FOUR TONNES.

In case you're wondering what a snowed in GBC gets up to, here's a little snippet. After dishing hay out to five different fields of sheep, and traipsing all the way over to the far side of the sixth field to check the other lot of sheep who have the big round bale of hay, we set about moving a couple of the old girls to a better, more sheltered field and organising a hay rack for them. The three older old girls in the steading were fed and watered too, and a count of the remaining bales of hay was done. Only 6 left, and we're using at them at 2 - 2.5 per day... Came in for some food, then togged up again and went back out to start shovelling snow. Our driveway is about 200 meters long, all up hill. Dig dig dig, shovel shovel dig, for around two hours, back breaking work so it is, had an attempt to drive the van out but it bottomed out about half way up. Time for lunch, a nice pot of homemade leek and tattie soup and garlic bread, mmmmmm! Went back out about half two and already it was beginning to freeze. Carried on shovelling, with difficulty as the snow was starting to freeze in blocks to the ground. Gave it one last try and managed to get the van out on to the lane. Stupid numpty that I am, then had to carry all the boxes of work stuff from the van back down to the house, in a blizzard! Just got back from taking the van down the hill to the main road so that hopefully, tomorrow, we can go and get some supplies and hay in. Thanks to Mark and Tones from the Grumpy club for offering to come and help.

Looks like we have a top Judge for the Photo Comp...none other that Mr Phil Mather, a top photographer who's work you may have seen in some of the bike magazines. To make the most of this spell of wintry weather you've got until....I say your time is up....then I'll call the Judge and he can decide who gets the non-existent tee shirt. I must just stress that I am not partaking of the competition. My photos are there so that you can marvel at the Arctic wilderness in which I live.

Well, after two Tunnocks caramel bars and a strawberry milkshake I'm feeling slightly better, although I suspect the pain in my back won't be cured quite so easily.

PS, my mathematical genius friend just calculated that I shifted 81 cubic meters of snow. Or approx 4 tonnes of the stuff. Time for a kip.