What a week!

We have had continuous snow now for 3 weeks!
Its beautiful but makes you realise just how tough life would have been up here when the house was built! Everyday I have had to dig out the wash house so Barney can get up, then dig out and feed the hens, then dig out the coal bunker and log shed as well as the car!! That's before the day starts properly. The hospital car came early for Paul on monday so at least I know he is safely at James Cook for the week and will get his treatment. Such a relief and if I could manage to sleep I could have a lie in !!
We decided I wouldnt brave the roads and visit to day as I had seen him in the morning and we kept in touch by phone. I had a lazy quilty day which did me good. I managed to get down to Chapel and put in Paul's prescription and get the odds and ends. I remembered my handbag this time so I paid my debts in Stanhope. Sadly when I got home Barney had blotted his copy book by messing in the front room!!! He hasn't done that since he was a puppy! Oh well by the rest of the week a minor disaster!
Tuesday, defrosted and dug out the car ready to visit Paul in Middlesbrough, the roads arent wonderful so I decided to lead walk Barney to encourage him to eat his breakfast as he is being a but fussy about food, boredom and lack of excercise probably, the same for me too!!
Just as I was leaving for the hospital today's disaster struck. No Power! never mind should be ok by the time I get back!!!!! Famous last words.....
By the time I got to Bishop on the way back it was starting to snow, by Stanhope it was definitely snowing, by Chapel it was thick with white roads!!! Carefully crawling up the Dale, counting off the villages and praying I would get home. Cowshill, thick white roads, road closed signs only allowing a single track and pitch black with a blizzard!!!! What a baptism of fire, I steadily crawled up the hill in 2nd gear, desperately trying to see the side of the road and the drifts. Then at the top PANIC..... the plough was turning out of our fork to come down the hill, I had nowhere to go, fortunately he saw me and turned up Allenheads road to allow me to pass. The snow was even deeper and I was terrified I would get stuck but the RAV just kept on going, the relief when I pulled into the ruts on the drive was enormous.
Slight technical hitch meant that indoors I had no phone because there was no electric but I had no signal on the mobile either! so I sat in the car and phoned everyone to let them know I was back safely if a bit shaken.
The fire was still ticking over nicely and as we have a gas hob I could make tea and hot water bottles, I lit all the candles and enjoyed a candlelit evening. The power still wasnt on in the morning but I managed to get a mobile signal upstairs and kept in touch with Paul, we decided that it wouldnt be wise to attempt visiting as the forecast wasnt good. Eventually at 2pm the NEDL man came to reattach me to the National Grid.
Thursday
No major disasters today, except that my wellies have decided not to be wellies any more and to leak!! Oscar decided to venture outside for the first time in weeks and the hens also braved the elements and hid in the chick hut, I thought I had lost them all!
It was good to visit Paul and the staff waive the normal visiting times as they had seen our house on Look North and were most impressed with how remote we are. It meant I could get back in daylight and before the road froze which was brilliant.
Friday - Paul comes home today so I wont visit. Major wash and clean in preparation for his return. Now I should have known better!!! Barney went out to play in the hen and veg runs, he was gone ages, eventually I called him in and he carefully threw up most of a rabbit on the front room carpet! When I shouted at him he obligingly went into the kitchen and threw up the rest!!!!
Once I had cleaned up inside I had to go out an clear up the rabbit remains so that he wouldnt go back out and eat the rest, needless to say when I came in he was casually eating the breakfast he had left all day!! dogs!!
Paul got back about 5.30pm, he had made good time and is looking great, so much better than that first week Thank Goodness. We had a fish pie for tea and he is feeling so well that he ate with me in the kitchen instead of a tray on his lap and he managed his pud straight away!!
It has rained most of today and the temperature has been about 4 degrees so there has been a major thaw. If this keeps up the white stuff will all go quite quickly.
Saturday- leisurely get up knowing we dont have to be ready for transport, chores much easier with two of us! Three eggs, and pavement paths!! Then the snow arrived! Back to white roads and no paths but hopefully it wont last long, then we are due rain.