There's not much that will motivate me to go tramping through a lot of snow and cold and wet for hours on end just for fun. Not even the fairly desparate need to burn off a teensy bit of the non-stop feasting from spending 15 months on the road.
But throw me a camera and the mere hope of a few good shots enroute, AND a promise of textbook-thick Argentinean ribeye with a side of morcilla and melty provolone at the end of the trek... well... get yer boots on.
I'm resigned to the fact that after just 2 years of marriage (Did I say 2 years? Wow that went by quick) my buttons to press are hopelessly obvious to Babs.
And so this past Saturday I find myself bundled up in a swath of silly, and forging my way forth into a bleedin' Blighty blizzard.
(Thanks for er... lending me the hat, Melf. I hope my giant head didn't stetch it too much...)
Here are the photos I liked enough to share with you lovely folks. Happy solstice!
Argentinean steak however... I'm less good at sharing...
A good chunk of our walk cut through Hampstead Heath from west to east. The pristine snow really made it feel like we'd walked out of the country altogether, into the realm of the Brothers Grimm. If I leave a trail of breadcrumbs, will I eventually find a gingerbread house, I wonder...
The view when you slip and fall on your bum. Or when you're making a snow angel. In fact, if do you slip and fall on your bum, start snow angel-making motions immediately. Then people will think you're down on the ground on purpose.
Less convincing when you're on an icy city sidewalk when you're on your way to work. But you catch my snowdrift.
A couple of those "can you see the forest for the trees" moments...
And here, a view of water.
Deer leaders.
All that nibbling is making me hungry! Time to push on eastwards to Hackney for some steakity steak steak steak. Vamos!
And so I leave you with my most heartfelt season's greetings. May these photos of a snowy Saturday find a small place in your hearts, after you've emerged from your justifiably bad moods of being stranded at (take-your-pick) airport and train station.
