It IS going to be a white Christmas...

So many times, there's an is it? isn't it? thing going on but since we have had quite a bit of snow and really cold days and nights we are surrounded by beautful views. Mother nature (without wanting to get overly poetic and dreamy) is quite amazing. The thick frost clinging to spindly branches is so lovely. And again, unlike our usual snowy thing where the snow lasts a day or two then turns to slushy grey stuff, we have white all around. So long as it doesn't stop us getting to our christmas day celebrations at my sisters I am quite happy. She, at the moment has frozen pipes and no heating... well she lives in the middle of nowhere.. so we will take the Wii and that will warm us up.
This is the walk home from the High School next to us..

I am becoming an old lady by some of the things that come out of my mouth...

"girls we are SO lucky to live where we do, so near the countryside.."

"..it's just like a postcard isn't it?"

"how pretty this walk to school is.."

No1 D was soooooooooooo embarrased by my photographing etc, because friends were watching and staring. Isn't that what I'm for??? 

Christmas is running towards me...

..help and I have still to trawl the boxes and decorate the house. I am referring to previous pics to remember how I hang things...

Maybe I will get my act together and make the house look better tomorrow :-| the children have been commenting. Haven't even got the pic'n'mix for the gingerbread house... shocking. Need to look out the Christmas CD for inspiration.

Chip off...

No.2 D brought this home last week. She made it in tech and it has pride of place on the mantel piece where it looks fantastic!!

shopping in town.

Ever take a look upwards when you are in shops? This was in JIGSAW a converted bank in town. A beautiful building that thankfully is in use. So many buildings can become shut down and forgotten about.

That was yesterday, today we took a run into the west end. The Art Gallery were doing a weekend "drop in and make a christmas decoration" and I thought my two would like that BUT. The other kids were about 3 years old so they were a little self conscious, so we just had a wander around the painting galleries. For a change. Usually it's the downstairs area with the stuffed animals, dinosaurs etc. 

We ended up having a coffee in the main foyer/hall where the Christmas tree was set up and looking - as I pointed out - very understated and pretty. Then the crowd that had gathered, who were singing carols, did a count down and a cheer and hundreds of lights were suddenly flickering away. Not very observant!! The organ was playing and it is pretty impressive.

On the way out No2 D caught someone's eye... can you see her?

There's been a lot of this... this week esp..

The fire has been roaring away this past week, what with our unusually freezing cold temps. Today a lot of the snow has melted away but we are being warned of a cold week to come. So the coal man is expected this weekend - hooray!

but again there's always one who finds a cosy spot....

petted thing...

but she does get on pretty well with the old geriatric puss who has taken to funny turns. Hope it's not him becoming an ill old puss.

digging for prehistoric fossils or...

just picking up a branch or rather twig from the garden...

But someone's enjoying it...

the snaffler loves to snaffle and skip in the snow...