18.12.10

Deep snow & Christmas party cats


A gentle warning from Christmas past...for those who have office parties to attend.


Back in the 21st century Cotswolds, we have had large amounts of the white stuff dumped on us overnight. Poor Andy somehow managed to get the motorbike to work, forty miles away, but has rung to say he will be staying there overnight and might be lucky to get home tomorrow. The view from the bedroom, looking down our little lane.



Once I knew I'd be on my own for at least one night, I ventured out to the village shop for a few treats. Thankfully the store cupboards are full, so it was just sausage rolls and wine on the shopping list. Here I am looking back up our little lane, where the snow came well over my ankles. Our tiny hovel is near the back, the second porch up behind the parked car - just one bay window and two small windows above it.


Out on the main High Street, a farmer was taking fodder up to his stock - probably sheep, as cattle tend to be undercover in winter.



Further past the big village Green - normally we can see the fields beyond, looking towards Oxford, but not today.


Shopping accomplished, me and the cats are settled for the next 24 hours. There is food, wood, wine and magazines. Three cats have the sofa and Samson, to the left, has prime spot by the storage heater. I have the internet and we all share the woodburner. The snow continues to fall - it is now fifteen inches deep - and all we do is hope that Andy can get home safely tomorrow. Or sometime.


28 comments:

The fabric of my life said...

Stay cosy and warm my lovely friend and I hope Andy gets back safely soon to share some of that wine and warmth with you x

ClaireEJ said...

That looks so cosy and snug. You have wine and a cat so you'll be having a splendid evening :-)

Sarah said...

Oh I am so envious, shame Andy isnt with you tho. We very rarely get snow and never as wonderfully deep as that. Hope Andy gets back before you have eaten and drunk everything! Happy Winter Cozieness Gretel xx

aurora raby said...

It sure looks warm and cosy in your living room! perfect! I am holed up over in Herefordshire too - with the village pretty much snowed in! A very similar scene except that I have escaped to the warmth of the top floor!

Mmmmm! stay warm.

Jinksy said...

Some of your snow pictures are ready made Christmas card designs, aren't they? Nice to look at , not so nice to walk among... :)

Jess said...

It sounds and looks so very cosy Gretel but I hope Andy manages to get home ok! Here in Bristol we don't seem to have very much snow (yet!) I think we've been very lucky to get away with it for this long! Sausage rolls and wine...mmmmm...sound lovely! xx

Anonymous said...

Oh dear - I hope Andy gets home soon! We have a full fridge and freezer, as we would have to walk several miles to the shops if we got that much snow (and the last long stretch is uphill!!) Stay safe and warm - enjoy your wine!

Yarrow said...

Stay safe in the snow, dear Gretel, don't want you falling again!!!
Your lounge looks so warm and cosy and cats add such an air of indulgence :D

ellen said...

Such beauty here...best wishes and fingers crossed for Andy's safe and speedy return.

Sarah said...

We have it now in East Anglia - two inches in the last hour and falling heavier by the minute. Stay warm and I wish Andy a safe journey home tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Keep warm and cosy and and I wish everyone safe travels! The room looks so lovely and homely - I am travelling back to Ireland on Monday (hopefully!). Strangely, though, the snow has not returned to Edinburgh although it is bitterly cold.

Anonymous said...

I laughed when I read this, as I always buy sausage rolls when I'm by myself as my husband hates them! Stay warm and cosy - the cats have the right idea!

LiBBy said...

Thoughts go out to poor Andy. Stay warm with wine & sausages. I am no better off here...freezing my bottom off and no stores in walking distance. Have a glass of vino for me.
smiLes
LiBBy BuTTons

Frances Tyrrell said...

I hope that you and the cats are keeping warm and toasty and that Andy gets home soon.
We are supposed to be used to this kind of weather here and in some respects - such as snow tires and snow boots - we are prepared, but the first heavy snow fall always has to it that sense of the world made new, rather like your village under its soft white blanket.

Thank goodness you have that nicely stacked woodpile at the door!

Frances said...

PG, it looks very cosy in that cottage with the cats (and enough heat and food and light and electricity available.)

Your snow photos do show how the blanket has covered your usual walkways.

Fifteen inches is a fair amount of snow. Hoping the snow eases up with its fresh supplies, and that the sun will exert itself.

No sort of weather for a bike. Surely, Andy will use his wisdom and not kick on that accelerator until the road is much more clear.

Here's a quick NYC annecdote. Last time we had a huge snow was on a weekend during the time I worked at a big law firm and had weekends off. The snow fell and fell on Sunday, and ABC tv, the network with a station in this neighborhood, had reporters outside measuring the snow depth. I watched their reports instead of venturing out myself. Seeing coverage of locations three blocks away.

Next day, the sun came out, the snow stopped. I walked down Broadway to the office. Easy peasy. Got there. Realized that only about 5% of the firm's staff had made the effort. Finished a few of my projects. Walked home.

Think that snow was about 20 inches. Looks so different in a city where we expect the streets to be ploughed!

It was great to have this snow day, and feel like a child again.

Best wishes! xo

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

How very warm and cozy your little 'hovel' looks. Lucky..lucky cats, they get to have you and the sofa all to themselves tonight.

I hope Andy gets home safely and the weather eases up a bit for his sake.

Enjoy your 'bachelorette' evening ;-)

Janet xox

Caroline B said...

I hope Andy makes it home in one piece without taking any chances - that's a lot of snow! Things ground to a halt here after we had a grand total of 2 inches - we're such wimps in the South. Stay warm and for goodness sake don't fall over!

Sweet Birdy Love said...

Hey Gretel, love your snow photos, absolutely gorgeous and your little 'hovel' looks so warm and inviting.
Glad to see a nice stack of wood by the heater.
I hope your 'snowman' returns home safe and sound.
Enjoy your sausage rolls and an evening to yourself.
Crank up the radio and listen to the cricket.
One all, it's getting interesting. I think we may have got our act together but time will tell......

Anonymous said...

I can picture it all... 'tis good for the creative mind me thinks even if one gets a little stir crazy at times. Cats have the edge on us humans for all this don't they? Mine have been spoiled with some Cat Nip drops to aid contentment. They like me don't do sausage rolls!

Twiglet said...

Winter wonderland here too today - frosted trees with glimpses of sun through the fog. Keep cosy - hope Andy gets home safely!

Trailshome said...

I'm sure you'd rather have Andy home with you, but you sure do look like you've set things up for a cozy time until he gets back.

I've always believed that those days when we're snowed in and the world has to stop are free days. They don't count against our alloted time in life. They're simply a gift to us and ours to use as we see fit, whether we choose to be lazy, stare off into space, bake cookies, or try some new and daring skill. They're a gift to us to use as we choose, with no "ought to, or shoulds" rearing their somewhat ugly heads. I hope you find something deeply satisfying to do with this special gift of time--and, of course, that your Andy makes it home safe to join you soon.

Janet said...

Hope you both sray warm, fed, and safe - your country is sim,ply not equipped to handle that much snow eadily. Even here where we know we will be dealing with it frequently, that depth of a snowfall causes things to grind to a halt for a while, so stay put - Andy will be wise to stay put too until the 'all cleart'
Janet in coastal Nova Scotia where there is all of an inch of now!!

Soozcat said...

Wow, that's quite a dusting, esp. for that part of England. Hoping Andy has returned safely.

A little token giftie is wending its way to you via Royal Mail, but I'm not sure it will arrive before Christmas. If it doesn't, know we are thinking of you and wishing your holiday is lovely.

Cristina said...

It's snowing in Dublin too, but not as much as in your area!
My cupboards are full too, so I'll spend the day by the fireplace with my two cats and my husband - who luckily got a week off work.
Hope Andy gets back home all right...wish you a very Merry Christmas :)

BumbleVee said...

uh, oh.....I think Andy better park the bike for a few days.... maybe he'll have to hitch a ride with the first guy who comes along going in his directions....to and from.....

Brits will soon get used to buying in some extra tinned or jarred things...or... slap up a soup with whatever is on hand... this is like the olden days for sure...when waaay back many years ago...there was snow there sort of regularly.

Heck..I bet if there were no warmish currents flowing by the UK every so often...you guys would have the same weather as the Scandinavian/Nordic countries ...get out your woolies...I hear global warming is not happening... it's already shifting the other direction...!

Sweet Birdy Love said...

Hey Gretel, have just visited Costwoldgent and read about Andy's plight. Fingers crossed that he makes it home in time.
Hope the wood and the sausage roll supply will last the distance.......
Whilst the snow is lovely to look at, it certainly causes chaos.
Do take care if you have to go out.

knutty knitter said...

And it is so hot here that even a sheet at night has been too much!

Hope Andy gets back ok and have a great Christmas,

viv in nz

Acornmoon said...

Thinking of you and wishing you and Andy all the very best for Christmas and The New Year. I hope he comes home safe.