In message , Sacha
writes
It went to -6C here last night and it even snowed this morning. We had
the most wonderful fluorescent orange sunrise this morning - I thought
someone was training a brilliantly coloured lamp on the corner of one
of the greenhouses. The sun came out for a brief while and now it's
clouding over rapidly. I must admit that I'm sneakily hoping for just
a bit more snow!

I hope you have plenty of provisions, Sacha. My 93-year-old neighbour
died a couple of months ago and I used to have his key for the help-line
organisation (an excellent service). When he died, his children told me
I could have what I liked from the house and I decided to have his
paraffin heater. It's a really old one but has a spare wick and has
been well maintained. You don't get them like that nowadays. I also
had his wooden-handled shovel. Its handle was all wet and soggy when I
got it but it has dried out a treat. You don't get too many of those
nowadays either. I am looking forward to putting a few seeds in the
greenhouse and lighting up the heater in February. It will remind me of
him, as well as being very useful.
--
June Hughes