An interesting week. Clifford was off school all week because the school was closed due to the snow and he got loads of maths done . His future looks very promising and Miles is impressed with his work although I will have to make sure his exam technique matches his developing maths brain. It's no good learning all this maths and physics if you can't do it in the exams. On Thursday afternoon I took the lads sledging in Durham when there were huge snow showers blowing across the city. I had a walk around the very cold town and the clear colour of the River Wear was amazing because of all the snow melt water in it . In spite of all of the Pennine passes being closed including the one at Wearhead snow has been melting into the streams due to the sheer weight of the snow which raises the temperature at the bottom of the pile and so it comes pouring out . A sort of mini glacier effect! Anyway it looked very pretty. Going around the Cathedral was magical and there were only 4 people in the place and no one at the East End so I tried out my countertenor singing and was amazed how much it just filled the space and I could hear it echoing back from the West End. Cathedrals truly are places to sing in !

When I got back to the lads after 90 minutes they were having a great time and didn't get as wet as last time . After a slippy ride home Miles being Miles after tea wanted to skateboard at RKade in Redcar 25 miles over to the coast. He had a good time there but only did 90 minutes because he ( for once ) got quite chilled. I don't think he is quite over the cold bugs yet . A nice constructive week delighted up by the presence of Fo working at the kitchen table getting her planning and preparation done . Teachers : I love 'em! But I particularly love one of them!