I like snow. Even after 6 years un the UK it remains a novelty, back home snow was something you only ever got on Christmas cards. The record low temperature in the closest town to where I grew up is 0.4°C (oddly the record high according to Wikipedia is 39.9°C but I’m pretty certain I recall temperatures above 40°C at the hight of summer).

I expect the locals in the UK think me a bit mad, as at this time of year I desire snow and wish for it.  When it falls I love it and love being out in it, next best to cycling on a beautiful clear sunny day is cycling on fresh snow (if not too deep!) The sound of the snow under the tyres, the brightness of the landscape, it’s mesmerising. Cycling while snow is falling is slightly less pleasant of course, but preferable to cycling in the rain. I’m still cycling in shorts at the moment, I think Thursday was my coldest commute ever with the temperature apparently being about -8°C. My bare legs were perfectly OK after the 40 minute cycle to the office, albeit me toes were bloody freezing!

I’m 33 today, my that feels ancient… not meaning to take the piss out of any older folk of course. Did you feel the same as your 30s progressed? I don’t think I started thinking of myself as an adult until I was 30, though I’m still not sure I consider myself “grown up”. Still rash, quick to judge, and anger – but not at all set in my ways or thoughts. I’ll argue something passionately for an hour, then flip-flop an hour later after further thought or research. I don’t think there is much wrong with being wrong, mostly it is trivialities anyway, so long as you’re always willing to learn and accept that you were wrong about things.

Today we wandered down to the Bushel Box, our local farm shop, for espresso and fruit and vege. As a special treat I bought some Seville oranges with the intention of making a little marmalade. They’re imported from Spain, of course, but that isn’t all that far for an orange to travel. The farm shop is now making extremely good espresso too, using beans roasted by Cambridge’s Hot Numbers café – who seem to have become quite good at the artscience of roasting. We then wandered to the local butcher where there was a hare, for £8 too, so I just had to buy that. As a special treat we also picked up a nice thick t-bone which I BBQed for lunch, in the snow, I recommend it.

I like it here but one thing is certain, I’m definitely not about to “settle down”. I doubt I ever will.

Here’s my Willycam, currently showing Willingham in the snow.