OK - So how've you been?

Been a while since I posted but that's largely due to the fact that we've been busy - pretty much buried under almost 2 feet of snow here at Nortoner Towers. I've been getting plenty of exercise - shovelling snow and walking to and from work!

Here's why my car stayed on the drive for nearly two weeks:

More pictures of the snow are here -

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2010%20NovDec%20Sheffield%20Snow/

There's been no proper football to take pictures of since Belper's 4-2 defeat at Kidsgrove on 20th November (I don't regard Premier League as "proper" but I do include Barcelona 5 - 0 Real Madrid because that was a cracking game and a great result!)

Anyway - we got to the Duchess' hospital consultation by cab - and the effort was worth it. The consultant told her all seems fine and she should get rid of the crutches (to be fair - she's only been using one crutch for a while now) and he told her he'll see her in 12 months! To celebrate, we took a bus into Sheffield (that bus pass has taken some hammer this last couple of weeks!) and she enjoyed a wander around the shops - did a bit of Christmas shopping too.

The Duchess told me later that she felt as if she'd been "let loose." She'd been pretty much "confined to barracks" since the snow started and was getting a bit "stir crazy!"

Nothing else to report really - I will avoid comments on the student protests - I know what I think but am not really in the mood to comment because if you get me started........

The good news is that my son and daughter-in-law are planning to spend Christmas in Sheffield! If the snow stays away, they'll drive down from Rotterdam to Calais on Friday afternoon, December 17th and catch a ferry across to Dover. Lay up overnight and then drive up to Sheffield on Saturday. They're staying until the 27th. Good innit?

All we need to do now is get the Christmas shopping done - the Duchess ain't happy cos she likes to be organised by now - it's me who does it all last minute!

We made a start on the shopping yesterday in Sheffield and plan to nip down to Chesterfield this afternoon to do a bit more. Because of the weather over the last 2 weeks, the Meadowhall Centre has announced they will be staying open until midnight until Christmas. Not sure we'll risk it but as a last resort - it's an option.

OK - Archers Omnibus nearly done - sausage sandwich next and then off to Chessie to see whats happening there. Hopefully parking will be free as it is in Sheffield on Sundays.

More follows when I get the chance!