Have just discovered that by cutting in half really thick long socks and placing these around my shoes I can walk without slipping on the ice! I shall have to buy some knitting needles and thick hairy wool to make a more elegant pair of "snow shoes". This morning the temperature dropped to minus 8.6C and it is still way below freezing and foggy at the time of typing. Husband is snuffling and snorting with a heavy cold - it is like living with a very disgruntled growling dog (just like the dog in Ardman's "Shaun The Sheep") !!