Snowy Little Chalfont

 Tuesday 13/12/22

We woke early yesterday morning to sound of snow falling on Bokkie's roof, hoping that it would just be a light dusting as we needed to move on to our next sit.  

When it got light, we could see there was a dense covering of around 3cm of snow - I felt it shouldn't present too much of a problem.

We woke up to a rather white scene!

We had to get our of our parking spot and drive a short way up a hill to get to the main farm driveway, from there it was another short, downhill drive to the tar road which would hopefully be clear by the time we needed to move.  Our neighbour also usually left in the mornings so we could check to make sure he got out okay.

The frost has now been covered by snow

Well, sure enough, he packed up mid-morning, reversed out of his spot, pointed his nose up the hill, gunned the engine...  and slid backwards down the hill.  He swung back into his parking spot and tried to reverse up the hill, with the same result.  Except this time it was even worse and he was getting rather close to Bokkie's backside.  Eventually he realised it wasn't going to work and he got the aged farmer to pull him out with his 4x4, in itself a scary manoeuvre, which we watched in trepidation.

I was determined to spare Bokkie the indignity of being towed out, so we waited until a bit later (and there were no witnesses) before trying it ourselves.  By then all the tracks from the other attempt had frozen making it even more treacherous.  Toni chipped away at the worst bits with our tiny recovery spade (slipping and falling on the ice while as well), and soon it was time to test Bokkie.

I reversed out and she spun a little so Toni chipped some more ice in front of the wheels, I put Bokkie in second gear and she chugged cheerfully up the hill at an idle.  What a superstar!

The snow has turned the garden into a winter wonderland

Tiggy, Bramble, Orio, Sprite and Blue

We took a slow drive to Amersham to do some shopping before heading to the final sit for the year.  It is a lovely warm house with an elderly Jack Russell / Norfolk Terrier cross, a Golden Lab and three (noisy) budgies to look after.  

The owners kindly put up a Christmas tree for us as well, and they have now headed to sunny Antigua with their kids.

The snow looks like custom cushions on the patio furniture

We're staying for two weeks so will enjoy Christmas here with Charmaine, and then head off again on the 28'th.  Hopefully there is a slight thawing of the weather after this icy blast!