The forecast for the weekend says maximum minus 4, minimum minus 7, chance of snow 50%. When we were in England in October, the early arrival of Siberian geese was seen as a portent of a fierce european winter. Imagine flying south for the winter and the south is England! We hope they're right.
We are back in our cosy Dordrecht apartment, central heating apumping. The gloves, scarves, beanies, coats and thermals are on. Caity has a beanie that would make an excellent tea-cosy. I foolishly pointed this out to her. Naively, we think we are ready for anything. I have seen serious coats in the shops here that are unlike anything in Australia. They scare me.
While we were in Italy, where we were warm, winter was taking hold here. The trees are mostly leafless, the light is watery and the air has bite. The harbour and its old boats are settling in for the winter.
The shops are ready for Sinterklaas and zwarte piet, Holland's version of father christmas, with his black helper, who have journeyed by steamship from Spain. I kid you not! There are fantastic marzipan sweets, facsimiles of fruit, pigs and other things that are absolutely beautiful.
Mark and Ellen have arrived; Les and boys are in Paris for the rugby and will land here Sunday.
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