Ice ice baby!

Jings I'm showing my age, that was released in 1990!
https://youtu.be/rog8ou-ZepE
I was already too old to listen to it then!
Cold again this morning but for the first time in about a week the slabs outside the back door were not covered in heavy white frost.
I heard a lot of chirping outside the window this morning, two female blackbirds were making a lot of noise by the pond which is largely frozen over. I took them out a bowl of warm water and put it on the grass on some cardboard to stop it freezing too quickly. While I was out I topped up the bird feeders and threw some bread on the grass for those wot prefer their food that way! I did laugh at myself as I realised I was cutting it into nice regular cubes for them - get a life Sally!
I had a look at the pond while I was there and realised that the beautiful clear splashes at the edges of the thawed area were in fact beautifully clear, thick ice. In my thumbnail image the area to the left is about 12 inches long and 4-5 inches thick and the splash of water going down to the left of the leaf, is in fact an icicle. The thawed area is circled at water level with thick ice in wonderful shapes and patterns. It must have been really cold to freeze moving water like that.
An hour later the water I'd put out was already heavily frozen and the bread all gone.
Our cleaner came today, I was so excited! She won't be back till the end of January but from then she's going to come every week, I feel like a little girl with a big treat. I was a bit disappointed that she didn't tell me what a lovely tidy house I had, how ridiculous is that?
Baby sitting for the girls this evening as my own two girls were going out together to a beer and carols service at Ps & Gs. Katy goes regularly but Ali doesn't. This is the second year they've gone, so I'm really pleased.
Katy has had a tough week, this is her week as consultant of the week so she doesn't get her 4 day week (which is her normal part time post) but has to work all 7. The little girls made me proud today too as they'd asked to go to after school club on this extra day so that they could go carol singing to a nearby care home. Isobel had particularly hoped that it might be the one which their elderly neighbour had moved to, but sadly not. I thought that was pretty perceptive for a six year old.
Child again tonight as I came home just after 10pm but thankfully I didn't have to scrape the car before leaving Katy's. Think it will be frozen again in the morning though as its already -4°. Its his to snow tomorrow, fingers crossed its not too bad, I've got a lot planned including a much looked forward to massage!
Thanks for dropping by folks and for your comments and stars, I don't say often enough how much I appreciate them and look forward to reading your comments. Stay warm if you can.