We have now had our first taste of winter.  The clocks have been wound back and hour, the guisers have been – to those you of from south of the border ‘guisers’ are Halloween Trick or Treaters – and Guy Fawkes night has gone off with a bang.

Beautiful but very cold!

It was the perfect night for a bonfire, a lovely crescent moon, clear skies and millions of stars shining overhead.  Of course, the clear skies meant that it was a very cold night and the next morning the windows were covered in stunning frost ferns contrasted against the chill blue sky and sunshine.  Absolutely gorgeous.

But lets not be lulled into a false sense of optimism for the coming winter.  By all accounts there is some serious weather on the way.

We have just finished unpacking our second, yes, second of the season already, delivery of ice grips for shoes.  This year, after a lot of research we have gone for an ice grip from the USA – where they really know a thing or two about serious waeather – Yaktrax Walkers are ice grips that fit on over your normal shoe or boot to provide extra traction for snowy and icy conditions.  The clever part is the hand coiled rustproof metal spring that provides the grip.  So no sharp studs to replace.

They are really easy to pull on and quick to take off when you enter a building or a vehicle.  We love them, and judging by how fast they are jumping off the shelves we will be placing another order very soon, and with any luck, before the snow comes.

Are we in for more of this?

It’s been a long, cold and white winter here in Edinburgh. That has meant many keen golfers have been under their wives’ (or husbands’) feet for many weeks. Many golf courses are still under snow, believe it or not, and it has been a frustrating time for lots of golfers and their other halves!

Uncle H has had a back problem for many years, it has affected his whole life, but he refuses to let it be a major problem. The golf course being closed for so long has been a BIG problem though. Read more »