Happy New Year

Well - Christmas came and went and we had a lovely family time taking the festive fare to Beth's and staying for a few days. There was much eating of traditional food on Christmas Day. Beth was on duty and having managed to finish the workload a couple of hours earlier than usual she shared Christmas dinner, but a few hours later she was on night duty so she had to go out for another two hours to make sure the animals had their Christmas treats and were tucked in for the night.
On Boxing Day we went to the Sales and joined in the crush for bargains. Frank had the sense to stay at Beth's but Clive was persuaded to join the shopping party.
Now, the winter weather has come with a vengeance - I jest - and the snow has at last reached Stafford.


The garden birds are being fed but they need water each day. The temperature is so low that the water freezes over very quickly. The birds even scratched away at the snow covering the ice that filled their usual water source.


The blocks of ice are tipped out and the containers replenished with fresh water. The next day the ice has to be tipped out again and fresh water put into the containers. We are getting a collection of ice blocks as it is so cold that the ice is not melting from one day to the next.


Yesterday was Twelfth Night - traditionally all Christmas festivities cease and the decorations are taken down and put away until next year. Our neighbours have the brightest outdoor display in the street - in the best possible taste!


PS Did you know that warm water freezes more quickly than cold water - It is known as the Mpemba effect. I wonder why that is? It doesn't seem logical to me.