Snow

This was the scene that greeted us this morning.  It was bloody freezing and I think I may have lost the fish in my little pond as that was well frozen over.  We had clear blue skies and John got up early to clear the photovoltaic panels so that we could make some electricity.  We are hoping that we just might make up the shortfall this month if the last few remaining days of January are kind to us.

First thing the conservatory was a very chilly 7.6 degrees but by mid afternoon after some strong sunshine it had risen to 19 degrees - our bedroom was 7 degrees and remained resolutely at 7 degrees despite having the shutters open and the sun streaming in.  There has been some heated social media debate about the withdrawal of the mountain village fuel allowance for we Brits and whilst we appreciate how lucky we are in the Summer etc etc a 7 degree bedroom is cold - even when we put the heater on in there we have been lucky to get it up to double figures - thank goodness we enjoy more summer months than winter ones.

When the snow is fresh it looks quite pretty.  It was to be quite short-lived thank goodness although we may well get more over the next few days.  John was going out with Rob this morning for coffee.  As I had letters that needed to be posted John had suggested picking Rob up and taking him down to Polis so that he could go to the Post Office and then they were going to have a coffee and a catch up at Coffee Island.

I had organised to go and see Isabel today having had to call off at the weekend when I found that my car had a puncture.  By the time I got myself organised and walked down to her house most of the snow had gone and the view was really spectacular.  I can understand why she likes to get up and look out of her picture windows at this vista in front of her.  She has been managing pretty well on her own and in this weather.  She really is one of the most cheerful and optimistic people I have ever come across and when she giggles you just have to giggle with her.  In spite of everything that life has thrown at her she never seems to get down.  She is taking time to decide what 2022 will hold for her but has decided that she wants to have the luxury of some sun on her bones before, or if, she heads back to Scotland.

There is quite a hill down to Isabel's house so I was very grateful when she insisted on giving me a lift home.  Mind you her dog Andro didn't want her to go so she had to make a hasty exit through the front door like a ninja in order to escape unscathed.  She has also insisted on taking us out for a meal soon as a thank you for all we do and have done for her.  We have said that she really doesn't have to, we would do and have done those things because we want to so I may just book something and we can split the bill.

John was not back when I got home although he returned shortly afterwards.  The snow he had cleared off of the panels earlier in the day was sitting like an icy lump outside the front door.  Even though it was sunny and that bit of the garden is sheltered there was little to no sign of it melting away any time soon.  I could have tried to shape it into some sort of snowman!!

We have not seen Sonia for ages.  She had to call off joining us on New Year's Eve as she wasn't feeling brilliant and the weather in January has hardly encouraged neighbourly visits.  We do keep in touch on the phone to make sure she is ok particularly after the earthquake and storms.  So this evening we had invited her to come for some supper which she agreed to do providing the pavements weren't slippery.  John had offered to go and escort her round but she is fiercely independent so weren't surprised when she said she would make it on her own.

To celebrate my reintroduction of dairy I was doing a simple dish of Halloumi and citrus salad.  I forgot to take a photograph so this is close save for the fact that I served the halloumi in muffins with a lime and lemon pepper mayonnaise and we had some paprika wedges because it was too cold an evening not to have a warm element to eat.  For pud I had made a filo pastry orange cake which seemed to go down well even though it hadn't cooked up quite how I was expecting.  I think the eggs I used were on the small side and I should have added another one.

Anyway it was a lovely evening and good to see Sonia looking well and relaxed - it was only 2 years ago at about the same time she had set her heart on buying 1a.