Winter weather back again.

Not as much snow as the rest of the country, about 5cm on Saturday night followed by about another centimeter or two on Monday.  However, the temperatures have struggled to get above freezing over the last two days and we have a fantastic hoar frost (thick fog for two days).  Yesterday it got to about minus 2.4 and currently it is minus 6.7, sorry just had an update, it is now minus 7.4, how on earth can it get colder during daylight!  The sun is trying to get through, but not making much impact obviously.  Haven't been out of the drive since Saturday but need to get out today to pick up a prescription for our neighbours who don't have a 4x4 and need their meds.  Nice to think that we can be of some help, as long as our 4x4 can make it up and down the hilly untreated roads.  Must do a supermarket run tomorrow and pick up the birds (couldn't decide between a chicken, duck or goose so have ordered all 3, will freeze what we don't have on Christmas day).  Also have to pick up more insulin and syringes for our diabetic cat.  Thank goodness we did the majority of present buying last week, there are still a few bits I wanted to get but probably have to be late presents.  I do have a couple of items stuck in the post still, but the good news is that my amazon parcel that I ordered on the 8th of December and seems to have been round the whole of the North of the country is now in my local sorting office; we haven't had a postie since Friday but will see if I can pick it up from the sorting office when I get out tomorrow.  The main roads should be fairly clear but we have about 2 miles to go up and down single track roads to get to the main road, should be OK in the 4x4 if we take it carefully.

Seems like a big problem in this country when many other countries manage fine with much more snow than we get.  I think the issue here is that often during the day it warms up and there is a partial melt and then at night it freezes.  Of course this doesn't happen in places like Norway, Sweden, Canada etc so you end up driving on compacted snow, we have driven across the Rockies in February in deep snow with no problems at all.  Also in many countries they have snow tyres which in some places are mandatory in the winter.  If we are going to continue to have such winters it might be prudent to purchase these but they are not cheap.  Snow chains are another option but you cannot drive on clear roads with these on and putting them on and off with freezing hands is not a pleasurable pastime.

Probably won't post again before the holidays, so happy holidays to all who celebrate this time of year. :)