Another wild wet and cold morning in West Cumbria, even the cat's asleep on our bed, perhaps showing a bit more sense than some people.

Visited town this morning to get some cat biscuits, it's bedlam despite the rain, shops full of festive shoppers buying lots of seasonal goods.

Dinner today is to be the meat from two ham shanks, the bones and trimmings will be slow cooked for several hours to make the stock necessary for the best lentil soup, good warming fare.