Washing the snow away

It is hard to believe, when you wake up and it's -10C outside, that within the space of a mere 12 hours the temperature will shoot up to +4C and that rain will pour down. Yet the forecasters were 100% right this time. Yesterday evening it began to rain, and it's rained all night. After four days where the temperature did not exceed -10C, the big thaw has arrived. Lifting fears that we would be unable to get to the UK for Xmas.

The Internet is a wonderful thing. I discover that yesterday's flight chaos at London Luton has eased, with the early flights from Poland coming in a few minutes ahead of schedule. I also find out that the snows which covered much of England yesterday are being washed away by rain, as they are here in Warsaw. No chance, then, of being trapped on a snowy motorway in stationary traffic (in England there's no such thing as winter tyres, so a spoonful of snow and traffic slides to a halt). It also means I can leave heavy-duty winter clothing behind and dress, as usual, for extreme drizzle, which is likely to accompany us for the next few days in England.

Right: Bedraggled jackdaw on the cherry tree in our garden. It been sitting here for a few minutes, shaking itself off, a flurry of feather and water. Looking thoroughly disgruntled, it eyed the fields with some hope that the retreating snows will reveal to eat.

Below: We fly into London Luton - and hey! look! snow! Never seen this before - flying into a snowbound England - even at Xmas.

Bedfordshire in the snow! Our hire car was covered in eight inches of the stuff when we picked it up at the airport. Of course, when it was returned, the eagle-eyed attendant discovered a minute scratch on the bonnet. Worth having fully comp insurance on your hire car in England in winter - plus they don't come with winter tyres!