By noon, the first flakes had begun to fall and by mid-afternoon I could no longer pretend to be a sensible middle-aged vicar...so the puppy and I went out to play.
Cainscross may not be the prettiest place in the world, but an inch or two snow works wonders. It also has a beneficial effect on assorted random adults - including the man whom I encountered armed with a camera, just as I rounded a corner armed with one of my own.
His expression was one of pure joy and he was quick to share his delight at this unexpected time-out that we'd been granted. His parting shot
"The day I feel too old to enjoy snow, I hope they'll be burying me..."

Not all suburbia

School was cancelled for my boys today, so before Morning Prayer the Dufflepud the dogs and I went on a wonderful walk up through the woods that overlook Ch Kings. We were the first people about and it was quite breathtaking...though poor Mufti, the Australian terrier, is honestly too low-slung to cope very well with deep snow, and was soon shackled by huge snow-balls round all 4 paws and hanging from her tummy as well. She kept going manfully for a long while, until she couldn't actually move at all - at which point she lay down, almost disappearing completely in the drifts.

All in all, it was a wonderful way to begin the day. It's not often that I actually see the beauty right on the doorstep. Having the outlines of trees and hedges muffled by snow somehow makes them more real. Now, though, the morning's gleaming whiteness has been reduced to grubby slush in most places, and a normal life of hospital visits, synod meetings and overdue sermon prep beckons again.

Keeping up with the Joneses in Privet Drive

I am with difficulty refraining from singing "There's no business like snow-business" as I go upon my merry way!