We use both of those expressions over here.
I read that he'd died last week, but with the fires in Australia, impeachment hearings in the US and Harry & Meghan stepping back from their royal duties in the UK (and an election being called in Ireland), I don't think it grabbed many headlines. There's a short BBC article below:
'First Middle-earth scholar' Christopher Tolkien dies
Since the wife didn't approve the money for the Dixie Jeep I'll be chasing him on Miz Tizdale's dirt bike (even though mine looks a little different than Emma's)
We definitely got enough snow to shovel today but I'm putting it off until tomorrow. It's the light fluffy kind so it shouldn't be too bad. My driveway is 150 feet long and I shovel it by hand. I'm old school!