So it was on Friday. I was rudely woken at 0500 by a text from work saying "Don't bother coming in today - site's closed". ooh - snow day. I can go tobogganing. I excitedly looked out of the window and saw ... er ... nothing.

OK, a small smattering of snow, but it would hardly support a mouse on lolly* sticks, never mind a 13 stone* (ish) man on a sledge. I went back to bed.
Seems that elsewhere in the county, things were a little different. OK, not Northern USA and Canada different, but enough to create blocked roads and skidding cars. Hence the snow day.

I spent most of the day feeling somewhat discombobulated. When I have my regular fortnightly* day off I have plans for it and know what to do with my time. But this day was unexpected. I didn't know what to do.

"Do something constructive" advised Child 3 as she set off for college.
So I did. I constructed the "lego" model (OK, it was a non-proprietary copy of lego) of an ambulance and ambulance station Big Sis had given me when she came over last July. It was most rewarding - even if the instructions made Ikea instructions look like a Janet and John* book. It was a proper model too, with four walls all made from bricks. Not the facades and ready-made components that come in today's packs.

I also wandered to town and had a coffee at our favourite non-chain cafe. I was chatting to the owner (or who I've always assumed is the owner) about the snow day and my general discombobulation. She agreed that a snow day generally throws people into a state of confusion that takes about a week to recover from. I guess running a coffee shop you notice social trends like that.

Child 3 has been following Veganuary this year. Mrs Barefoot and I haven't. Well, sometimes we've joined in. Generally when a vegan meal fitted with, or could be easily adapted from, what we intended to eat.

Sometimes, vegan options aren't too difficult - in fact, sometimes we eat vegan meals "by accident". It just so happens that there are no meat-derived products in the ingredients. Sometimes, a meat dish can be made vegan simply by removing the meat. For example, I made a beef stew one evening, and created a vegan version simply by replacing the beef with lentils. It was so tasty that Child 3 had s second helping.

But other times, the butter or cream or egg adds a certain importance - such as flavour, consistency, or the overall chemistry - of the recipe. And you can't buy anything without have a careful read of the ingredients. I don't have that sort of time.

Basically, I like food - except pineapples and pears. I like to eat a variety of dishes and don't want to be constrained by a self-imposed regime. Sometimes I choose to eat vegetarian; sometimes I choose to eat vegan; and sometimes I choose to eat carnivore. Food is good. All food is good - except pineapples and pears.

Meanwhile, Child 3 is already planning her Lenten fast. The Lenten fast regime is a bit confusing. There are "fast days", "abstinence days" and "semi-abstinence days". Some days you can eat one large meal and two small meals; others you can eat two small meals and one large meal. You can eat meat on any day except on days that you can't. Fish doesn't count as meat except when it does.

Following that she is going to ty Ramadan fasting when, I think, you can eat anything you like as long as it is not in the hours of daylight.

Hmm ... anyone know of a religion where the food regime is "eat whatever you like, whenever you like" that we can latch her on to?

Speaking of stew; I have, after 30 years of trying, finally worked out how to make a beef stew that tastes a bit like the stews my mother used to make.

Coat the beef pieces in flour and fry them. Don't worry too much that some of the flour sticks t the base of the pan, but keep stirring it to prevent burning. Add some seasoning and stuff (cos it's the beef we want to season, not the sauce)., then add a good quantity of red wine - in stages. The acidity of the wine lifts the flour from the pan. Keep stirring and you get a nice thick gravy. Now you can add the the vegetables and water.

Mrs Barefoot is playing the piano at church today, which means we get a sneak preview of what we will be singing. She was a little coy when she came back from the practice* on Tuesday, other than a hint that I will know some of the songs.

All was revealed when she practised* at home last night.

"Here's one you will recognise*"
"Noooooo! Not 'Shine Jesus Shine'"

She knows how much I dislike that one. Seems I'm not alone. The music group leader found an excuse to go to the toilet when they were practising* that one on Tuesday.

I went to provide first aid at the university sports ground yesterday (I was going to go to Eastleigh Football* Club but that match was cancelled ). The rest of the first aid team were university students.

"have you ever been to the sports ground before?" I was asked.

I gave a withering look and said: "I was playing rugby here before you were born"

In a rare display of domestic helpfulness (and to atone for previous misdemeanours), Child 2 offered to hang the washing on the airer (we don't use driers in the Barefoot household if we can avoid it).

He came back ten minutes later: "wow, that was really difficult, trying to fit everything on. Do you have to do that every time you do washing?"

Another Brexit idiocy: For some years, vehicle licence plates have been available with 'GB' added at one end, and this saves having to place an extra 'GB' sticker on the car when you drive in other EU countries. From Brixit day, if the GB on the licence plate is superimposed on a European flag it will not be valid, but if it isn't, it will be.

*OK, some translations for the non British-English speakers: