Hi Mollie & Emptybox.

They all enjoyed themselves staying over, and I did Brellie for the little ones, my lad did his and his G/F's, I did mine and my O/H's.

I think it's better if we don't know who is going in the house, more exciting really.

It's above freezing here at the mo, was freezing last night though.

The 6 day forecast for here is:
Today, Raining, tonight -4
Sunday, Sunny Int, night -5
Monday, Sunny Int, night 1
Tuesday, Light Snow, night -5
Wednesday, Heavy Snow, night -15

Well, as you say, hope the cold does do some good.

I've opened my new Chanelle 2010 Calendar anyway, you soon forget the frost that way.

Series 5 (2010)

Dancing on Ice Series 5
Country	United Kingdom
Network	ITV
Original run	8 January 2010

Dancing On Ice will return on 8 January 2010 for a fifth series. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are returning to train the celebrities. Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby are returning to present. Karen Barber, Robin Cousins, Nicky Slater and Jason Gardiner are all returning to the judging panel, with Emma Bunton replacing West-End star Ruthie Henshall on the judging panel.

The contestants for the fifth series are:

Celebrity	Occupation	Professional partner	Status
Bobby Davro	Actor and Comedian	Molly Quigley
Danniella Westbrook	EastEnders actress	Matthew Gonzalez
Danny Young	Former Coronation Street Actor	Frankie Poultney
Emily Atack	Inbetweeners Actress	Fred Palascak
Gary Lucy	The Bill Actor	Maria Filippov
Hayley Tamaddon	Former Emmerdale actress	Daniel Whiston
Heather Mills	Charity Worker and ex-wife of Paul McCartney	Matt Evers
Hilary Jones	GMTV Doctor	Alexandra Schaumann
Jeremy Sheffield	Former Holby City actor	Susie Lipanova
Kieron Richardson	Hollyoaks actor	Brianne Delcourt
Mikey Graham	Boyzone singer.	Melanie Lambert
Sharron Davies	Former Olympic Swimmer	Pavel Aubrecht
Sinitta	Singer and aide to Simon Cowell	Andrei Lipanov
Tana Ramsay	Author and Wife of Gordon Ramsay	Stuart Widdall

Afternoon.

I think you and the scientist are right, Mollie.
The frost kills all sorts of bugs in the garden and elsewhere.
Also kills off the algae in rivers that can use up all the oxygen, so the fish benefit as well.

Having said that, I could do without all the snow at the moment.
I got my car dug out, and managed to get it up the drive and on to the road.
It took a couple of attempts, because the drive slopes up to the road, and that is where you get stuck.

I went to town and got my lottery ticket and some beer, and some less essential items, and got home safely.
But as I was trying to get the car into it's usual parking space, it started skidding, and wouldn't go forward or back. It took ages to get it parked.

After all that though, we've had more heavy snow this afternoon, so I don't know if I'll bother trying to go for the papers tomorrow morning.

I'm hoping to get my oil delivered on Tuesday Mollie, but it's a large truck, so he won't want to risk getting stuck in my drive (which goes past two other houses before it gets to me).
We'll have to see.
I've probably got a couple of weeks worth of oil before it runs out.

Hi Emptybox.

Well it says that for next Wednesday here it is heavy snow and -15, so that should be fun.

Hope the oil delivery driver can get in with the oil.
Still think you should get an Automatic Diesel 4 x 4, might solve a few problems.

I'm just watching my recording of 'The Royle Family' from the other day, it's just a laugh.

A 24 hr live feed twitter site.
Could be interesting anyway.
-------------------
http://twitter.com/officialbblive

Hi Hicky.
Well I hope the forecast is wrong.

A 4x4 would certainly be useful to me now.
I know my Jag has 4 wheel drive of a sort, but it just has ordinary low profile tyres, that don't have the grip.

I don't think automatics are very good in ice and snow. You need the control that a clutch gives you, to stop your wheels spinning on the ice.
My Jag is automatic.

Also diesels aren't good in very cold conditions. Diesel can get thick and hard to start in severe cold.
Scandinavians use far fewer diesels for this reason.

Watching the film 'Bury my heart at Wounded Knee' at the mo.

Emptybox
Gosh, that sounded like hard work with the car for you today, but at least you got your essentials.

Thanks for the fish/algae explaination, I couldnt understand why the cold weather benefits our local fish, but the algae getting killed off explains that one.
 I really hope your oil makes it on Tuesday, but it is good you have a couple of weeks left at least.Do you have any other sort of heaters at home?
And I  think you better make sure you are all stocked up with enough food for next week. After reading Hicky saying about his minus 15, I did a quick check on metcheck and saw this.....

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOME/
"The wintry showers in the north will mark the boundary between the cold air already here, and the even colder air following on, and this boundary will shift south during Monday and Tuesday. It is after this has gone through that the potential for heavy snow and severe frosts really increases, and is something we are monitoring closely as the second half of next week could end up very wintry indeed with significant snowfalls for some and temperatures dropping below -20C for some rural locations in the north."
I still blame those useless politians for this, because the cold weather started the week they kept bleating on about global warming at that world summit they held in Copenhagen.  

Hicky
Yes the Royles episode was good.
Thanks for the Dancing on Ice news, sounds like a few interesting contestants to come. I had forgotten that starts soon. And I had a read of your cbb thread.   The house looks dead nice, I especially like the log cabin look outside.  Looking forward to that tommorrow.

Howabout some snow chains instead? That would be a lot cheaper.
My OH has some, but we have never used them in this area, but we did use them when we last lived on the side of the mountain. We were first introduced to them in Australia, where we had to use them, else they wouldnt let you go up the mountains. They are really good in snow, and are cheap too. You can order them over the net. Easy to just chuck them in your boot.

Hi Mollie.

I've no experience of snow chains. No idea wether they would be suitable for low profile alloy wheels?
I'm not sure I would have the clearance in the wheel arches?
I'll look into it though. They might fit on the van, if not the car? That has a higher clearance.

I used to have snow tyres for my old Mercedes, but they were an awful faff to change all the wheels twice a year, that I only bothered for a couple of years.

The real problem though is wether people can get out to me.

If I think I'm going to run out of oil I'll turn off the heating and rely on my electric heaters and my calor gas heater.
I've got an immersion heater in the hot water tank that I can turn on.

I've probably got plenty of food for a couple of weeks in the freezer.

Hi Emptybox & Mollie.

Your wrong about the Automatics in the Snow and Ice, they are super, things you shouldn't do in icy conditions is turn sharp, brake hard, accelerate, but with Automatic you don't need to use the Accelerator really as it drives without using it, it does things gentle and if your stuck you can always rock back and forth using the drive/reverse lever which gets you out of any spot even with 2 wheel drive, I spent a few years in deep ice/snow in Dagenham and Belgium, had no problem with Automatic at all.

I like Diesel because petrol will burn the car out in an accident, and I don't fancy that.

If we had many weeks of bad weather like 1962 I would get chains if required.

I used to have a big Volvo that was Auto a few years back when we had very bad snow and ice in London and all the way back to the North West, had no problem really as it was a super car in weather like that, but of course it would been better if it was a 4 x 4.

And on the Motorway, I couldn't see even the central reservation as it was buried and the overheard signs were covered in snow and I missed my turn off for the M56 on the way home and had to carry on to the M62.

Good morning all.
It is a lovely sunny morning here today, hope it is where you are too.

Emptybox..
Other than the fact that I know they worked when we used them, I dont know much about snow chains, and I don't know what low profile is..
So I asked OH about low profile snow chains, and he said that you just need to do a search for "low profile snow chains" on the net. He said they make different sort of chains depending on the type of vehicle. I just thought you put any old snow chain on any car.   
Glad you have some back up heating incase the oil doesn't arrive. I hope you have the thermal underwear too.   I always wear my vest top under my fleece.

Hicky..
It is good that with the weather we are havign now, that you have experience of driving in bad conditions. But for many ,  that is the problem now, they don't know how to drive in it, because the young drivers aren't used to bad winters at all. How long did the bad winter of 1962 go on for? 
Are there any visitors due for Sunday lunch today, or are you going out for lunch?

I am still only eating bland food, but feeling better than I was.
I hope you all have a good Sunday.
CBB day today.

Good Afternoon Mollie.

Had a bit of a Li-in, well, a lot of one really.

Just had kippers for brekkie.
Could be a pretty quiet day here, just been thawing out the bird bath, not a lot of water about for them to drink.

I can't remember how long the bad winter of 1962/63 went on for, I was working at Vauxhall Ellesmere-port, the buildings had no roller shutter doors or heating or lighting and it was -20 all the time, we had to work up top on the carpark lighting towers but you couldn't hold your tools it was so cold.

I know it went on for many weeks and the roads were just ice you couldn't see the real road.
It's good for the experience though.

When I was pretty young we used to go on the empty car parks and drive round getting used to the ice, they weren't all littered with slabs like they are now, we had the massive are to practice driving on the ice and snow.

Glad you eating something anyway, it only take a day or less for food to get through your system, so you should get eating some roughage.

Can't wait for CBB tonight, roll on 9pm.

Afternoon.

I looked on the web for snow chains.
You need to get them specifically for the size of your tyres, as your OH says Mollie.

My Jag has 225x45xR17 tyres, and the cheapest I could see was about £80 for a set of 2. You put them on the driving wheels, but as the Jag drives all 4 wheels, I might need 2 sets (not sure). Either way that's a bit expensive.

The van has smaller wheels, and is only front wheel drive, so I could get a set for that for under £50.
It might be worth considering for another time, but it's a bit late for this cold snap. Someone might get stuck trying to deliver them to me?

I got the car out this morning and went down for the papers. The roads were even worse than yesterday, and again it was a struggle to get out on to the road. I wish the farmer would send one of his vehicles to clear the end of my drive.

As it turned out, there was only a single track cleared through the village, with heaps of snow to either side of it leaving no place to park, so instead of stopping and getting my papers, I just drove slowly through, feeling a bit of an idiot. I never did get my papers.  

I remember in 1962 I built a snowman in January, and it still hadn't completely melted in May.
(I was only 2½ at the time, so my Dad probably did most of the building )
Must have been very bad to work through it Hicky.

Glad you are getting back to normal eating Mollie.

I think I'll make another casserole tonight to ward off the chill.
I'm looking forward to CBB, but I may record it because Wallender is on BBHD at the same time.

Hi Hicky

Glad to hear you enjoyed your lie in, and kipper brekkie.
that must of been some cold job in those minus 20 temperatures.
Son tells me it is currently reading minus 7 outside now. Son and OH are ejoying using their thermometer like your one.

Nearly CBB time now.
My OH and lads are going to watch Top Gear first.

I ate my first small proper meal since last Tuesday.   Peas, mash and "M and S" cheese and onion pate. Am surprised how long it has taken me to feel myself again, but I think it was worse because I had to travel back all that day, whilst being ill.

My kids are back at college Tuesday, so are not happy with all the work they now have to catch up with, They will be ok when they are in the routine again though.

When are you due back at work Hicky?

Emptybox
it sounds like you are living in another country to me and Hicky, with all that much snow. Shame you never did get your paper, oh well, at least you got to see the pretty scenery and had a bit more practice with snow driving.
Those snow chains sound expensive for you car, but not too bad for the van. But of course, it is very hard to predict how much use you would get out of them. If you did buy them then all the snow vanished for a few years, it would be expensive even for the van for the amount of use you'd get.

A nice casserole sounds just the job for you in this cold winter weather. Enjoy.  
I don't know what Wallender is, but you must be enjoying it, if you are giving up CBB for it.
Enjoy your evening.

Hi Mollie & Emptybox.

The X-Type Jag came in 2 or 4/all wheel drive depending probably on what engine it has.
Not sure what type you have or what engine it is.

I made a nice soup, it was a pack ofAsparagus - spears, a pack of Celery, a nice big plate size piece of Gammon and a few stock cubes with half a cup of double cream.

Then she wanted a Plate of butter mash potato with a nice fresh fried piece of salmon on the top.

Well that sorted dinner out.

It's -4 outside.

I'm working in the morning.
Just been watching 'So you can Dance', which was brill, now watching Top Gear.

Think I better sort the kitchen out before CBB starts.

See you later.

Just popping in to say Goodnight all, and to say I hope you enjoyed CBB. I did.
Great looking house, and good entrance. I really liked the topless fellas holding up the fire things. Nice to see a true celeb like Stepanie Beacham in there too.

Your dinner sounds tasty Hicky.

Take care on your drive and walk over the car park tommorrow, sounds like it will be icy. And don't forget your hat and vest.

Is gardening on hold tommorrow Emptybox? Or will you be required to  provide a snow shovelling service instead?

Oh yes Hicky... I watched that dance show, very entertaining. what a nice chap is the Diversity judge. Did you see the dance show with Arlene Philips that started last night on bbc1?  I really enjoyed it too.

Goodnight all

Hi Mollie.

Enjoyed CBB entrance, should be entertaining anyway.

Will have to watch it in the morning going to work.
Am recording the overnight show.

Saw that Mollie, liked the judges, saw the other show as well, with Arlene.

It's the 2.5 litre V6 All Wheel Drive version that I've got Hicky.

That sounds a tasty soup. I like Asparagus spears. Not sure I would sling 'em in soup though? I'd probably eat them on their own.

I'm just watching the recording of them going in now.
Stephanie Beacham looks very pretty for 62.

Wallender is superb Mollie.
Kenneth Branagh plays a Swedish detective, and it's very atmospheric and gripping.

The weather widget on my desktop says -8. That's the weather in Edinburgh, so it could be colder here.

The CBBers all seem OK so far.

Stephen Baldwin has a bit of a creepy smile, but he's maybe just trying too hard?

I think little Lady Sovereign is going to be a character.

Good Morning Emptybox.

The V6 all wheel drive model should be fine, you would need chains on all wheels or the drive system traction control wouldn't know what it was doing.

You would have to check with Jag if it is ok to fit chains though first anyway.
Depending on clearance it might cut down or damage the vehicle when turning sharp.

The Asparagus spears just added their own flavour to the soup, as with all veg, when mixed with others it isn't so powerful but it gives me the five a day, well sort of.

I think CBB is going to be good, plenty of variety for everyone, and a few nice sexy things for me.Not bothered about the fellers, they only worry about their figure, hair and muscles and how macho they are.

It's pretty cold out there this morning, had to clean off all the ice from the glass.

Roads where ok though, didn't notice any ice.

I see that Ivana Trump dropped out so they only had 11 to go in last night, they will probably have a standby, but I dreamt that Davina went in.

Good morning all
Hicky...hope the return to work wasn't too traumatic this morning Hicky. Not surprised you had to clear the ice off the car today. The digi thermometer showed minus 7.6 here this morning. Did you get your brekkie in the canteen today?
Wonder if Emptybox is gardening today?
It is lovely and sunny here at the moment, so will peg more washing out now.
Saisnburys is delivering my shopping soon. Because Sainsburys is a fair drive from us, so I reckon it is well worth me paying for delivery. I do prefer Sainsburys veg to the other supermarkets,especially their potatoes.

Did you watch any livefeed from CBB?  I didn't, too late.

Hi Mollie.

It was a chilly start this morning, I blame the weather myself.

I got my brekkie ok, I don't blame you getting your shopping delivered, why go through all the hastle if they will do it for you.

I didn't see live feed, i've recorded it for tonight, hate adverts anyway, won't watch them.

Coronation Street star Kym Marsh to marry Jamie Lomas

By Nick Owens 3/01/2010

Coronation Street: Mad Mary Returns

News: Mon 4 Jan, 2010

3 Hours Ago

Afternoon.

Yeah Hicky, I think I've already decided that it would be too expensive and tricky to fit snow chains to the Jag, so if I got some, it would be for the van. That wouldn't have any problems with clearance. Not sure if I'll bother though? Probably only get snow this bad once every ten years?

Am I out gardening Mollie??  
Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but everything is covered with several inches of snow.   
That includes all the trees, bushes and hedges. There's not a lot I could do.

I hadn't thought of a snow clearing service, but I haven't even got my own van dug out yet, and I don't think it would be sensible moving about with the roads the state they are in. Think I'll stay inside in the warm just now.  

I'm hoping my oil will get through tomorrow.
Hope he doesn't come first thing, because I keep going out with a hair dryer on an extension to defrost the filler cap, and it keeps freezing up again.
I would hate for the delivery to come and the guy not be able to fill the tank, and to go away without leaving the oil.
Hopefully he would knock at the door first.

Does your washing dry outside at this time of year Mollie. I would have thought it would go as stiff as a board?

Be careful of black ice on your drive home Hicky.

Left work early as the factory have changed their working hours again.

Was home at 4pm and roads fine.

It sounds fun where you are Emptybox.
I remember many years ago with my big Volvo and a bad winter, we all went out in it for some fun in the ice and snow.
Passed a snow plough on one road and the road was blocked by a 2ft wall of snow left by the snow plough, I just drove straight through, no problem.
Next I was going up and down very steep roads that had 2" of hard packed snow and ice, even stopped on the hill, couldn't get the car stuck whatever I did.
And the car was Automatic, big wheels and very heavy, even more with about 5 of us in it.
It was great fun though.

Just stay in then Emptybox.

------------------

Boy George tweets he is grateful not to be in Celebrity Big Brother after watching the first show

Happy 2010 Hickey and Familys
 Happy New Year Emptybox and Familys
 Happy New Year Mollie and Familys I did your crumble but with apples Delish Will try with blueberrieas next time Thanks.



 Hope you all have a healthy, wealthy new year for you and yours

I've had a cold coming on all day, getting slowly worse.
Sore throat and a bit shivery.

Been having a few Lemon, Honey, Whiskey drinks, not going out tonight anyway.

Have the Doctors at 9.50 in the morning., but hope to get a good nights sleep, somehow.
Only having a chat with the doc, haven't sorted the ankle swelling when walking quite a way, and my shortage of breath when doing anything other than sleeping and cooking.
But it will give me the chance to tell her about my cold, might need Anti bio's or something.

Don't feel hungry either, that's not good, don't feel like anything, if something I fancy pops into my head I'll make that.

Hi Grannyg. Happy New Year to you.
I've only ever tried the crumble with apple.
I've put blueberries on my shopping list, but doubt there'll be any in my supermarket?

Sorry to hear about your cold Hicky.
Hope the honey and lemon etc eases the symptoms a bit.

Had to laugh at your antics in the snow with your old Volvo.
You must have been young and daft at the time, or the car was so old that you didn't mind if it got damaged?

Emptybox
yes as Hicky says, sounds dead fun where you are.    Whereabouts are you?  I know you are near Scotland. Perhaps you can tell me nearest town, or pm me, I'd be interested? I can't imagine living somewhere where the snow actually lies all day, it has never done that here since we lived here. So I can see now why you couldnt do much gardening if it stayed covered in snow today.   Yes good idea to keep a listen out for the whole day tommorrow incase that oil arrives and needs a hand. Hope it does arrive, so you know you have good heating for a while.
Yes my washind dried really well in the sun today, I just aired it indoors when it came in. I suppose it doesnt freeze because it is spun at 1400mph spin (the fastest one my machine does) before it comes out, so isn't very wet, when it goes out.
Enjoy your rest indoors Emptybox.
I see livefeed was on in the day today on E4, you could always give that a try.   I saw it for the half hour it was on today.

Hicky
glad to hear you got home nice and early.
I bet there are not many snow ploughs throughout the country now, because the winters have been so mild for years.

Thanks for the Corrie news.   Glad to hear Kym is getting married now. Good news that Mary is back on Corrie. I liked her and Norris together.
What did you have for dinner tonight? I had jacket potatoe, quiche and peas. Followed by my Christmas chocy, that i can at last enjoy eating.
Looking forward to CBB tonight.

Heck... I feel hungry again already.. I must need to make up for all those days I couldnt eat.

GrannyG
Wishing you are Very Happy New year too.
I hope it is a good year for you and your family.

The crumble is dead yummy with blueberries. However I made a boo-boo with my shopping order, and ordered blackberries instead of blueberries this week .   Don't know if I fancy the recipe with blackberries.

Hi Mollie.
I'm near the town of Kelso in the Scottish Borders.

We've had lying snow since the week before Christmas, and it'll probably be here for a few weeks more, I would think. The piles of it will take ages to shift.
We've got plenty of snow ploughs and gritters up here Mollie. We're more used to this sort of weather, but this is exeptional even for here.

The last time we had snow for as long as this was about 10 years ago. Then it was accompanied by a 5 day power cut. Certainly don't want that again.
We all had to huddle round one calor gas heater for warmth, and cook on a calor gas stove.
That reminds me, I've only got a little calor gas left. Have to remember to get another container of it next time I venture out.

I watched the end of the live feed this afternoon Mollie.
Katerina (Ronnie Woods' ex girlfriend) is not what I expected. She seems quite quiet, and also she doesn't have a Russian accent?

I'll have to go and make my supper. Not sure what to have? I've got some of the casserole left, but don't want to have that two days running? Probably just get something light.

Aaawww HIcky
Sorry, your post appeared after I posted mine, asking you what you were having for dinner.
I am sorry to hear you are feeling unwell. It is not like you to be off your food. Do you think you picked up a bug from the littlies?
These cold bugs are not nice, and of course can make your breathlessness feel worse. I hope you can shake it off quickly, and you can get some sleep tonight.

My OH has had a bad throat since we got back off hols, that broke into a cold, now my lad has a sore throat, so it looks like those bugs are still around, I wish this icy weather would hurry up and kill these bugs off, to stop them spreading.

hope your cold doesn't stop you enjoying your tv.
I hear that a bit of spicy curry is good if you have a cold.

Thanks Emptybox ..I'll look the town up on the map.  A very different area to when you were living in the Norfolk area (it was Norfolk, wasn't it?), I should think. How far does your brother live from you? Is he still in the south east?

Yes probably a good idea to make sure you have calor gas. We have some too, just incase.

look at this link, they are already mentioning gas consumption...I take it because you have oil heating, you cook by electric normally?

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLDE6031IE20100104

"UPDATE 2-UK's National Grid warns over high gas demand......"

Yes Emptybox, Katrina wasn't how I expected either. Is she actually Russian, or was she just living there for a while?  As you say, she didn't sound Russian.

Hi Mollie.

My lad is off as well, and O/H isn't good either, but she's eating.
I usually just try to fight it off, don't like to stay in bed, but you do need plenty of sleep.

Still haven't had any food since brekkie this morning, so will see how it goes.
It will probably be an early bed anyway.

I like Katia, lovely girl.
You can bee Russian and speak perfect English, the spies do.
Just see she doesn't have a notebook, now you know they don't give them pens and pencils.

Just looked up Kelso, thought at first it was half way round the world but as I zoomed out I could see it was on the road from Carlisle, I worked there for 12 months on a contract, it was just outside, can't say what the job was or give the location as the info could be explosive.

Some very nice small towns though, didn't realise you lived in that area though, not too goo with the Geography lark, no wonder you are snowed in though.

Oh hear Hicky... sounds like the rest of the family have the bug, so it is no surprise you are off. When you go to the docs, remember not to touch anthing in there, and to wash your hands as soon as you come out. As you know those places are full of germs, and you pick them up on your hands. I put that alcohol stuff on my hands when I go to public places now, In Butlins they had them all over the place and in the entrance to the resteraunt. Still din't stop me being ill though.

Yes Katia seems a nice girl. LOL...We need to check Katia for a secret notebook.    So you worked in Carlisle too?  You certainly have covered some places in your work.
I bet it is very pretty near where Emptybox lives.

Hope you feel like a small snack later Hicky.