Ice cold morning

I woke this morning to a frosted world. Each tree branch etched in silver. The ground frozen to a solid rock. My breath made plumes of white air. Snowflakes danced on the air.The hens shivered by the backdoor, but the ducks are imprevious to the cold and went for a bath in the stream, quacking their heads off.
The sky is trying to snow, but whether or not, it actually arrives is another matter.
Yesterday was fraught. Tuppence, one of our cats had to be taken to the vet. For awhile she has had a cloudy eye. In my way, i was sure it was a cataract. However, it had grown and weeping. The vet was kind in that she said evein if I havetaken Tuppence earlier, the outcome would have still been the same. They took her in and she had an immediate operation as the vet was uncertain if she had a brain tumour. Unlike they usually do, I was not premitted to pre-pay. They would give me the bill after the operation, although I did get an estimate. The nurse looked kindly at me. Driving home I disolved in tears. Tuppence has been a part of our lives for nearly 14 years. To make matters worse, the electricity was out at the vets and so I was unable to call and discover how she was. MainlyI shivered under blankets and read. Then finally the vet called to say she had made it through and it was just the glaucoma. No tumour. My dh brought her home. Immediately she demanded food, which is a good sign. And as she is fit and well in everything else, she should recover quickly. At the moment, she is sleeping in the airing cupboard. The other animals won't go near her until the smell of the operation vanishes. But no doubt, she will be out and about soon.
The thoought of how I am going to get her back in the cat carrier for the return journey to the vet is something I am avoiding. She hates the cat carrier...