I am so glad winter is short here! I wanna go outside and play too! PJ

Hello again, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help! To start with the "Lord", you 're absolutely right about the 's'; also, "deer" rhymes with "year" and "night" with "light", so it is by far better this way. Thank you. :-) About "wintriness": I found this word in Roget's Thesaurus (Penguin). Another great dictionary I use (which is downloadable and completely free) is "The Sage". You can find it here: http://www.sequencepublishing.com/thesage.html As for the expressions "I really got frightened" and "what have you got to say", I can see why you don't like them here (they are informal), but nothing else comes to my mind. Should I, perhaps, say "I was really frightened by" and "what can you say?". Any ideas?.. But, in any case, I think that "what have you got to say?" is an expression that makes impact. In the "Garden", "twine" and "twist" require "around" and I have used this word right before. How about "interlace with"? I know that there are differences between English-English and American-English. But, as a foreigner, I can't always tell which is which (at least, in the written form of the language). I read books, watch movies and hear dialogues from both sides, I assimilate them, so they really tend to become one in my mind and my sense of language. I found a very interesting link on this subject : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences and when I have more free time, I will look for the threads in this forum. After I finish this work, I will post it to your forum. This will take a few months, so soon I will need your advice again. Also, if you read contemporary poetry (I mean, of our days), please, give me some information (names of the authors, sites). I want to translate fresh stuff that hasn't been translated to Greek before. Thank you all very much for your kind replies and for your cheering words.

Cece, yes, I've thought that the story needs opening up and writing. But I think the poem was written in around the 1890s. So what were they doing, in Victorian times, meeting in presumably a private room if not a bedroom, at an inn, when 'never the lovelight shone between us two' etc.? I agree, it might make a fascinating tale. Annpan, I never learned it - I just had to teach Hardy's poetry for A-level (18 year-olds) and poems stick with me. I used to be able to recite reams more than I can now. But you may have hit on something: a sequence of his poems was written after the death of his first wife, called 'Veteris Vestigia Flammae' where his memories of their early years together, particularly their courtship, haunt him despairingly - though they had been almost estranged for a long time in later years. My ex-husband died about 18 months ago and it was a great shock to everyone - not expected at all. He and I remained very good friends, so I was very cut up about it. I go to visit his grave every so often, and I always recite one of those poems of Hardy as I stand there - 'Things were not lastly as firstly well between us twain, you tell? 'But all's past now, despite Time's derision.' ........................... It ends: '....... I mind not, thought life lours. 'The bringing me here - nay, bring me here again - For I am just the same 'As when our days were a joy and our paths through flowers.' Could be all tied up, I suppose. I've tried reciting it out loud; and I've tried reciting other poems. And yes, it's very like having a tune that you can't get out of your head. Mary, I think the Hopkins you mention is another that has haunting potential. I've found myself reciting it sometimes, for no reason....It's beautiful. Thanks, all, so much for joining in and making suggestions. It's still waking me at nights..... Dido

Nice work! We're in the UK and have done several (mainly) DIY renovations - or restorations as I prefer to call them with them all being at least 100 years old - and have lived on site throughout, so understand how stressful it can be. Our quickest complete restoration took three years, so good on you for making such dramatic progress so swiftly :) Spurs me on to get a wiggle on with our current house! Raphaella x