Good morning, Tuesday, 13th December, 2022

Good morning, thank you Ash. Need I say it, very cold here in s somerset

I was blessed yesterday after tossing and turning at 2 in the morning, worried about getting family to the station. There was no frost on the car and the roads were dry. I was so very lucky and am staying put now, for as long as it takes

That A303 road Ash, that road is so fast and very scary.

I caught up and cleaned, tidied and did the washing, even used my tumbler drier. Appreciating my nest here, very much hunkered down

Good morning everybody. Micks' turkey & tinsel trip sounds like fun - I hope he's enjoying it!
It's very cold here. Today I'm heading a bit further afield, to go to a shop that I feel just might produce an ideal gift for a good friend. (This is all purely hopeful)
I really enjoy seeing all the photos that pp'l post on here!
Enjoy yr day if you're staying in, & pls be careful if you have to go out in the bad weather conditions! ❄️

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders.
Minus 8°c here.
I've just had another frightening letter about my increased energy bills. I wouldn't mind so much if it meant I was warmer. I think I'll have to have more insulation.
DD has frozen pipes in the Highlands - on her birthday too.
A neighbour rang my doorbell last night to apologise for blocking my gate with her car which is stuck in the snow. I thanked her but said I couldn't get mine out until there's a thaw.
Good that DH arrived safely ready for the ferry Ash.
It is a hard time of year for everyone.

Good Morning everyone from Severnside and thank you Ash.

I’m up earlier this morning because to be honest I was hungry. I didn’t have any tea last night as my brother was earlier than usual and when he went I wanted to watch Handmade Christmas. He had me in fits of laughter telling me the tale of his afternoon experience.
A morning at home then off out this afternoon for an appointment. I hope to be home before it gets dark.

Have a good day all 🎄

Good morning from Essex by the sea where there is a thick frost on the cars.
I have a blood test at 9.45. DH will drop me off as there are no trains today and I need to do some shopping afterwards. I'll get the bus home, if it turns up.
Thanks for opening Ash, hope Mick is enjoying his break.
I hope everything went well for GM yesterday.
Have a lovely Tuesday everyone, stay warm and watch out for ice ❄ xx

Morning ash, morning All. Apparently our corner of Somerset sits at 0 degrees, not that I’ve been out to check

Enjoyed a visit to an (indoor) shopping centre late afternoon yesterday, not too busy snd very prettily decorated.

Grocery delivery, neighbours cards to write, dust removal and a visit from the meter man to try to get our sulking gas meter to become smart. Not exciting any of it but necessary.

Thanks for opening ash, pleased your meds are sorted. Goodness that’s cold grammaretto, a happy birthday wish for your daughter. It is hibernating weather karmalady,

Take care everyone. Hope Tuesday is kind to us all.

Good morning all from chilly East Yorkshire. Thanks for getting us started Ash

My usual Tuesday today of coffee morning and GS after school. Might fit in lunch out with DH in between. I think he’s feeling a bit better today.

Hope all went well yesterday for GM and the departure of DL 🤞

Have a good day everyone.

Good morning from Sefton where it is still so very dark, cold & frosty.
Usual Tuesday morning hand weights exercise class on Zoom first, then a visit to the fish man & his van handily parked next to Lidl. No plans until late afternoon when I'll have a FT catch up with DS2 & DGD. DH will be out getting the Lions Father Christmas float ready for another tour around local streets.
Take care out there.

Good morning! Thank you Ash for opening up.
E Kent is cold, the dawning sun colouring just a sliver of horizon in its apricot hues. It is 1C and is forecast to stay that all day…
She’s gone. Hurrah! 🎉🍾🥂👏👏👏
I was very tired last night, but still took a herbal pill. I slept for an unheard of 9 hours, only woken up by my phone pinging!I shall read your posts in a minute.
DL went. She had spent all morning fussing about her friend driving from Croydon, but the worst part of her journey was her driveway and cul de sac! We went more of less straight off to lunch. Thus was quite pleasant, but as the6 talked most about people I don’t know living in Croydon…
I rattled around all afternoon, not making decisions, etc., had a light dinner and was in bed by 9 pm, not having had to empty commodes, get toothbrushes, check all was ok. The weight of responsibility was heavier than I thought.
Tai chi this morning, supermarket this afternoon, WI this evening. I have decided to wear some silly earrings…
I hope the travellers have a good journey, the poorly relief, the unhappy some joy and that everyone manages to stay warm. Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩

Good morning from a freezing Leicestershire although no snow …. yet!

Must pop to town to Next to pick up some tops I have ordered as it is NWR Christmas dinner tonight.

Pleased OldDudders got to the ferry safely. I am hoping it will be a little warmer for Christmas when my family are on the move.

Hope your DL left yesterday without a hitch Mattie.

Good morning everyone from Inverness where we’ve had more overnight snow and there’s more on it’s way
Thanks for opening up Ash and safe journey to olddudders. I bet you’ll miss him but hope you’re back together again soon
Today I’m off out for Christmas lunch with my friend, we’re going to one of my favourite hotels and after we’ve eaten we’ll move to the lounge where they’ve got the best comfiest squisy sofas ever. That’ll be us for the afternoon
Hope you’ve had your breakfast now Beechnut don’t go hungry!
Happy birthday to your DD grammaretto not surprised about the frozen pipes as the overnight temperatures have been so low, hope she can get them thawed out ok
Thinking of everyone with worries and struggle, hope today is gentle and take care all whatever the day brings 💐

Here’s Matt.

As I put the kettle on, my first thought of the day was “I wonder how yesterday’s moving out went for grandMattie?”. It illustrates how connected we’ve all become over the years on this thread. We share snippets of our lives and gradually feel we become close. It’s a nice feeling.

Good morning everyone from south Manchester where it’s still dark. Sunrise isn’t for another hour yet. We have no plans at all, other than I’ve offered to make a SOAP dish for our daughter and. Son in law. “Ooh yes. Please mum, it’s ages since we’ve had one!” Makes an easy tea time for a busy family. Have a good Tuesday all who can. x

I read this yesterday & really like it:

“The days . . . did not feel particularly quiet or happy but through them ran the sense, like an underground river, that there would come a time when these days would be looked back on as happiness, all that life could give of contentment and peace”

From That They May Face The Rising Sun by John McGahern (Irish novelist 1932 – 2006)

Morning all

Thanks for opening Ashcombe

It’s -2° here on S E Essex, clear sky and heavy frost. It’s DS 4”s birthday today, the years seem to be flying so quickly.

We are hopefully off to Chelmsford for the last few Christmas gifts and stopping at the big Sainsbury’s (between me and Gingster’s) for the last time before Christmas (do not like shops when they are overly busy)

The 7yr old will be sleeping over this evening, I absolutely love the cuddles and one-to-one time.

Have a good day folks 🎄🤶🎁🙋‍♀️

Good morning from a cold and frosty Colchester. Our light dusting of snow disappeared quickly yesterday. DD2 who lives a bit further west sent pictures of DGS building a snowman. The picture is of DS car as he drove West on Sunday night. This is after 50 miles of motorway driving!
Charity shop volunteering today and picking up new specs later.
Love to all 🦩 x

Good morning from North Wales where it doesn’t feel quite as chilly this morning.

I woke up at 3am and realised we had forgotten elf on the shelf so a dash downstairs in the cold to sort him out🙄

We are waiting to hear if DGD’s school is open as the heating was broken yesterday so the school was closed about an hour after they had gone in yesterday.H was meant to be going on a play date but has woken up coughing so I think we had better keep him in the warm.Our empty is probably not happening!We are expecting DD and SIL home early evening.

Safe travels all on the move and I hope all unwell are feeling better.

Stay as warm as you can and have the best day possible.🎄🎅🏼

Good Morning Ash and everyone from Hull. That freezing fog stayed all day yesterday gosh it was bleak!

Hope your daughter can enjoy her birthday Grammaretto and to Megs too who is having her birthday today I think. 🎂🎂

Yesterday I delivered a few cards and some baked tarts to a couple of neighbours. My direct next door neighbour his wife has had a nervous breakdown. It’s terrible. These last 2 and a half years have just got on top of her. He looks broken. They are lovely neighbours.
Today I’m going to TKMAXX without DH who thinks it just looks like a jumble sale. I want something sparkly to wear on New Year’s Eve and then my birthday possibly a dress. We have a Next up the road but when I buy special things from there the world and his dog is wearing it. Believe me I’ve been caught out a few times. I’ll be thinking of Marydoll while Im rummaging around looking for a bargain.

Wishing everyone a lovely day but stay safe on the paths and roads. Thinking of those finding this time of year a struggle🌻🎄

I just read your message about getting tops from Next daragonfly. It’s where I usually buy most of my clothes lol.

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently -10° and clear. No snow but lots of frost. Grandmattie peace, perfect peace for you.
Yesterday was a long day as I was scraping the car at 5.45 and then dropped off the boys nearly twelve hours later.
Today should be another childcare day but I'm feeling unwell with a headache, cough and sinus issues. I hope dd has an extra covid test as I've run out. Have a good day all

Good morning all from the Black country, thanks for opening up Ash
grandMattie I can hear the sigh of relief and champagne corks popping all the way up here, enjoy your space the 9hrs sleep will have done the world of good to you.
Hairdressers today then a trip to matalan still looking for one or two bits for Christmas.
Best wishes for anyone celebrating, safe travels those on the move and virtual hugs where needed.
Enjoy your Tuesday and may you all find some 🌞.

Good morning all from Glasgow, its -11, for the first time this year, our heating came on overnight and stayed on, the house is so toasty.

Thank you for opening up, Ash. How fortunate you are Ashcome, to have a helpful surgery. However, I'm surprised at the lack of paperwork and communication. All my hospital notes can be accessed immediately after treatment and medication lists viewed on the portal.
Be careful in the cold, its not good for your heart!

Yesterday turned out to be a rather interesting day out in Glasgow.
It didn't start well. DH spent ages, scraping my car, but when I went out to run it, I couldn't get into it. I assumed the locks had frozen, so we decided to take DH'S, to get to the station. We couldn't get into his either.
We had just about given up and decided to cancel, because there was no chance of me walking to the station, when I realised my car keys were very light. DH had mixed them up, (they are both the same make), I was not amused!!! I'm saving that error up for the next time, I do something stupid. 🤣

We got to the station to find the train was cancelled and the waiting room out of order. 🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶
The next train, coming from Carlisle was delayed and just as hypothermia was setting in, it arrived.
By this time the usually quiet platform was mobbed, because all the electric trains, (on a separate line) in the nearby village had been cancelled, due to the weather. As is my usual opus operandi and to DHs annoyance, I passed the time by chatting away to all and sundry! 😉

I know you won't believe me, but I was yards away from TMaxx and did not go in.
I went into Primark for socks, and other rubbish, but after half an hour of queuing, I began to feel my heart and lungs playing up, due to the bitter cold.
I found DH, who had been dispatched to Costa, to keep him sweet and sat down to get my heart spray. Suddenly I felt very peckish and asked him to surreptiously open the selection box, I had treated myself to, from Poundland.. Discrete? No way!! Much to my embarrassment, he emptied all the contents onto the table, right next to the cash desk!!. 😂

After a delicious lunch, we set of for the train. All the electric services had been cancelled, but our diesel service was leaving in FOUR minutes. Much to my horror, DH suggested we try and run for it, because we could have an hour wait, due to all the cancellations. The station was in chaos, with trains stacked up in every platform.
We just made it by the skin of our teeth, but just as I was overdosing on Ventolin and my heart spray, there was an announcement, that the train had broken down and we all had to get off. 😭😭😭😭

... And so we waited and waited and waited, planning an alternative journey by bus if they were running
Fortunately a train to our destination appeared on the board.🥳🥳🥳🥳
There are 15 platforms at Glasgow Central and every platform, apart from ours and one other, displayed a cancellation notice.
By this time, I thought my lungs would burst, due to the cold.
So grateful to be going home, DH and I reminisced about times abroad, when we found ourselves in similar situations.
We had only travelled one stop, when the police boarded the train, looking for someone. What an adventure we had had. Two old fogies on tour.
DIL had been tracking us on WhatsApp (she was worried), her reaction is unprintable, when I told her we were stuck!!

Later, we got a call from DD on her way home from work, she was stuck in Glasgow, all the trains were off and she was panicking. Poor SIL had fortunately managed to jump on the train from London to Glasgow at Motherwell.
I had to give them instructions where and how to get a bus, even to Paisley and DH would come for them. I spent the next couple of hours fretting.
It made me think of how different we were at that age, no-one had cars and jumping on and off buses was second nature to us.
Bizarrely, DH and I talked about what a lovely day, we had, and we never fell out once. 🤣

I'm off to Sainsbury's and Matalan to pick up parcels, but don't plan to be out long. This cold is affecting me quite badly and the non stop coughing is tiresome.

Sorry about the return of the Novella! 😚

I hope GM is ok, I expected her to open up. 🤔
Wishing you all the best of days and stay safe and warm Safe journey to all, who are travelling. Greyduster, don't take chances with that new hip.💐

Good morning all from, as dragonfly says, a freezing North Leicestershire.

We are expecting the plumber today as we have a leak from the bathroom into the lounge. I do love ny house but wish it didn't leak quite regularly.

Hopefully, a phlebotomist will turn up too.

Keep warm everyone.

Good morn8ng from -2 in South Hampshire. Breath now gMattie wear your earrings with gaiety.
I saw good news later yesterday that madeleine had her heating fixed, 👏👏
Thanks for opening Ash good your medication is sorted.
Washing to do, trip to the vape shop and chilli for dinner.
Enjoy your day 🦩

Morning all from a frozen West Oxfordshire. I will have a lie in until at least 9 am as I didn’t get to bed until 1 am. I had a lovely day in London: I drove to Oxford without incident; the train was on time; taxi to the National Gallery where I met younger son; the Lucien Freud exhibition was incredible; lunch at Cote in Soho; tube to Pimlico; hour or so in Tate Britain; quick drink in a pub; daughter’s concert. One of her friends gave me a lift back to Paddington where I got a train back to Oxford. My car was frozen so I was scraping ice off at midnight! Then home. Congratulations to GM. I do hope the lady was truly grateful! Today - mmm, a trip to Waitrose.

Good morning, Ash and thank you for starting us off, and good morning to all GNs from South Yorkshire where there is little in the way of frost this morning but it feels really cold. DS has to go back up to York today for a family commitment but will be back again this evening. In the meantime DD will be back over to fill the gap. I told her I could manage on my own for a day but it cut no ice. I got out for a short hop on the crutches yesterday and hope to do the same today, and do a few things around the house. I am starting to get serious cabin fever! GS has finally decided on his Christmas present. I thought I had given up robbing banks, but I might have to! Having said that, I can’t think of branch that is actually now open to be robbed, so maybe not😁! Busking then……..!
Have a good day one and all!