It's been trying very hard to snow for much of the day. Our temperature peaked at five degrees for a brief moment at 11:10 this morning but has been struggling to reach three degrees for the rest of the day. And that is before you subtract the chill factor which has resulted in minus degrees all day in terms of real experience.

Needless to say our day in the garden was cancelled as neither Syche nor I could get excited about being outdoors in such conditions, so we each stayed in our several homes and kept the fire going. I managed to dart out during one of the sunny spells that have interrupted the sleet and cut some seriously sturdy wood so that I had something to keep things going (I had not anticipated the need to keep the fire going flat out all day), and am now secure in the knowledge I will not freeze tonight, despite it going down to minus two.

The dogs and cats have spent much of the day in a pile in front of the fire - one on top of each other, so that getting my foot between the carpet of animals to gain access to add another log has been an exercise in skill and patience. We have one more run to get through before we settle in for the night, and I am not looking forward to it at all. Even less to the prospect of heading out to clean the bank. Thermals are not enough in this sort of weather!!!