The sky is blue. The snow is white. That's why God's a Wednesdayite!

I was desperate to get out into the sunshine on Friday but had to wait in for Richard's new phone to be delivered.  They confidently stated that they would give me an hour window at the beginning of the day.  When the text came it said that the phone would be delivered between 7am and 8pm, so not QUITE the hour then!

Rich was working until 3pm by which time it would be getting cold and cloudy!  Aaaargh.  Luckily they arrived at 1.30 so I was dressed and out by 2pm.  It was well worth the wait.  Pure heaven. 

I decided to head up to my old stomping ground of Hazelbadge (the massive field at the end of my old road where I used to walk the dogs nearly every day).  I knew the snow would be deep up there but thought the local dog walkers would have beaten down a track by now.  Erm, not so much!

There was a series of footprints heading halfway up the hill where the kids had been sledging but it was still knee deep and pleasingly crunchy.

But before we were even halfway up the hill, the footprints dwindled to one set.  It was knee deep and hard work but achingly beautiful.

The stunning Win Hill with Bradwell nestling in the foreground.

The single set of footprints had been wiped out by now so we were on our own. Minty forged on ahead of me, leaping like a dolphin, 2 pawed.  It must have been incredibly hard work for her.  Shelagh is a much wiser old girl and tucked in behind me taking advantage of my footprints.

Once we reached the brow of the hill, a stunning swathe of the aptly named White Peak lay before us.  The light was amazing, glancing off the wind-frozen snow making it look like polished silver.

And as we headed down hill Hazelbadge farm appeared, nestled in the fold of the Dale with the road to Tideswell snaking off behind it.

At the bottom of the hill was a track of tractor treads.  Minty went a bit crazy smearing herself into the compacted snow grunting to herself.

We cross the main road, avoiding the snarling and leaping farm dogs and headed up this lovely bridlepath

At the top of the track we turn right back towards Bradwell on a quiet (and almost impassable for cars) country lane.

This is one of the many fields that Minty loves to chase swallows in. Not today.

I wonder if that's what she's thinking about??

We met some old adversaries from the village.  They are usually high above us on their garden wall barking like crazy.  This time though the Weimeraner on the right proved to be a timid mouse!  Minty had a bark but kept her distance.

The sun is dipping and the clouds are appearing so I'm very pleased to have had the hour of blue skies.

Kids sledging on Hazelbadge over the valley.

Now we're back in the village with Bradwell Edge looming above us.

What a walk.  It made my heart sing to be honest which might sound cheesy but is no more than the truth.

In other news, the scales are co-operating a little better.  They have reverted back to the 0.4lb drop.  Woo hoo.....she says some what sarcastically.  Still, I might see a small drop at official weigh in tomorrow provided I stick to my guns when yesterday I was fearing a gain! Maybe next week I will risk NO daily weighing??  I'm not sure.  The gains have sort of motivated me to be extra vigilant.  Might not weighing in allow my chimp to become complacent.  I'm afeared of the dreaded complacency.  But I haven't enjoyed the feeling of being at the mercy of the scales either.  Oooh, I don't know...