Windy walk to the local shop and beyond. Took some plastic to recycle. Got a few bits including baby spinach and washing up lipsquid. The park was muddy but nice to stretch our legs. met a few dogs - one with a feirce bark but he was harmless enough. His master was chopping down some brambles nearby and bid us good day. A passing ball of fluff looked nervous as it tip toed passed.

Nice wander around ye olde Nantwich. The market to say hello to the toy man who was busy framing a splodgy ink drawing of a cow. He had a nice Xmas in Tunisia he said but the rubbish problem was annoying. We noticed a similar problem in Cheshire - the roadside garbage is disgusting! Anyway, Nantwich is relitively free of rubbish thankfully. The local council obviously does a good job of sweeping it under the carpet or whatever it is they do with it. A few bargains to be had including some battered and play worn tinplate toys. Also an Indian recycled "pop pop boat" found at the Hospice warehouse on the way home near Winsford. Made from a biscuit tin by the looks of it. Hazel got a puffy coat for the garden and some more wool. Sunny start but soon clouded over. Some cavaliers and roundheads in the town square. Hazel said they were re-enacting the battle of somesuch this afternoon. We left before the trouble started!

Nice wander to the fishy ponds and River Dane. Two swans preening. No interest in food so glad they are not hungry. Some coots and ducks trying to balance on the thin ice that still persists. Quite fun to see them try and balance and fall in. Sun very bright.

Catching up with photos on my camera. Hazel making confetti from rose petals and an unusual selection of mail going out to the post box. Hazel just volunteered to slip down to the local mail receptical. Its very icy this morning so I'm staying in to do some doodling and collaging. Done my mail art for this week!

Chilly start to the day. Back garden less covered in snow than the front for some reason. Needless to say we shall be stayi g indoors in the warm. Maybe venturing out tomorrow if it thaws. I dont want to end up in A&E - falling on my arse! Or elbow! Like my Dad did once and he ended up in hospital. Got lots of collaging to do so plenty to occupy ourselves with. Hazel is helping too with the next issue of MISFITS.

Archie and Meriel have gone home to West Yorkshire now. We had fun throwing the inflated rings onto the inflated antlers. Also the guess the drawing game was highly amusing - all those years at art school were not wasted!

Nice to have Archie and Meriel here for New years this year. Tey made a lovely Saag Paneer for dinner yesterday and we watched Johnny Depp in the excellent film but very bad dirctor who made Plan Nine From Outer Space. Went into the garden to join Hazel later in the summer house for a chat and marvel at all the junk she has around the place and candles in every nook and cranny! It was like Diwali all over again! Watched a bit of Jools on the box and at 11.55 outside again to light sparklers and wish each other a Happy New year as all hell broke loose and the battle of the Somme commenced. Bang! Whoosh Crack! Bam! etc.

These few days between Xmas and the New year are rather odd - you never know where you are or what the day is? I think its Tuesday but it feels like a Saturday. Archie and Meriel are still here and yesterday we enjoyed a game of Suspend that our friends in Wales sent us. Its a weird game where you take turns throwing a dice with colours on which allows you to pick a wire dooddad that you have to place carefully on the previously chosen wire doodads hanging precariously from a tripod thingy. Its a bit like that wood blocks game where you have to remove blocks without knocking down the tower. Sadly you soon run out of wire bits an you have to wobble the table to make the whole thing come crashing down!