The weather turned warm here two days ago at Bellaugello gay guest house in Umbria and the sun is shining.
No more snow, the warm southerly sirocco brought milder conditions and washed away the snow, no more white Christmas! I have been speaking to friends round the world on facebook and am amazed to learn of the attrocious weather in northern europe and the attendant travel problems. People booked on flights had them cancelled, and are now frantically trying train connections. I had two friends affected by the breakdown in the channel tunnel between France and England, which meant one friend travelling by ferry across the channel and complaining at the 16 hour journey to Paris – is that not the way we all used to travel? Friends leaving London for Rome were re-routed via Frankfurt and then Zurich (where I learn they had fun!) and a friend trying to get by plane from London to Scotland had their flight re-routed to Bristol (south west England) and then a bus ride to Edinburgh, oh dear! Friends leaving Umbria for Milano two days ago were turned back at Sansepolcro in southern Tuscany as the main road had turned to sheet ice. I am luck in not having to travel and admire all my guests who have battled valliantly to get here. Fortunately everyone has now arrived here safely for Christmas, we are set to have a lot of fun.