Cold, wet, snowy

So, another cold, wet snowy day.  I woke up and reluctantly got out of bed.  Walking through to the bathroom, I was deciding what I could spend the day doing, when my future was decided for me and I was faced with this:

This is for anyone feeling nostalgic for children who have flown the nest.  George boards during the week and comes home at weekends - so, no, this isn't a term's worth of washing, it isn't even a week, it's just five days!!!  And he hasn't just thrown it all on the floor - the linen basket is full as well.
And, naturally, in amongst the mound were one or two things still folded and ironed from last week's wash.

As I went  to let out the chickens this morning, my friend who has been appearing for the last couple of weeks was watching as usual:

(It was hard to take a picture through the snow).  He perches on the fence post at the bottom of the field first thing in the morning and then again as night falls.  I think the rest of the time he stays in the barn.