And still the snow falls

And still the snow falls. It was a beautiful morning and I watched the haar slowly roll in. My back was particularly bad and by mid morning I was in tears. It eased a little as the morning wore on and I managed to get an appointment with the doc - but there's not a lot to be done at the moment. I'm to go back next week if things haven't improved.

Nick took Sam to a New Years's Eve Party in the evening at a farm close by. The roads were terrible and he got stuck twice and a five minute journey ended up taking forty. We were due to spend the evening with friends to celebrate the New Year but decided not to risk the roads and remained at home. We all felt a little flat, but tried to make the best of it and I rustled up some pizza and we settled down to watch a film of the girls choice. Until, that is, the phone rang and our neighbour informed us that the parents of Sam's friend who was having the party had been trying to contact us because Sam was already (the party began at 8pm - this was 9.40pm) how can I put this? A little worse for wear. Off Nick went to retrieve our Son, slowly making his way through the snow again to find him slumped in their kitchen unable to speak or walk properly. Home Sam came, straight to his room where he lay on his bed groaning until he eventually fell asleep. It transpired that having drank a little beer and not feeling any effect quickly enough he decided to drink some Brandy that another friend had smuggled in. Before he knew it his legs had forgotten how to function and he had lost the power of speech.

In the meantime our pizza was burnt, Blue brought a mouse into the cottage and Nick and I wondered how we coukd salvage the evening.

Amazingly just as the bells chimed midnight Sam appeared, far more lucid than before and apologised. The five of us watched the fireworks burst into life above Edinburgh - and strangely I felt so very happy and grateful to be where I am with the family I have.