A Snow Day, A Lazy Day

A day of cold winds and heavy, wet snow; fat flakes in with the rain this morning, falling slush, lethargic and disinterested.  A dusting of snow on the higher ground between here and Knighton and I could see snow on the Radnor hills - the sheep-hills of the Radnor Forest - at the end of the valley. 

A bitty day and I didn't get out until dusk at about 4pm; the roadsides pounded mud-slush, caked and stiff, the familiar dark cream colour of the summer dusts.  The Christmas lights have been switched on in Presteigne; elegant strings of old-fashioned coloured lights across the streets and small lights around the shop windows, intensifying the darkness not dispelling it. We looked at scarves, and old books, and condolence cards; went to the library, saw friends briefly in their house, a hullabaloo of children and preparations for tea.  Home the longer way through the dark country lanes, ice on the puddles,broken ice lying in the road, frozen mud.  A cold day in Presteigne, a stiff wind, and we didn't stay out long.