Snowed in

You don't really expect snow on your Easter holidays. If you did, you wouldn't book a cottage that's several miles down an unadopted road.

You know how I feel about snow and ice anyway, so you'll understand that I was slightly perturbed by forecasts of the white stuff for today. I stocked up, though and had these romantic notions of how being snowed in would work. We'd gather round the table playing Ludo and having some great family fun.

What did not feature in my idyllic fantasy was the thought that we might lose the power as well. All the locals will have alternative methods of heating and cooking - but not us in our rented cottage.

I dealt with it by basically refusing to get out of bed and had a very relaxing morning reading my book (One Day, by David Nicholls. Very good, if you're interested.)

They will hopefully have the power restored by now - the last phone call from the cottage rental company suggested it would be back on by 3. I am very grateful to the people who are working out in extremely unpleasant conditions to make that happen.

We eventually made a break for freedom when it started to get really cold and headed in to Inverness to sister's. I don't think I've ever anticipated or enjoyed a cup of tea so much in my life. Although there was comparatively little snow at the cottage itself - more than icing sugar, but not that much really - the road out was intereting in places and the hailstones started as we were driving along.

There's a fair old bit of snow in Inverness itself. The real reason we are here is for my sister's wedding which takes place on Sunday so I hope to goodness that somebody puts Jack Frost back in his box before then. The plan is to have the photos taken outside, so warm and dry weather would be appreciated. Whatever the elements throw at us, though, will not dampen our spirits on a very special day.