yep, after several increasingly cold and frosty days, we woke to actual snow here in Brizzle!

Okay, its not a lot, being generous there was @ an inch at breakfast but with temperatures only hust above zero its still coating rooves and the garden. Its certainly the most snow i've seen down here bur its not expected to see out the day.

Anyhow, back to the job in hand. Thursday arrived with a good frost but clear sunny skies, the ground frost heavy enough to delay my ride by an hour or so - no point tempting fate. I kept to more travelled roads and the later start meant a change of plan to a shorter loop through South Glos. The roads were clear and dry for the most part, i stopped for tea and cake at Oldbury then headed back to record a bit over 70km with an average temp of @ half a degree over freezing.

Friday was equally cold, i spent the morning preparing for my trip then took a short walk for last supplies for today - more of that later.

If anything, Saturday was the coldest day yet, the frost still coating pavements when i set off after eleven for what turned out to be a longer ride than i thought. If you are dressed for it, there's something exhilarating about these cold, bright days and i found myself crossing the Cotswolds to Chippenham where i stopped for a roadside burger and tea. The little bit of wind was sort of helpful as i headed back to Bath, north facing fields and hillsides still heavily rimed with frost. I finished just shy of 80km the temp dropping to -2c on the last leg, the average for the ride making a dizzy 0c.

And so to today. If you recall, i'm off to GOC in the morning so today i'm cooking Aunty Bev an early Christmas lunch which i started early doors. Its the full works, turkey, pork. pigs, roast and mash tatties, red cabbage, sprouts, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower, Yorkies, stuffing, cranberry and bread sauce - a plate full but hey, its only once a year! We've already had mincepies and gluhwein so the pudding will wait until tea time!

I may or may not be able to post stuff between now and the New Year, I will try to do some short blog entries if i can get online.

In the meantime, here is todays Gaby chapter, Book 25, chapter 7, Are You Packed?

Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid