Evesham Cats Protection, Boxing Day, 2010.

1) 8:45am. Off to the Cats Protection are you? Don't worry about me. I've got everything I need right here. Don't forget to close the door behind you on the way out.

2) It's been an epic, but we have got here. It took 30 minutes to get the car de-iced and out of the car park. Once off the side roads and onto the main roads it was OK apart from some patchy freezing fog but, despite having the heater on full for the entire drive to Anne and Derek's and then to the CP itself, the inside of the windscreen was still icy. We get to the CP at 10:30am - an hour later than usual - not too bad considering.

3) Pandora is waiting for us. She's learnt a salutary lesson this long hard winter: don't go outside and definitely don't stray far from your heated cushion. She's guarding it with her life.

4) Pandora, let me in!

Naaaaaah!

5) The 'you don't have to be mad to volunteer here, but it helps' club has arrived.

6) Anne and Derek, happy in their work.

7) Elsie (for it is she) is happy to get a shoulder to purr on but not so happy to be taken outside.

8) With all cats fed, medicated, and cleaned-out, it's time to drive back through a Worcester Winter Wonderland for a Boxing Day lunch at Anne and Derek's before driving back home to give Emlyn his second Christmas dinner. We conclude that this winter wonderland-lark is all very well as long as you don't have to drive in it.

Christmas Day, 2010 (Pt II).

1) I say, madam, stop right there. I hope you aren't thinking of putting the remains of the turkey in the fridge when I still have spare capacity in my tummy for some more.
2) Mmmm. A nice tasty morsel of the juicy underside to complement the giblets and neck I had earlier. Just the job.

OK, you can put it away now.

Christmas Day (you should know the date by now), 2010.

1) It's a traditional Christmas Day walk for us today with the added task of assessing the roads (mains clear, sides not) prior to tomorrow's drive to Evesham CP. BBC CEEFAX says the temperature will get no higher than minus 9 Celsius today but it's now gone one o'clock and it doesn't feel as cold as that to us. Freezing, maybe. One or two below, possibly. But not that cold. Mind you, the Severn is frozen in parts and it doesn't look like it will thaw any time soon.
2) It certainly feels colder down by the river than in the Park or between the buildings. We conclude that the BEEB's thermometer must be atop an exposed hill and not actually in Worcester itself. Not saying that the BEEB like to exaggerate or anything (heaven forfend).

3) Vicky and passing dog walker, and his dog, watch and debate whether a swan family will make much progress between/along/through the ice floes on the river. Conclusion? No, not much.

4) Swans are happier now as they have found a pool of unfrozen river to mess about in. So, Merry Christmas everyone and wish us luck with our early morning drive tomorrow.

Thursday 23rd December, 2010.

1) Worcester Cathedral. We've walked here via the 'top side' of the racecourse. Vicky's had her haircut in town (whilst I had a bit of a wander) and, after lighting some candles for loved ones now sadly departed, we're off to get a Christmas Eve-eve meal at the bistro opposite as a bit of a treat. Roast dinner of the day - £6.99 with all the trimmings! Oh, and a pot of tea, of course. I have the roast pork and Vicky has a hot pot (only £5.99). Bargain. Who says you can't eat out nowadays?

2) Now we are back at the Racecourse and it's all north from here. We've walked around town twice getting one or two foodie bits and pieces from Marks and Sparks but gave up on HMV and Smiths and other places like that on account of them being hell on earth. Too busy, too hot, too long queues at the tills. Can't remember where else we went into - it's all a bit of a blur now. We have been walking for about two hours, had one hour in the bistro, and we've still got about another hour's worth of walking to go. Still, definitely better than driving in to town. We shouldn't have to drive anywhere now until Boxing Day morning when we are due to volunteer at the CP. That drive should be interesting......................

Wednesday 22nd December, 2010.

1) Another two inches of snow has fallen during the night but we don't care. We managed to drive to Sainsburys and back yesterday and with all our Xmas shopping done, and Vicky being off work now, it can ruddy-well snow all it likes!

2) Pied Wagtail is made of stern stuff. Which is lucky for it, 'cos we have come out again without any bread.

3) Howard has no fear of freshly fallen snow 'cos he's a Bright Green Christmas Reindeer from deepest darkest Lapland (oh yes).

4) Very few people out for a walk along the River today. Perhaps they are all trying to get to Sainsburys? Should've gone yesterday when the temperature was one degree Celsius (oh the cowin' humidity) and the roads were nice and slushy. Mind you, they could be slushy today for all we know 'cos we haven't bothered to check out the main road. No need to. Good, eh?

Monday 20th December, 2010.

1) More snow has fallen over the weekend and, of course, no roads have been treated. So, we walk up to the Co-Op, via Gheluvelt Park, to check out the main road. No sign of the ducks and swans on the lake.

2) Aha, here they are. On the one part of the Lake that hasn't frozen over.

3) Look at the abject desolation on the visogs of the ducks and swans. Someone is out for a walk and hasn't brought any bread with them. It's a disgrace I tell you.

The main road is still slippery for any motorists venturing out. Indeed, when we crossed at the Pelican Crossing outside the Co-Op a car almost hit us even though it was trying to brake. Luckily, we heard it skidding and we stood still whilst it slid to a halt in the middle of the crossing. It wasn't as if it was going very fast. No ABS?

4) Back home and Emlyn is unimpressed with the view of the snow covered landscape. What are you showing me this for? I'm not going out!

5) OK. Which of these two people are not hap about having their photo taken? That's right. Neither of them.

Sunday 19th December, 2010.

1) It's Sunday afternoon (well, one o'clock) and we've walked up to the main road (A449) to see how the road gritting is coming along after yesterday's debacle. Well, worra surprise. The roads are still grit-free. Hmm.

2) This is a side-road. We don't expect these to be gritted. That would be ridiculous.

3) The 'going' on the racecourse is 'firm to rock hard' today. Just like us then.

4) Vickeeeeeeeeeeeee! I wanna sled fer-Xmas! Now!

Saturday 18th December, 2010.

1) It's midday, so let's go shopping. A nice easy ten minute drive each-way to Droitwich and back. What could possibly go wrong? Erm, we've only got as far as Fernhill Heath and it's started to snow and the road (the A38) is untreated (big thanks to Worcs CC and the Highways Agency - they've only had days of media weather warnings).

2) Vicky is at the wheel and we continue at a stealthy pace to Droitwich. The snow is continuing to settle and there is no sign of it stopping so we turn back for home at a roundabout. This is the view along the Droitwich By-Pass. No gritters have been here either but at least the traffic is light and moving.

3) Now back on the A38 and the traffic is virtually at a standstill. We start to debate what the hold up might be and how long we will be stuck here. About twent minutes after this was taken, three (count 'em) police vehicles passed by going the other way. They drove up the middle of the road between the two lines of traffic. The drivers stoically keep their gaze forwards. No advice is offered to anyone. Has there been an accident or what?

4) Being stationary for the best part of an hour provides one with ample opportunity to wind the window down and take photos of the verges rapidly disappearing under a white blanket. Drivers behind us get impatient with the delay and pull out into the middle of the road and advance towards whatever is blocking the road ahead. We decide it's every 'man for himself' and follow suit. Transpires the lights at the top of the long shallow incline ahead have brought the flow, such as it is, to standstill. This 'incline', one you wouldn't give a second thought to under normal circs, is beyond the capabilities of most two-wheel drive vehicles from a standing start. I encourage Vicky to 'have a go!' After much weaving up the hill, both of us bobbing up and down in our seats, and a burning smell from the car which we do our best to ignore, Vicky gets the Lancer up the hill. Phew, that was horrible.

5) We've made it back into Worcester! Once we were through the lights it was plain sailing. Again this is the A38 and, yep, you've guessed it, no gritters have been out here either.

6) Keep those wheels moving Vic! Nearly home now. Pulling onto the A449, another of the counties major A roads and, guess what? No grit here.

7) We've parked up and had some scran. The car was making a slight, ahem, 'scrunching' noise, when we parked it up but we're ignoring that for now. We're off for a walk up to the local Co-Op now which, with hindsight (isn't that a wonderful thing?), was what we should have done in the first place. Three hours to do a twenty minute drive and it could have been even longer. We wonder if some people had to abandon their cars in the end. So when some scrote from the County Council or Highways Agency or, especially, the Government, comes on the telly and tells us what a 'splendid job they are doing' you know what to say, don't you? NB: the evening news bulletins tell us the the M5 north-bound was blocked due to a wagon having jackknifed. Aha! So every one would have been trying to detour around that by using the A38. No wonder there was so much traffic trying to get though the lights at Martin Hussingtree. So one accident on the motorway, and ungritted A roads, is all it takes to create chaos on our roads. No consolation to those drivers who couldn't get up the hill tho', eh?

Hanbury Hall, Sunday 12th December, 2010.

1) First stop: Three guesses where we are. That's right. The Jinney Ring Craft Centre near Droitwich. Another browse for Xmas presents and a chance for some Garlic Mushroom soup (for David) and a scone and jam (for Vicky) in the restaurant. And a pot of tea, of course.
2) A chance for Howard to meet up with one of his rellies.

3) Howard's balancing act.

4) Tah-dah! Hanbury Hall in all it's NT restored glory. There's folk singing Christmas Carols inside and others dressed up in costumes replicating those of the Vernon family. We'll stick to the gardens and grounds then.

5) Howard, for it is he, outside the Hall. He's not for going in, either.

6) Vicky and Howard almost inside a gazebo-thingy.

7) Vicky and Howard are agreed: that bloke isn't doing himself any favours.

8) Spot Howard and win a prize.

9) An aerial
view of Ormiston Gorge, possibly. If you look really carefully, you can spot rock wallabies hopping between the crags.

10) Oh, nice of you to come home. Where's me scran?

Birmingham, Saturday 11th December, 2010.

1) We're in Birmingham to do a touch of shopping and to get David's hair cut. And look how happy everyone is to be on the 'mile of style'. Just like us. Can we go home now?

2) Sally Army Band wrapped up warm.

3) The Town Hall looks lovely all lit-up as per. Now all we have to do is battle through the crowds at the German Xmas Market and we might get back to our car before the ticket runs out. Fingers crossed. Ah, the joys of Christmas.

Frozen River Severn: Thursday 9th December, 2010.

1) The Severn is frozen over in parts. Soon we'll be able to go skating on it.

2) The gulls already are.

3) Others sit at the edge of the ice and half-heartedly peck at the surface of the river more in hope than expectation.