good morning It rained very heavy for a couple of hours this morning but looks to be brightening up now. My mum arrived late but safely, she likes Marvin the moose although she did come out with a few bah humbug comments, I'm choosing to ignore them We're putting our tree up today! And I definitely won't be changing my avi for Christmas, I couldn't bare to not spend it with captain phil! El, I can't wait to see you in the guiness book of world records to everyone, stay warm, dry & jolly

P.S. squiggle, love that snowman

Good morning everyone.

No sign of snow yet, although the forecasters say it is on its way.

Glad your mum has arrived safely, Summer, enjoy your time together. I'm not surprised your mum like Marvin, he is fab.

Squiggle, I love the snowman pic, it made me smile.

Writing Christmas cards sounds like a plan for today, I really need to get on with it.

El, thank you for the heads up about the TV mags, I always buy the double issue one at Christmas.

Morning x
We must have had snow overnight here,  most of it has dissolved but still some on the grass. Meeting my daughter at the Church , then heading off to collect the wee one . Have a nice day xxx 

Hi Skylark.

I knew I was tempting fate when i said we hadn't had any snow. Two snow showers since my last post. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be settling.

Just been listening to the FA cup draw and Cheltenham have been drawn away to Spurs who are 3rd in the Premier League so quite possibly the biggest match in their history.

 

That will put some money in Cheltenham's coffers then won't it EL, I have heard this is the way it works?

I hope it does. Although Cheltenham has some loyal supporters, they don't have large numbers of them, so they can do with the money. There is a chance that this match will get televised either on ITV or more likely Sky, and that would produce more money. I would suspect though that if ITV have the choice as to which match they would televise it would almost certainly be Man City v Man Utd as that is likely to be the biggest match of the year, other than the FA Cup final itself. Strangely enough I had a feeling that they would be drawn against each other.

El, it has a bit of a David and Goliath feel to the match, so good luck to Cheltenham.

 

We've had more snow and it's starting to lie. I have extra bread and milk in the house, and snow shovel at the ready, just in case the village gets cut off again.

Yogi, it's unlikely that Cheltenham will win, but they have recently had 8 away wins in a row, so if Spurs were careless, it's not impossible that Cheltenham could win. 10 years ago they managed to get to the last 16 of the FA cup and of the teams in the lower divisions, they are capable of an upset.

 

I sincerely hope your village doesn't get cut off. Looking at the forecast, although there is snow over the next couple of days up north, there's no sign of a deep freeze, and by Tuesday night it looks as if it will be sleety rather than snow.

Well, I wish Cheltenham the best of luck. I'm a sucker for the underdog.

I hope you're right about the snow, I am dreading a repeat of last winter.

In case you wonder why I mention Cheltenham rather than Gloucester in terms of sport, Gloucester is predominantly rugby union. Gloucester does have a football team. They are in a league which is two below Cheltenham, and are not likely to improve. As far as rugby is concerned, I'm not particularly interested and Gloucester, although still in the top division, are having a poor season - they lost yesterday playing against the team at the bottom of the table.

 

I'm more interested in cricket as a team sport, but Gloucestershire cricket is based at Bristol.

Do you go to watch cricket matches, or prefer to watch them on tv? Bristol seems quite a way for you to travel to watch your local cricket team - or is my geography rubbish again?

I generally follow cricket on radio - there's no live cricket on television other than on Sky which I don't have. Sometimes one can watch Gloucester crichet matches on the internet, but it's done through a fixed camera position showing the whole pitch so one can't really see much. Although I'm interested in how Gloucestershire do, there's no real connection with Gloucester itself. So it's England that I'm more likely to be interested in. I know channel 5 show highlights, but I prefer to listen to the match live on radio. Also that means that I can listen whilst I get on with my work whereas watching it would be too distracting.

 

I've never gone to a football match though have gone to cricket when Gloucestershire play at Cheltenham.

 

Right, I'm off to get my tea, watch Antiques Roadshow, followed by the last episode of this series of Garrow's Law.

Enjoy your tea and programmes, El, catch up with you later.

Yogi I hope the snow is both pretty and no trouble for you there's some an hour in either direction of us, but none here yet

Thanks Summer. It's still at the pretty/no trouble stage atm.

Having an early night, goodnight all.

night yogi

Night night Yogi hope the snow is all melted away by the morning, Hi to Ros and I'm off myself, I am fair worn out, so night night everyone catch up tomorrow

Good morning everyone

 

I hope everyone had a good night's sleep and that those in the north aren't inconvenienced by the snow

 

Here it's cold, but dry and frost-free - no sign that snow will get this far south.

 

Garrow's Law finished last night, it's not yet known whether any more will be made, and last night's episode did have the feel of a series which has finished. If you want to know what happened to the real William Garrow and Lady Sarah Hill, have a look at the Personal Life section of this Wiki article. I'm not posting anything here as I wouldn't want to give anything away.

Morning all x
No snow here but very cold, had to get up thru the night and put the heating on. Now i have a fuzzy head. 
Will catch up with Garrows Law  

Good morning everyone. It's still snowing and there are several inches lying on the ground. Keira is happy, she loves playing in the snow.

Good morning everyone, we had such a downpour a little while ago, the sky went black (but there was a little glimpse of a rainbow) the sky is freshly washed now.

 

For those further north I hope the snow quickly melts away and doesn't linger longer (I like that phrase )

 

Catching up now with yesterday's Songs of Praise which includes a Nativity which I love.  Oh there's a tiny angel she just threw the baby Jesus into the crib , there's a group of pretty little angels (about 3 years old from the look of them) with tinsel halos and a tiny little lamb with a long tail is just climbing up to see the baby.  Awww. Its our Nativity in church next weekend, I am looking forward to it.

 

 

         

^^^^^ Oh Squiggle, I was in such a bad mood this morning, and you have just made me laugh out loud. Thank you.

..........and me squiggle 

Very slippy here underfoot, didnt realise till i went out  A broken ankle is all i need !
Off out and then dropping wee one at nursery she is only afternoons this week .
Bye for now xx 

Be careful out there, it is slippy, Skylark.

Be careful out there

Squiggle, the Songs of Praise is coming from Cheltenham, but I don't think I recognise anyone in the congregation I know.

 

I was told yesterday at church that Real Deal is coming from Cheltenham this Friday. The man at church told me that it is worth watching for a woman he knows is selling 2 vases on the programme.

That's interesting to know about Real Deal EL, and I was surprised to hear about the composer of the music for 'In The Bleak Mid Winter' Gustav Holst living in Cheltenham.

Squiggle, having known Cheltenham all my life, I knew that Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham. There is a statue of him in the Imperial Gardens which I drive past everytime I'm in Cheltenham.

 

There's also a museum at the house where he was born.

EL is that a raincoat and an umbrella at the bottom of the statue?

good afternoon all It's very cold here and I woke to a dusting of snow on the ground! nothing more though so its not been a problem. Yogi I hope everyone up there stays safe & keeps warm, i can just imagine Keira running around in the snow I'm enjoying having my mum here buy boy does she talk a lot! She's currently into a crossword so thought I'd take this chance to call in *leaves tray of hot chocolate drinks*

No, this is a photograph taken on the day the statue was unveiled to the public. I think what you are seeing is the cover and the rope which the mayor would have pulled to unveil the statue. There is a Youtube clip of this, but I didn't think you would want to listen to the mayor rabbitting on

I've been clearing the snow from the paths and driveway, so the hot chocolate is much appreciated, thank you Summer. Your mum sounds very much like mine, she can chat more than anyone else I know.

Glad you cleared that up I tried to puzzle it out and couldn't (brain strain).

 

Yogi glad you got the path cleared, stay safe now, and you too Skylark, no slipping now we don't wany any broken bones.  Ooh hot chocolate, lovely thanks Summer enjoy your mum's visit, she is probably enjoying having someone to natter away to.

This part of the country was also the birthplace of

Edward Elgar who was born in Broadheath near Worcester (just under 30 miles NW from Cheltenham)

and Ralph Vaughan Williams who was born in Down Ampney which is near Cirencester in Gloucestershire (just over 20 miles WE from Cheltenham).

Its sooooo cold here 
Thats son landed safely...yes home already, for some reason i thought he was away till Wednesday  I wonder if the iphone knows it is back in the UK, i dont know how to switch the roaming off, or even if i have to.
I have been to Cheltenham, for the races years ago with my brother and friends . Lovely place, stayed overnight in an hotel there, cant remember the name tho

Have a lovely time with your mum, Summer x 
Is it still snowing your side Yogi ?

Yes, it's still snowing over on this side. The snowplough/gritter lorry has been round, so it is possible to drive, with care.

I bet you are glad to get your baby back home, did he have a good time?

Just getting all the news now Yogi, he is skint, happy and wanting a nice dinner ! No change there then