When the snow lay round about part 2

Some of my plant pots

last year's Christmas tree

next door's bush

I had difficulty getting upright on Saturday morning. I was so stiff. I was late rising. I took some small parcels and a few last minute cards to the post office up the hill, and got there and back safely. We had a bit of a disagreement about the best way to go into town, I couldn't face walking after Friday, and I thought Husband didn't want to come.  Mum-in Law had rung up and asked Husband not to fetch her as it was already snowing there;  she was also worried about leaving the bungalow in such cold weather in case the pipes froze. So off I set in the Focus, for town, and it was snowing again. I went to my usual market stall, the market was open despite the snow, but they didn't have cauli's, and everyone was serving at the other end, so I thought I can't be doing this, so went into M&S where they did have cauli's. As I passed one aisle I looked down it and there was husband. He had decided to walk down. I am not supposed to be carrying heavy shopping in my left hand, so was glad to see him. He said he had to go to Boots, and I finished my shopping and got ready to join him. I pulled my phone out of my bag to phone him, and we met up and got some lunch to take home. On the way back to the car I suddenly realised my car park ticket was not in my bag. We took the lift up to the car, but it wasn't in the car. We set off back to the lift, thinking we would have to go to the information desk and pay a lost ticket fine.
Husband said 'Let's go back to M&S just in case you dropped it there'. No sign of it where I was standing when I pulled out the phone, I wandered up and down the aisles and there were lots of little bits of card on the floor, but none big enough. I was about to give up, when the words 'bakery department'  came into my head. As I neared the end of that aisle I suddenly saw someone step on a piece of card. I rushed over and picked it up, and yes it was a ticket. Thank you Lord!. We went back to the car via the ticket machine and the charge was right so it must have been my ticket. I reckon I pulled it out with my reading glasses.As we drove towards the exit we realised there was a problem, nothing was moving. We crawled along down the floors, and just after we had gone through the barrier a chap came along asking everyone to be patient. 2 lorries had jacknifed on the M1, and the tailbacks were right into our town centre. The A 41 had also been closed. Normally we would go up the hill by the doctor's, but watching one chap slither, slide and skid up there, Husband decided to join the slow queue through the town centre. The blizzard stopped and we sat in the car and ate our lunch. As we crawled along through gridlock, we saw 2 blue light ambulances go into what remains of our hospital. We knew things must be bad everywhere, as we do not have a full A&E, and all ambulances are supposed to go to Watford. We also saw 3 gritters along the same stretch of road, stuck in traffic. Eventually we arrived home just after 5 pm, 3 hours to travel about a mile. To add to the fun I got casserole meat out of the freezer, but must have accidentally pressed full power instead of defrost on the microwave. Husband alerted me to a dry lump of meat when he went to put a drink in there.
There was nothing for it but to eat the mackerel which I had bought for Friday, but hadn't used, but was now a day out of date. We have been unaffected, so it makes one wonder about use by dates.
Yesterday the general consensus was not to try the hill at the back to go to church. We phoned friends nearby, and they couldn't even get their car out of the garage so were not going either.
After lunch and a doze. I made some mince pies, then rang the pastor's wife to ask if she needed any for the carol service. She didn't but I promised to try and get there if I could. I checked out the back, and several people had driven up and down the hill, so we decided I might get there in my car as it has narrower wheels.
I scraped a lot of snow off it, and used the de-icer I had bought on Saturday.  The car looked as if it had a Mohican. Husband was not feeling well enough to come, but I got there, and enjoyed the service although we were thin on the ground. Mince pies and tea afterwards, and I got home safely.
I told husband he should stay off work today and work from home if necessary. This morning when I got up he actually asked me to make a Doctor's appointment. He must be ill! I can't remember when he last went
Apparently he has a chest infection, and now has an antibiotic. He says he feels achey so I'm hoping he doesn't get 'flu' on top of it, He is not yet eligible for a' flu' jab. I get one because of my asthma. I did a bit of shopping and bought my turkey in M&S. Oops!, haven't marzipanned the cake yet, but even if I couldn't get to Sainsbury's this week we could probably manage, just as long as the milkman keeps coming. He's not been today yet. At least I am not as stiff, the hot baths must have helped. If I don't blog again this  week, a Happy Christmas to all my readers,and remember to look beyond the Father Christmas myth, tinsel and holly and see the real reason for the season, 'Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King'

The bird bath