The snow most certainly fell.........

Oh heavens, the weekend disappeared in a rather white whirl.  I am still catching up with myself. That snow I said was expected? It came. 

However, I managed to wrestle the pallet, which came as promised, into the kitchen on Friday just ahead of the snow. It was 6 planks wide, and exactly the same length as the other raised beds. A miracle. I levered the nails out of the planks supporting the bottom, and then, when I got to the top and its supports, I rather lost the will to live, and decided that the old saw would be perfect for the job, and proceeded to saw through those rather thick supports, so I ended up with 3x2plank deep strips. Already braced. Great. Now I have to make the bed. And I will. Soon. 

Do you see the label on the saw in the photo? It has been on it since the early 1960's, because when I found it in my parent's cellar when I moved them and their entire lives here, it was brand new. It belonged to my uncle, and I am quite sure he never used it. Ever. He was not a sawing kind of man. I am certain it came from my grandfather's store - Grandpa was an importer of goods from around the world. It was a family business in the era before supermarkets. Really big. I remember running through the store as a child, to see my Grandpa = he had an open office - a huge room with heaven knows how many people working at desks all facing the front, and then there was a little half wall, and Grandpa and his younger brother had desks with twirly seats facing their staff. We would race in and leap on to the chairs to spin around, and all work would stop for the duration. 

Some memories are so clear - the giant brown paper rolls, the sounds of the lorries reversing into the loading bays, the tall stacks of goods.......... I must tell you about my grandfather one day............

And that saw is wonderful. Super sharp after all these years. Grandpa believed in quality. He died in 1964. I think this saw is at least 45 years old. 

But it is still hard work, the sawing........

You see? This was the first one cut, and at that point, I needed to mop the brow and consider sitting down for a while. 

These are the other support planks already removed, and nails taken out. Hah. Girls can do things. 

And, as you can see, the white stuff  fell. In copious amounts. So much fell on some parts of the country that they are still trying to dig the cars out and get access to homes. To repair downed power lines, and the poor farmers - this is lambing season, and some farms in Co Antrim in Northern Ireland are almost wiped out. They were told to expect a foot of snow. They got 10 - 12 feet instead. Ewes dead. Lambs dead. And so help me, they also have to PAY to have the carcasses removed. As soon as the road is clear, the winds cause more drifts and they have to start over again.

It is dire. Just awful. 

And it did not stop. All weekend, it fell. And then it froze too. This is SPRING, for heaven's sake. 

I thought the bunnies and eggs and daffodils looked slightly out of place with a snowy background. Covered cars, and the worst everywhere exposed, was the drifting snow. Even the recreation ground in the centre of the village had great white waves of snow - almost like sculptures. 

My poor Spring bulbs are courageously poking their heads up through the snow.......

And I looked at the frozen droplets everywhere, hanging off leaves, and I wondered just how they froze before they fell? 

It amazes me. It is also, as I said, perishingly cold. The press has been full of dire warnings about the country's gas reserves. There is talk of 11days to 2 weeks supply left. Oh perfect. We will then move in with Jean and her fireplace, and woodburning  stove and a plentiful supply of wood. This also makes my dream of getting   a woodburning stove here even more urgent. I refuse to be dependent on big expensive companies for warmth. I want a way to warm, us  up myself. 

Anyway, Glynis's sister is visiting from SA and so they all came to tea yesterday afternoon, and Diana made her totally divine brownies with peanut butter chips. You have to taste these. Unbelievable. Stunning. And, as an added bonus, the house smells amazing for hours too. 

I have a great deal more to talk about and to show you, and Hallelujah, that blanket is finished too. But that will be for tomorrow. Palm Sunday has been and gone, and our 24/7 prayer room is open at church for the whole of Holy Week. 

Easter is approaching................

PS: Sorry about all the typos earlier - spellcheck wasn't working, but that is no excuse. I also need stronger glasses!