FastFreddy2

An American word? I'm in England, so still don't know what it means ... Google says a 'former pupil'?

I have no idea what that means.

Having read the article in the link, I'm completely underwhelmed. I can see why/how the media might be interested. I can also understand why I wouldn't recognise her, and why she might be wearing that outfit ... I know the name, but don't recognise her. Loving the boots though.

Thanks for clearing that up. I doubt I'm the only one misunderstanding though? Since it's quite a nice concept, perhaps some mention of it on the web site sometime in the future? We all like back-stories.

The first attractive lady is Heidi Klum who was/is a 'model' but has done just about everything there is to do in the entertainment world. She is currently a judge on America's Got Talent, and I'd suggest she is well placed to be one. Her bio says she's had 6 Emmy nominations. The second image ... I think she might be off one of those "reality" shows, that bears no resemblance to any reality you or I have known. She's media "click bait".

This look, "not so much" ....

Hello, and good luck with the venture. I understand 'why' the name of the company (I think), but is it grammatically correct? 'Angry' Sword? I'm more used to reading 'crossed swords' as the business moniker, or 'cross swords' (argue or fighting) though I'm sure Puffer will correct me if I'm mistaken. (Usually can stop himself. ) Had a look at the shoes, and the front of them look very masculine as is probably intended. Don't know I'm ready to show off a heel yet, but I hope the business takes off.

Shiny leg wear [tick] High heel patent courts [tick] Older woman [tick] I'm not a fan, but she's slim, attractive, and knows how to get attention.

Yes. £1250 for a pair of 'off the peg' boots, and they charge £7 for delivery!

Not a big fan of the "shoulder" detail, but them's proper high heels. (She's young [and light] enough to wear them to the V.F. party, and keep them on.)

Outfit suitable for the 90th year of the Oscar Awards?

Did we get out of bed the wrong side? She doesn't smile when cameras are around because she's embarrassed by her teeth. As for 'trollop', she's a happily married wife and mother. She's well-off, because she was in the right place at the right time, and she also married someone who worked hard to get to the top of his game. I think they are both excellent role models. Hard work, dedication, rewarded. She hasn't sat on her success either. She's working hard in the fashion world to build up Brand Beckham. They both do good work for charities too. Many Brits don't like success stories (often resent them in fact), but Americans have a different view altogether. No wonder they live over there.

Today (Sunday) after 6 or 7 hours of rain yesterday evening and a rise in temperature this morning, ALL the snow around here - gone. Hard to compare today with the scene only two days ago. Why do Brits spend so much time talking about the weather? Because we see so much of it. Time to start planning a trip out in heels.

Given up living dangerously then?

Puffer, is that you? (Looking very ripped for a man of your years if it is! )

The folk up in Newcastle have a reputation for being 'hardy' in adverse weather .... Here's proof. I vaguely remember being immune to the cold too, but usually after I'd had some alcohol grade "anti-freeze".

All is not lost ..... Mrs Beckham was able to leave the crutches behind as she left the destination airport in the US later.... Seen out later in the day ....

If not the coldest, certainly one of the coldest starts to Spring on record. A horse rider has a novel way of keeping her face warm(ish) despite the freezing conditions .... (This is a legwear thread? ) Trainer Lawney Hill poses for a photograph as she wears tights over her face to keep out the cold in Tetsworth today

On the other hand ..... And then it started snowing in earnest...... 3 hours of continuous snow has around a further inch settled on the ground. A recent absence of gritting (too cold) means few people can travel faster than 30 mph on the motorway, and in town driving, seems to have a top speed of 10 mph - both with good cause. Drive faster, and the vehicles ability to navigate corners seems to diminish, and heavy accelerator use gets the car dancing across the road. It's warmer, and the snow is 'wetter', and I've finally seen the first gritter out since earlier in the week. It's times like this, having 'hermit' tendencies becomes an asset. Food stocks are good enough to keep me and Mrs Freddy at home if needs be, until Sunday or Monday. There was some social activity arranged for Saturday or Sunday, but this will be postponed until later in the week. Sounds like I'm a bit reluctant to venture out after a little snow? Yesterday around 3.45pm I pulled over on a motorway slip road because I'd just passed a car on its roof and spotted a driver climbing out of a rear window. As I reversed back up the ramp, the driver ran out and indicated he was okay, so I went on my way. On my return journey, the police were in attendance so someone else had reported what I didn't. Driving conditions are much worse today .... Makes sense to take extra care. 10pm .... Snow has stopped, and we have our 5cms of fresh snow.

Weatherman says it's snowing across the whole of the South, 1-5cm of snow everywhere, unless frozen rain arrives instead. Up here (in the noorf) we have a frozen rain/sleet combo. Bit like white hail, with rain. Odd. Weatherman says we should be back into positive figures by Sunday, around a balmy 7 or 8 degrees C. Yay!

You'll need it tomorrow I think.

Apparently storm Emma is coming up from Portugal, and is going to meet the cold wind from Siberia. They are expected to collide along the South West and South coast over the next day or so. Not that'll it hang around where you are, but it'll be around long enough for you to make a snowman.

Talking to a friend who lives in Wimbledon last night, says he has seen -7' C over the last couple of days.... He's a heating engineer, and he's been very busy over the last couple of weeks. He was telling me this weather puts a lot of strain on boiler that are near the end of their working life. (I reminded him of my Christmas ordeal.) Apparently, one of the most common problems, (20+ reported during one night alone) is frozen condensate outlets. As some of you may know, modern central heating boilers produce liquid (water) during their burning process. This is piped away from the boiler via a fairly small tube, usually of white plastic construction. If this pipe is routed somewhere unheated before it reaches a drain, drips of "condensate" (water to you and me) can freeze, leading to a blocked condensate outlet. When the boiler senses this is blocked, it will shut off. No heating! Properly installed systems shouldn't suffer with this problem, but .... Plainly, some installers are taking a gamble that poor weather won't last long enough, nor become so cold, this pipe in an unheated position would block. I can't remember the last time we had continuously cold weather for 10 or so weeks, and I'm not looking forward to this quarters gas bill ..... It will not make good reading ... Even worse for those with a call-out fee added for a heating engineer to provide a hair dryer for an hour or so.

I think things are improving .... Only -4.5' C this morning .... We have been lucky so far. It snowed for a couple of hours last night, but didn't amount to anything. Motorway this morning was unusually clear of traffic? Some nasty weather moving up from the South, and several here will be seeing some pretty bad weather. Looks like some serious snow followed by frozen rain, making road journeys particularly hazardous. It's been snowing here for the past hour, but it's the powdery stuff that needs days of continuous downfall to produce any depth. It's the same stuff that compacts easily, turning unsalted roads into skating rinks.

Another day, another story of photography in the snow. (Rather him than me.) This 8 minute clip has very little "photo" business in it, but I found it quite entertaining anyway.