Just a one-a light-a bulb-o...Give it to me?

We were excited, we were just about packed, we had sorted out pet care, we had googled things to do...we didn't anticipate the 6 inches of show that fell, onto the existing snow - overnight before a carefully calculated 5.40 am drive to the airport for a weekend away in Venice.

Ho hum, I woke, I drank coffee, I dug out the car and swept off the all new 6 inches of snow from the car roof. Then loaded up the car and walked the dogs...what's missing? Oh yes, the shower had to go. Pity anyone sat next to me on the plane...oh, it's just family, that's ok!

A bit sweaty, but relieved we arrive to sunshine and a warm welcome from the Italian border control. Although I suspect border control people from all over the world go to the same training course. Training day 2: "No matter how much the visitors try to engage you with their very bad attempts at saying hello in your spoken language, do not smile or respond under any circumstances" It's a finely honed skill I've developed to see through the training to recognise the glimmer of warm welcome.

I purchase a 'plastic map' and some vaparetto tickets from a newspaper stand. Leanne has admitted that my Italian is better than hers (thanks to an iphone app) but I think this is a ruse to make me do all the transactions. The vaparetto is fun and we arrive at St Marks, equipped with a map and a desire to check in quickly and find food, it was getting on and breakfast was ages ago in a different country.

However, our destination appeared not to have an actual street name, just a proximity. It's 100 meters from this theatre, if you see this shop, you are quite close...a little like a treasure hunt really. Quite exciting UNLESS you are three fairly strong minded individuals with very low blood sugar and one has a desire to pee. We were a little frantic, careering up and down tiny streets, being accosted by people trying to sell us handbags, reaching dead ends...eventually a lone gondolier driver (?) seemed to appear and offer us assistance. It seemed we had been unknowingly circumnavigating our destination a few times, it was quite obvious where it was when we got there.

It was all worth it, the light fitting in our room was well worth the hike, stress, low blood sugar and mild bickering experienced to get there. We were all mesmerised. One bulb was out, but 9 out of 10 ain't bad.

Snow cat

Snowwwwwwwww

Time for sledging and a family trip out into the fields. Me:  “Maisie what are you doing?” Maisie “I’m just putting on my third pair of socks” Needless to say it took us a little while to get out the door, fortunately we could still fit out of the door. Suitable attired as michelin men, the family, the dogs and the cat headed for the hills, sledge in tow, mission, to slide. 

The cat frequently accompanies us on walks round the village, today she decided to venture further and follow us into the fields. She was hilarious, attempting to avoid the snow by mainly traveling by wall. The puppy however transformed herself into a snow attracting ball of woolliness, she has developed a passion for bulldozing the snow along with her nose. Such talented pets, I’m sure we should be on the next relevant TV show.

We arrive, we sedately, graciously, expertly slide down the hill. Not that easy it turned out as it was virgin snow, after a little bit of compacting the going was fair to good. The cat was a little perplexed at our activities. She spent quite sometime sitting on the wall meowing. The puppy spent the entire time running up and down the hill, tirelessly monitoring the sledge, the big dog, and the occasional dash after the cat. 

By this time, the wind was biting, the snow was increasing in it’s intensity and there was a general consensus that it was time to return to the gas fire. The cat seems relieved, and leads the way, her tail made as fluffy as was cattily possible.

In the front door, the hopping around on one leg trying to disentangle dog leads wellies, scarves, hats and the cat. We eventually strip down to a single layer of clothing. The puppy bagged a spot by the fire (not before leaving a trail of slightly fluffy balls of snow in her wake), the big dog flopped onto his bed. There’s a knock on the door...does Maisie want to come sledging says a friend..Oh yes please - I’ll just get dressed, now where did I put my socks. 

The cat stayed home.