I have been walking around the lake near my home for several days now. It is good exercise and this week is a week for The Smiths and a series of studio outtakes. However The Smiths, though important, are not the point of this thread. No, this thread has a somewhat different agenda and it is something that I have spent some time considering whilst listening to Morrissey moan about having not got his leg over very much. Basically whilst marching around the lake I have been looking at it closely and it is fascinating. It is dead in the middle of winter here and the lake is totally frozen over and it is extremely bright to look at with the layer of snow still upon it. It's a bit like Superman 3 when he freezes the lake with his breath. I am tempted to try and lift it too, but I know I am no Amir Khan. I am also tempted to take some steps upon it, but I worry about falling through and basically dying of hypothermia. I stare at the lake all the time and there are footsteps on there. People have definitely taken the leap and walked over it.

A few nights ago it was -10'C and I am guessing that would have been my best time to take the leap of faith. Today was about 2'C and there was no way I was going to step on it. Maybe this thread is for those crazy Canadian seal hunters as they tend to have snow and stuff. So my question is this....when is it safe to walk on a frozen lake?