Thank goodness April is here!

Normally, in other years, I’ve only to hear the word ’April’ and thoughts of Spring immediately arise: golden daffodils, nesting birds, lambs making incredible leaps of joy, and so on. However, this year has been different – snow, snow, and yet more snow. Living the rural life, one is accustomed to not only appreciating the beauty of the snow, but one is also aware of the inevitable limitations it brings: the practical problem of not being able to get out. And also its danger.

Coming back from a little shopping trip in the small village near me, the road was wet and icy and it was beginning to snow. Accompanied by my grandson, the car started to slip. The last part of the journey to my house is down a steep hill, with a sheer drop on the right, down from trees to a plain far below. Suddenly, the car went through the wire fence and was only stopped by two stout trees. We were on the edge of a precipice. It began snowing hard. It was obvious we needed a tractor to pull us back on to the road. We thought of neighbours’ telephone numbers and, after a long wait with night approaching, marvellously one appeared with a JCV digger and two men. The manoeuvring to get us off the edge was as frightening as the accident itself. Both of us remained calm. Oh, to have friends! Yet you can see, dear reader, that we have survived or I wouldn’t be writing this for you!

The moral of the story is a) to listen to the weather forecast, b) not to go out in the snow, and c) if you do venture out, make sure you put snow chains on the car tyres first!!

Thank goodness that April is here!