Every Once In A While

I found this on You Tube and I love his voice - Kurt Nilsen, Norway World Idol 2004

Nearly six months have gone by since we had our holiday. It cheers me up a bit, when the days are short and the weather's rough, to look back at some of the photos we took.

Our first stop off was in Norway,  Kristiansand. A beautiful little harbour town. The sun was  shining and wild flowers were out all along the path into the main street. What really struck me though was how the recession had hit over there as much or even more so than here. A lot of their economy depends on tourism - the shops were struggling - sales and slashed prices. A young woman was curled up against a concrete pillar, a small empty chipped pottery bowl by her feet. She was younger than my daughter. Her plight touched me. I tipped the meagre bits of Norwegian coinage I had in my purse into the bowl. Honestly, it was almost nothing. She reached out and held my hand for a few minutes and the communion of eyes said it all. It's winter in Norway now too. I can still picture her face. I hope she's OK.

Christmas Shopping

Two more shopping days until Christmas.  However carefully you choose, there's a hair's breadth between buying your nearest and dearest exactly what they'd like and what you might imagine they'd like. I read an interesting tid bit in the Daily Mail about how to read body language on whether your chosen ones like what you've chosen  - here's a link on Choosing what to buy

We had an unexpected Christmas present the other day. A recent storm had brought a tree down on my brother-in-law's farm. He phoned us to say that he was cutting logs up and would we like any?  We have a solid fuel Rayburn which eats logs like they're going out of fashion. With the soaring electric and central heating oil prices, I have to say that its recently come back into fashion with a vengeance. He chopped them up on his log splitter in the pouring rain and we loaded a Transit van full. We're having to dry them  in the Rayburn oven,  a few at a time before we burn them, but the bestest present out.

  Like everyone else in Britain, the floods and storms are on the way with more heavy rain forecast for tomorrow. It looks as if we could be hunkered in for Christmas Day. To you who call by - have a special, happy Christmas.  Keep warm and dry, love from Molly xx

Too Much Of A Good Thing

I thought I liked snow, but it's keeping on keeping on.

And Jack's cat would rather curl up in his favourite armchair by the fire too.
Roll on Spring.
PS
Check this - Torfaen Council called in an Elvis sound-alike to make this video - well I thought it was quite cool - yes? ( My big son services the gritter wagons to keep them rolling)