Dreich.........

Today has been utterly dreich (pronounced: dreech, with the 'ch' soft as in loch)

Dreich is a wonderfully descriptive word of old Scots origin meaning a combination of dull, overcast, drizzly, cold, misty and miserable weather.

The sun hasn't shown itself all day, and at just 4.30pm it's now almost dark.

Small dog has been shivering till her teeth chatter, and despite her warm, fleecy jumper, has retired to the warmth of her duvet, snuggled right up close against the radiator. I think she's a bit put out that we didn't take the hint when she's been sitting on the hearth gazing mournfully into the unlit gas fire. However small dog doesn't pay the bills, and now that Russia is cutting Europe's gas supplies off perhaps it's time she toughened up a bit.

It's hard to be creatively inspired on day's like this, when the urge is to curl up on the sofa, swaddled in a fleecy blanket, accompanied by a small, furry hot water bottle, watching old films on TV.
However I have given it my best shot.........the creative inspiration bit, by attempting to work out the best way to make a chassis for my little prototype pram. Ideally I'd like it to have three wheels. The back two are easy, but the front one, which I want to be steerable, is more problematical. I know how it should be done, but finding just the right bits and pieces to make it feasible is something else.

But the natural light has completely gone now, and in the absence of any of inventive, eureka moments, I'm tempted to call it a day and surreptitiously sneak into the sitting room, very quietly turn on the gas fire, retire to the warm, cosy nest of a fleece blanket and count how many seconds it takes small dog to realise that nirvana awaits.