Now it's snowing really hard. My feet are cold and I need a good laugh. Here's one of my old cheer-up the family tricks, long used and too old to do any longer, but I'll share in case anybody else feels the deadness of winter creeping into their bones.

Next time you're near a pet store, pop in and buy two or three of those little rabbit hair (groan, I know) mice that are sold for cats to play with. They're about 2" long, come in grey, white and black. Hide them in the toe of snow boots, under a pile of socks inside a drawer, under a pillow. Enjoy the shrieks and cussing. (If you're feeling particularly wicked, tuck one inside a tampax box.)

Left over plastic spiders and ants from Halloween? Put them in the ice cube trays, fill with fresh spring water and freeze.

Put a few raisins in that family pot of Vaseline body care cream. Poke them down quite a bit.

Use food colouring to dye the bristles of toothbrushes a nice brown or yellow. Do this late at night after everyone else is in bed. Have fresh unopened brushes ready after you've had a good snort.

Packing lunches for anyone at home? Heh, heh...be creative. Screws and bolts in a baggie bring groans as do the handy little mice.

As my memory bubbles up a few more, shall add. Please add some of your own. I've run out of ideas lately.