Woke up Monday to the sound of rain at our peak district cottages which I worried might turn the drive into an ice rink but somehow with the temperature just above freezing a thaw was setting in.  Three cottages departed leaving us empty for a few days and with time for a final push of jobs in the cottages. Oil was delivered although the driver had two attempts at getting into the courtyard. I then worried that the dustcart wouldn’t make it up the drive, but it did, as did the laundry van and post van as by late morning the sun came out and the thaw continued.  One cleaner up and Chris had some jobs to do including fixing a dislodged down pipe.  I spent the afternoon around the cottages before phoning a friend.  After dinner Chris went off to the Bakewell Photographic Society where the guest speaker was a well known local photographer and Chris bought one of her books which has some good shots.  I should have gone to the Village Hall Committee meeting but cried off because the lane to the hall could be icy (it does not get salted) so paid this months bills instead!

Before I forget here are January’s weather stats.
Highest temp 9.5 deg C on 3/1, lowest -2.1 deg C on 15/1
Warmest day 11th Jan, and that night the warmest too
Coldest day 31st  with night of 14th the coldest (windchill of -5.9 on 31/1)
Rain 4.51 in with 3/1 wettest with 1.11 in. (Jan 2011 2.28 in)