that wouldn't result in us both (particularly me) being found like a frozen remnant of some past ice age around the 10th of January 5003. The archeologists would have a field day with the contents of my pockets, including a mobile phone with a dodgy battery, miscellaneous lottery tickets and bills, not to mention half a pound of mint humbugs whose paper bag exploded some day last week.

To cut a long story hopefully much shorter, I drove to the top of a disused lane at the back of the village, parked, and took the dog for a very rapid constitutional. The lane runs down from a couple of cottages towards the burn that runs through the village, across a very rickety old wooden bridge, and to a path which follows the burn as it winds its way through the fields from the Sidlaw Hills beyond. In summer it is a really lovely place, the lane lined with old chestnut trees and the mostly demolished ruins of an old mill house. In autumn the ground is thick with fallen chestnuts and there are always tall grey herons to be seen patrolling the burn for illegaly parked fish.

Not this morning, but since I was there last, a spanking new wooden bridge has appeared over the burn, and in summer, if we are fortunate enough ever to get another one, it will be an ideal pooh sticks bridge. Not today, the water was an oily grey which if Eeyore had fallen in it would have been most unpleasant indeed. The dog wasn't impressed much either, being a short haired bull terrier, but thankfully he managed not to fall in and ran off up the path by the burn just glad to get out for some excercise.

By the time we got back to the car, the blizzard had started to cover everything in white and needless to say, the dog managed a nice set of muddy footprints all over the back seat. Still, it was worth it and to celebrate when we reached home, I undulged in hot tea and honeyed toast. Thankyou Pooh.