WE'RE BACK!!

And it wasn't good!
The road through the village is still bad, even though it has been cleared to an extent. Getting down to Morpeth was okay, with care. People were slipping and sliding around on the pavements and Morpeth was very quiet really, apart from in Morrisons where everyone seemed to be stocking up for a siege.
It would appear that we are having something of a thaw now. Lots of dripping from the gutters, but freezing again on contact with the path. Could be pretty treacherous later.
Yet again, Charles is digging. This time he's attacking the top end of the drive in an attempt to free the merc after 5 days of being snow bound.
While in Morpeth we met up with James and his friend Tom who lives in Thropton, up the valley from Rothbury. He hasn't been able to get home since this started! (although this may have been a blessing in disguise as he told me in all seriousness that, had his whole family been cooped up together for this length of time, someone would probably have committed murder by now!) Conversely, James's flatmate is the pharmacist in Rothbury. He's had to be picked up and transported to work and is being put up in the hotel there for the duration! Poor lad - bet his mobile bill is HUGE this week - except he won't be able to get a signal in the valley there!!!