Thread: Snow Day Friday Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by The Midge (# 2398) on :
 
It looks like we could be guaranteed a day of disruption (off). It could be fun. But a prolonged freeze could make finding work even harder.

Nevermind- a golden opportunity to have some fun with the children.
 

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Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :
 
Any snow day activities that people particularly love?

The Queen of Bashan and I are big snow day people, possibly because we don't have kids to entertain at this point.

We like to buy a few bottles of red wine, make a big pot of Bolognese, and watch the extended news coverage that invariably comes with any snow storm around here. Nothing better than watching the news crew on hour four of storm coverage trying to come up with something new to say other than "It's really coming down out there!" And the poor junior member of the news team who has to go out to the snowiest spot in town (here, on the far southeast corner of the city) to stand by the highway and report on accumulation is always good for a laugh.
 

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Posted by QLib (# 43) on :
 
I work for a residential establishment, and am more or less local, as I live a mere three miles away, so I'm expected to go in - crawling if necessary.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
The map looks like it might just miss us.



Worst case - I get in to work easily but the blizzards move in and it takes hours to get home.
We have a 'tree' where we let each other know if the school is closed. Parents get a text, of course.

When I was deputy headteacher I lived five minutes from the school and would end up with all the kids in the hall and a few TAs until the staff could get in - bleugh!
 

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Posted by Drifting Star (# 12799) on :
 
We're right in the middle of the amber alert area, so hopefully we'll see some significant white stuff.

We will go walking across the fields in it, generally behaving like teenagers, and then come home, light the fire and watch it from the windows.

I love snow.

(I am slightly worried that as we are so well prepared for this, it inevitably won't happen.)
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
We are under that area. I'm sure my son-in-law would love a snow day - they have Ofsted in at his school at the moment. I am within walking distance of my work, but I love it - am quite looking forward to fighting my way through the drifts to be the only one holding the fort.

I went shopping earlier and people are stocking up as though there's going to be a siege.

Nen - cupboards full and two bags of grit and salt purchased.
 

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Posted by TomOfTarsus (# 3053) on :
 
Well, snow is fun for me - with a 26 mile commute to the office, it's a good reason to work from home or take a day off.

But it's a lot of work, too - a 100+ft driveway to clear, plus the steps and walks around the house - we had 5" the day after Christmas and that required the tractor, it was so heavy and wet. I thought it would be a great snow for making a snow man, but when the ball wouldn't grow any larger, I simply put a face on it and a couple of twigs sticking out of the ground, as though he was up to his neck in it. Inspiration, of course, is from Bill Watterson, creator of "Calvin and Hobbes". No thread about snow days is complete without a reference to Calvin's snow art.

In the past, we've made tunnels and igloos on the patio as well. And this last time, the family showed up for sled riding and snow boarding on our nice, steep hills. Then it's in to dry out by a nice toasty fireplace with some hot chocolate.

[ 17. January 2013, 17:33: Message edited by: TomOfTarsus ]
 

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Posted by The Riv (# 3553) on :
 
We enjoyed a legitimate three inches of snow way down here in the American Deep South -- enough for cancellations and delays a plenty, and a spark to my own childhood memories of this little gem:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snowy_Day
 

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
We're under a red alert area, I'm really glad I brought my shopping deliverty forward! I actually got into work today and my manager sent me home. I did actually make some calls to clients on my works phone, so I don't feel quite so bad at being credited with having been in - even if it was only for 5 minutes.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Well, as I just posted elsewhere, I called in at the supermarket and found half the shelves already bare. People have been panic-buying by the look of it.
 

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Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :
 
Definitely there's a pond and latitude and expected weather thing with snow days. Nothing's ever cancelled here it seems. I recall in the early 1980s we had a day of high winds and snow where snow drifts were in the 4-6 foot range and an afternoon was cancelled.

Currently, we got about 2" on Monday, another 3" last night and it is snowing right now at a balmy -12°C. It's to drop to the mid -30s over the weekend. I have about 5 foot snow banks in the front yard from shovelling the driveway this year. We'll be moving some of it to behind the house shortly.

Enjoy your day off folks, and do remember that summer is just a couple of months of bad skiiing for some of us.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Way to go before it equals the November/December '10, when I remember watching our car disappear under incremental snowfalls, until even the aerial was buried. As a non-main road, we never saw a plough or a gritter.

It's cold here, and a bit icy, but the snow has been avoiding this area.
 

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Posted by Kyzyl (# 374) on :
 
I wish we'd get snow. Supposed to be highs in the single digits F (-15 or -16 C) on Monday. Wind chills to -30 C. But no $&@!! snow. I'm beginning to think this isn't Minnesota.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
When our children were young we lived in a ski resort, moving when oldest child was 8 to a small city. There he walked 6 short blocks to school and simply could not understand why in the city they would close the school because it snowed, when they had never closed anything in the ski resort for snow. He was very upset when he had to stay home, and kept marching around the house saying, "stupid, stupid, stupid," under his breath. Now that I am retired I love the snow, and just light the fireplace and put on the soup. Alas we only get a bit of the white stuff every few years.
 

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Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Kyzyl:
I wish we'd get snow. Supposed to be highs in the single digits F (-15 or -16 C) on Monday. Wind chills to -30 C. But no $&@!! snow. I'm beginning to think this isn't Minnesota.

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I see you're listed as from l'etoile de nord, are you missing les etoiles du nord de la minnesota?
 

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Posted by snowgoose (# 4394) on :
 
We are due for snow here, and the Gander is on a 2-hour delay tomorrow, so he can sleep in. The problem isn't the snow, actually. It's the layer of ice that forms under the snow. It should melt off well before noon tomorrow, though.
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We got a snow-day last Friday, as we had a blizzard that dropped about two feet of snow on St. John's (most of it in front of our house). Unfortunately there was no opportunity to counteract it with warm, comforting food, as it was accompanied by a 36-hour power cut.

**brrrrr**

[ 18. January 2013, 02:13: Message edited by: piglet ]
 

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Posted by Kyzyl (# 374) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by no prophet:

quote:

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Originally posted by Kyzyl:
I wish we'd get snow. Supposed to be highs in the single digits F (-15 or -16 C) on Monday. Wind chills to -30 C. But no $&@!! snow. I'm beginning to think this isn't Minnesota.

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I see you're listed as from l'etoile de nord, are you missing les etoiles du nord de la minnesota?

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Oui, The Wild stink.

ETA: L' Etoile du Nord is the state motto.

[ 18. January 2013, 02:43: Message edited by: Kyzyl ]
 

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Posted by Gussie (# 12271) on :
 
No snow here (yet) as we are on the edge of the amber warning area. My train company started cancelling trains last night which seemed a bit premature, though not for my line. I guess I'll just have to go to work and see what happens.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Still no snow here

We are lucky, too, to live right by a hospital - so our avenue always get gritted.
 

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Posted by ElaineC (# 12244) on :
 
Got to work OK.

Snow forecast for the middle of the day.

Getting home again might be a different matter altogether!
 

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Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
Snowing gently here in Bethnei...I get very cross when I hear reports of people panic buying. There really isn't any need to in most places.

What I am less happy about is that it is cold and snowy, and our central heating has failed. Again. The house is getting colder, and I am less inclined to do anything except sit by the fire and watch DVDs, read books etc, and really hope and pray that the engineer makes it through to us today to replace the pump, which is the bit that has failed.

Then I could enjoy the snow!
 

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Posted by Chapelhead (# 21) on :
 
Hmmm, it's a little white here in Surrey. I had hoped to get to the Cathedral library today, but it doesn't look as though I am going to make it.
 

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Posted by Martha (# 185) on :
 
Had to cancel a weekend trip to my parents and am stuck at home with a bratty 2-year-old who can't decide what he wants and won't put a coat on so we could actually go out and enjoy the stuff.

Not my kind of snow day! I'd rather be out experiencing it. It's coming down fine but steady here in the East Midlands, but forecast to get heavier later.
 

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Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :
 
Snow? What snow? I don't think we're expecting any either.

But I wouldn't get a snow day even if it did - I'm only 4 miles away from one site, and a mile from the other. Like Qlib, I'm expected to be able to get in.

One site might shut if it looks like staff may not be able to leave later, but the other site is the hospital, so that won't be closing!

[ 18. January 2013, 08:29: Message edited by: kingsfold ]
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
No snow in Cambridge yet and it's not forecast til 1pm. But you can feel it in the air so I think it will be earlier than that. The kids are at school but I suspect the eldest might be sent home early if the school bus is cancelled (he can get home by public transport).
I was hoping to go out to a friend's tonight, I seldom get out of the house, but think it might be cancelled. My other half and eldest are supposed to be going indoor skydiving as a joint birthday treat tomorrow in Milton Keynes, hopefully the roads will be clear.
 

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Posted by Abigail (# 1672) on :
 
It started snowing at 9am in this part of London and it’s still coming down, but there’s only a thin layer on the pavements and grass, and the road outside my window is clear. It always seems to be a couple of degrees warmer where I am than in the surrounding area so I’m not expecting there to be an awful lot more - a bit disappointing really.

I’m at home today (booked a day off before I knew about the snow!) so I won’t have to worry about struggling home in it tonight. I work further out and am guessing that it will be quite heavy there today.
 

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Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
Well here either people panicked buyed yesterday and the shops have restocked and because they did yesterday and because people bought yesterday they are not today. Or there was/is no panic buying this far north, snow is after all expected. Town was emptier than expected when I did an early run to avoid the heavier snow coming in later. Technically it is snowing, but I suspect you could count the flakes you see falling in an hour on your fingers.

Jengie

[ 18. January 2013, 10:07: Message edited by: Jengie Jon ]
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
By way of contrast, hottest day on record here today in Sydney. Max of 45.8 deg Celcius.

There was no snow.

mr curly.
 

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Posted by rolyn (# 16840) on :
 
We've got it

Dartmoor looking a pretty picture .

I used to mock stay-at-homers when there was a couple inches of snow .
Now here's me enjoying a day on-line having phoned in to say I can't possibly get down the road with my van .

Mind you there was a lovely knee-deep drift in the gateway . Beautiful the hand of nature .
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Not enough here to play in but enough to stop my visitors coming at the weekend

If it's going to snow, it ought to do it properly.

Still, I have hot chocolate and marshmallows, thanks to Secret Santa, and what better excuse to indulge in them? And what's more, because there's not enough snow to play in, my boy hasn't got a snow day, so I don't have to share
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
We're under about 4" of it now and more coming down. Cars going at about 2 mph and struggling to get up hills, that sort of thing. Am ambulance just shot past them at 5 mph, sirens blaring.

Supermarkets are now restocked but I suspect will be closing early. The panic-buying is ridiculous.
 

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Posted by The Rogue (# 2275) on :
 
It's just started to snow in Nottingham. I haven't cycled all week because of the ice (I probably am a wimp but I have fallen off enough times to not care) and I drove today. The journey home includes no hills of any consequence and hopefully loads of people will panic-leave-work-early so that when I go home at normal time there won't be a car on the road.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Smudgie:
Not enough here to play in but enough to stop my visitors coming at the weekend

If it's going to snow, it ought to do it properly.

Still, I have hot chocolate and marshmallows, thanks to Secret Santa, and what better excuse to indulge in them? And what's more, because there's not enough snow to play in, my boy hasn't got a snow day, so I don't have to share

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quote:

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Originally posted by Smudgie:
Not enough here to play in but enough to stop my visitors coming at the weekend

If it's going to snow, it ought to do it properly.

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Here you go! To this day, I still echo little Calvin's sentiments.

Hope you & the Smudglet enjoyed your hot chocolate!
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
We've had snow since the middle of the week here but it's proper snow today. Non-stop snowing for 24 hours apparently!
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
Missed the edit window - as pretty as the snow is, I am not fond of the cold. Also prayers for the homeless at the moment, and the birds
 

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Posted by Darllenwr (# 14520) on :
 
As St Gwladys said up-thread, we were smack in the middle of the red warning zone - it delivered.

I was up at 02:30 this morning - not a sign of snow then. Come 05:00 we had getting on for 3 inches. Trains variously cancelled or delayed. Caught the first train of the morning (which should have been the second, but the first was cancelled) which ran at the time of the third, which didn't run at all. Travelled 3 miles down the line, calling at all stations, then came to a grinding halt on the top of an embankment behind Ystrad Mynach and there stayed for 3/4 hour - points failure. Arrived in work at 08:30 when I was due in at 07:00.

Snow has continued throughout the day. Trains have been mostly suspended on this line - trees on the line at three places, brought down by the weight of snow. Saying that, by mid-afternoon trains were running again, though not to timetable.

On the other hand, we have got off lightly. There were no trains at all north of Abercynon - no services to Aberdare or Merthyr Tydfil - and the only route running normally was from Cardiff Bay to Cardiff Queen Street.

Unfortunately, our bosses are Swedish, and have no understanding of the way that a couple of inches of snow can bring this country to a standstill. There will be recriminations that there were so few people at work to day. Trying to explain that there were no buses running, that roads were impassible and trains were few is pointless - that doesn't happen in Upsala, so why do we think we have any excuse?
 

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Posted by The Rogue (# 2275) on :
 
I heard man doing a lengthy weather forecast on the radio this morning. Towards the end he got to parts of Scotland where there was going to be very little, if any, snow and they would probably be wondering what all the fuss was about.
 

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Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
It's been snowing lightly all day here in MK. We have one or two inches, but I've stayed in the warm.
The grid roads are clear and the buses are running but it's now well below freezing.
 

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Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :
 
I "celebrated" not being in work today by having a job interview. Much fun.

Mind you, I did get home to find that the Knotweed had been sent home early, so we went sledging instead. Who cares if I get the job?

AG
 

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Posted by Purple Butterfly (# 17477) on :
 
Children and husband were all sent home from their various establishments today. It's scuppered our plans for the weekend but we're safe, warm and have a full bottle of Baileys on the shelf. Silver lining right there!

Stay warm everyone.
 

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Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by The Rogue:
I heard man doing a lengthy weather forecast on the radio this morning. Towards the end he got to parts of Scotland where there was going to be very little, if any, snow and they would probably be wondering what all the fuss was about.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Snow? Call that snow ?
Namby-pambies, wusses, and big-girls-blouses, the lot of yer!

Oh - and why the heck do people think that 3 days of snow is going to make them poo so much more than usual that they have to buy every bit of toilet paper in sight?

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Like it BF .

I was a 3yr old in 63 on a little farm in the middle of nowhere Devon . In all the hard winters we had there ,( power cuts an all), mother used to just say "Better get a box of candles next time someone's near a shop".
 

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Posted by Abigail (# 1672) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Snow? Call that snow ? A light dusting of icing-sugar, more like.......I recall The Great Ice Winter of 1962/63, when wolves crossed the frozen Medway and ate the babies, and even then the schools etc. stayed open ...

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Oh yes, I remember the big freeze of '63 and being sent home from school because the (outdoor) toilets were frozen up. Note: SENT home. They asked us if anyone would be in and if we said yes it was just "Off you go then..." We were back the next day. I was 8. Can't imagine that happening now.
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
I was three in '63 as well, but my father was a teacher and there was none of this closing of schools. He donned his wellies and walked there.

Part of the trouble with snow in this country is the way it thaws a bit during the day and then freezes again at night. If it snowed and then froze solid we could do like other countries and fit snow chains and carry on.

Nen - living where the residential roads are icy and treacherous but the main roads are fine.
 

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Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Abigail:

quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Snow? Call that snow ? A light dusting of icing-sugar, more like.......I recall The Great Ice Winter of 1962/63, when wolves crossed the frozen Medway and ate the babies, and even then the schools etc. stayed open ...

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Oh yes, I remember the big freeze of '63 and being sent home from school because the (outdoor) toilets were frozen up. Note: SENT home. They asked us if anyone would be in and if we said yes it was just "Off you go then..." We were back the next day. I was 8. Can't imagine that happening now.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Abigail:

quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Snow? Call that snow ? A light dusting of icing-sugar, more like.......I recall The Great Ice Winter of 1962/63, when wolves crossed the frozen Medway and ate the babies, and even then the schools etc. stayed open ...

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Oh yes, I remember the big freeze of '63 and being sent home from school because the (outdoor) toilets were frozen up. Note: SENT home. They asked us if anyone would be in and if we said yes it was just "Off you go then..." We were back the next day. I was 8. Can't imagine that happening now.

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quote:

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Parks Canada, re Roger's Pass from 1st link
...Winter Restricted Areas that are affected by the highway avalanche program when artillery gunfire is not anticipated. This system protects the public from the danger of direct artillery fire, including fragments that can travel up to 1000 metres and the resulting avalanches.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Abigail:

quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Snow? Call that snow ? A light dusting of icing-sugar, more like.......I recall The Great Ice Winter of 1962/63, when wolves crossed the frozen Medway and ate the babies, and even then the schools etc. stayed open ...

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Oh yes, I remember the big freeze of '63 and being sent home from school because the (outdoor) toilets were frozen up. Note: SENT home. They asked us if anyone would be in and if we said yes it was just "Off you go then..." We were back the next day. I was 8. Can't imagine that happening now.

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Yes that happened to me to. Outdoor toilets ...
we were off school for about two weeks.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
We had about an inch of snow Friday night, which largely melted yesterday - only to be replaced by a fresh, albeit lighter, fall last night. This pattern looks set to continue, with quite a lot forecast for Monday.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
If the Met Office site is to be believed we're in for 18 hours of it, starting a quarter of an hour ago. No sign of it so far.

I removed 5" of snow off the car this morning, just in case. It's impossible to tell at this stage how things will be for the Monday morning rush hour, though I won't be driving.
 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
And we've got lots more snow atm, and the temperature being -2 and so it's not turning into water. Lots of the local children are playing with the snow!
 

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Posted by ElaineC (# 12244) on :
 
It started snowing here quite early.

We were due to have an informal service at church anyway but we all sat together in a side aisle. About half the usual number turned up. Mostly those of us who were within walking distance.

I was preaching and Mr C was playing the keyboards as our usual organist was unwell.

We're off the the Royal Albert Hall later to see Cirque du Soleil Kooza later - trains permitting.

If it freezes overnight as forecast I guess I shall be working from home tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Drifting Star (# 12799) on :
 
It's snowing quite heavily here again, on top of the 4-5 inches we already had that is now frozen hard. We also have some very impressive icicles - some of them getting on for 3 feet long.
 

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Posted by Signaller (# 17495) on :
 
Dame Celia and I did a very un-CofE thing and sat near the front this morning- to make up for the absence of the older generation who had very sensibly stayed at home.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
We were missing the Kidz this morning - two families have The Dreaded Lurgy, and two or three more were out playing in the snow (along with crowds of others....).

About half our usual turnout, but with one or two visitors, which was good. We still managed a full Sung Mass!

Evensnog & Benners this afternoon has been cancelled, though.......


Ian J.
Ian J.
 

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Posted by shamwari (# 15556) on :
 
Encouraging turn out this morning for our Covenant service. In spite of constant snow fall from early morning.
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Nenya:
I was three in '63 as well, but my father was a teacher and there was none of this closing of schools. He donned his wellies and walked there.

Part of the trouble with snow in this country is the way it thaws a bit during the day and then freezes again at night. If it snowed and then froze solid we could do like other countries and fit snow chains and carry on.

Nen - living where the residential roads are icy and treacherous but the main roads are fine.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
I suspect that many students and, especialy, teachers live rather further from school than was the case in 1963 ... especially in the cases of rural communities where each school had its own small school and nearly everyone could get there on foot.

Even in "Miss Read's" "Village School" (?1955), the stove flue gets clogged with soot, the local bus stops running and the dinner van bringing hot lunches to the school skids into a ditch! (I think that they end up opening their emergency tins of stew instead).

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Yes - when I was at school in Coventry, many teachers lived in Warwick, Leamington or even Stratford and it was the teachers not being able to make it that was the problem. Same at uni - and we've had loads of snow here.
 

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Posted by Desert Daughter (# 13635) on :
 
I made it from France to Edinburgh via Eurostar and East Coast Trains today. There were delays, but not too many. Now the snow front moves in. It appears that after I left, France was covered and has shut down. With a bit of luck, I shall be marooned in Scotland for the foreseeable future. Good timing is everything
 

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Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
Our school closed at noon on Friday, along with several others, so the usual rush hour took place in the middle of the day. Four to six inches of snow at home, a little more today, and more forecast for tomorrow. Hope I can get in to work - it's difficult for a singing teacher to work from home, though there is of course always something one can do. And I'm definitely having winter tyres fitted to the car.
 

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Posted by ExclamationMark (# 14715) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Snow? Call that snow ? A light dusting of icing-sugar, more like.......I recall The Great Ice Winter of 1962/63, when wolves crossed the frozen Medway and ate the babies, and even then the schools etc. stayed open, trains and buses ran (on time! - mostly), and there was snow on the ground from Boxing Day to Easter.

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Wolves? We had Polar Bears in South Cambridgeshire - so great was the danger that the toilets were in constant use and never ahd time to freeze up.

It was so cold that my dad even abandoned picking brussels' sprouts that winter.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Yes, and the only central heating we had was my Dad standing in the middle of the room smoking a fag. Every time he took a drag, we held up our hands to the warmth of the glowing tip.....

Ian J.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Cor, you were lucky. All we had was a packet of those candy cigarettes (remember them?) and on really cold days someone would take one out of the packet and hold it up for us to look at. Then it was put gently back into the box for the days when it got really cold. Sometimes the Groke used to come down our road and we'd rush to warm ourselves up round her.

Kentish winters have an extra kick of their own, a kind of biting chill that effortlessly cut through any amount of layers you might be wearing. Going outside, your eyes would water and earache set in in a couple of minutes. And the winters lasted longer there than in most of the rest of the southeast. Our Oxfordshire winters have rarely had that extra edge that seemed to be the norm in Kent.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
It's turning into an interesting evening. About 6:30 it suddenly went dark. No lights in our house, nor in our neighbours, nor any street lights. Fortunately, I remembered there were some matches and a candle on the hearth. Broadband down, so phoned a friend who looked up the emergency number for the power company. Currently at said friends, waiting to hear when our street is powered up again.
 

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Posted by snowgoose (# 4394) on :
 
Oooh, losing power in the winter is miserable. I hope it is back on by now.

People used to a lot of snow tend to roll their eyes and shake their heads when they hear about places where a few inches shuts everything down, but the fact is, it really is much harder to get around in places not set up for snow removal. Cities in the snow belt have large fleets of huge, powerful snow plows, so the roads get plowed before the snow on them can turn to ice. Expensive snow removal equipment is not cost-effective in places that don't get much snow.

For snow plow fans, check out the Buffalo Airport Snow Removal Equipment Rodeo
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
It has arrived here in the Pennines - 7 inches on the bird table. I'll have to dig out as I'm going to a funeral this morning, but won't make it over the hills to visit Mum
 

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Posted by ExclamationMark (# 14715) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Yes, and the only central heating we had was my Dad standing in the middle of the room smoking a fag. Every time he took a drag, we held up our hands to the warmth of the glowing tip..... Ian J.

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quote:

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Originally posted by kingsfold:
We are on yellow warning of snow, so we'll wait and see!

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Yellow warning - don't eat yellow snow!



 

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Posted by birdie (# 2173) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Signaller:
Dame Celia and I did a very un-CofE thing and sat near the front this morning- to make up for the absence of the older generation who had very sensibly stayed at home.

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Not much snow here, but cold in church yesterday. The Rector advocated cuddling during the sharing of the peace to keep warm. Remind me never to go to church in cold weather again.
 

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Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on :
 
Finally Cork gets some snow this morning. Didn't stick to the roads (but the fields on the way to work were nice and white).
Now the sun is out drying up the ground so if we get any more it might even stick!
(Not sure why I'm hoping for a snow day, I'll just have to work from home anyway. Or get stuck on a bus somewhere between work and home)
 

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Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :
 
6 inches here in Bradford - the housemate and fiance have both taken snow days and are currently keeping me company!
 

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Posted by TeaAddict (# 14946) on :
 
Fortunately it appears to be beginning to melt off here. Hopefully will be able to get to work tomorrow
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
All melting here - but i have enjoyed the extra time at home resulting from cancelled meetings.
 

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Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
Got to work. Winter tyres fitted. Snow will probably disappear, not to return till next January.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
More sleet than snow, so battled to art class - and wasted two sheets of expensive watercolour paper and lakes of pigment on a hopeless effort to paint a snow scene. Came home with thumping headache compounded of cold, stuffiness and failure. Gah.
 

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Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :
 
No show snow thus far...
 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
Still loads of snow in London, mostly on the pavements while the roads have been shifted off with the snow. It's very cold,and I'm worrying about the birds, how they will survive and get something to eat...
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
They were saying on "Farming Today" this morning that a bird will only last 24 hours without food. Which is disconcertingly less than I'd thought.

Lots of hungry pigeons in the town centre last time I was there, trying to scavenge anything they could from amongst the snow and ice.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I keep 'my' flock of sparrows well fed and fat. I also keep their bird bath topped up with warm water - on these freezing days lots of other birds, which usually ignore my feeders, come along to have a bath
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Bored now. Just opened the blinds to the same steady fall of sleety snow on to slushy and icy ground. We are getting all the downside of snow without any of the pretty, sparkly part.
 

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Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
I feel so sorry for you all.


 

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Posted by angelica37 (# 8478) on :
 
It's still quite pretty here in Suffolk the main roads are clear and the youngest offspring has gone to school with a change of clothes as they are going to play in the snow on the school field today.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
In my bit of Suffolk the sun is now shining brightly ... nice!
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
It was minus 9 in Cambridge at 6.30 this morning, it's now improved to minus 3. I've just been out to defrost the chickens' water and struggled to get in the run as the bolt was so frozen.
We've noticed a blue tit going in our nest box and assume he is just sheltering from the cold. Must get dh to turn the live cam on so we can see what he's up to.
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Yay for sn*w!

OK, a qualified one. All the cyclists were on the road for once. Mind you, pedestrians were on the road too as the pavements were icy. Thanks to all but a few motorists who realised why pedestrians were walking on the road.

It sn*wed again last night so no buses this morning and I didn't want to take a chance on getting stuck at w*rk four miles away. Today is therefore another "homew*rking" day (plus tea, hosting, Ebay etc) and we'll see if we can do anything tomorrow, as more sn*w is forecast.

[ 22. January 2013, 12:39: Message edited by: Sioni Sais ]
 

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Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
Freezing, icy pavements and now very foggy.
Looking forward to spring.
 

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Posted by Boadicea Trott (# 9621) on :
 
Here in coastal South Wales, DD was on her way to work in Cardiff by bus this morning when police closed the A 48 and turned the bus back due to snow.

She was shocked to get back to our house and nary a flake of snow to be seen.......though snow is possible tonight, according to the Met Office.
 

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Fed up of snow. At least I made it to my meeting in Mountain Ash yesterday - trying to co-ordinate 9 people at a hospital was not easy, and I would have been very irritated if I had had to call it off!
It seems that every time our road clears and it looks as if I will be able to get to work, it starts snowing again. Thankfully, I had kept leave "in case" and so I've been able to have snow days.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Sick of ice. They never grit our road and it's a slope up a hill, so if you're driving, you have to get round a corner (on the ice) then do a slalom down the road between two sides of parked cars plus negotiate oncoming traffic. At present the whole road/pavements are covered with a mixture of ice and rapidly freezing slush. And it's just started snowing again: the forecast seems to think it'll keep this up for hours.

Bored now.
 

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Posted by Bene Gesserit (# 14718) on :
 
I was in Cambridge today and on the (rail) journeys there and back across the Fens the scenery was absolutely beautiful. It was one of those occasions when the Flatlands come into their own.

The bits on foot at either end of the journey weren't so much fun, mind you...
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
I was in Haworth today, and just in front of the Bronte Parsonage you could see the whole valley completely covered in snow. Stunning.

On the road on the way up, someone had built a snow woman with a bikini, a snow cat and dog, and a snowman sat on the floor with a can of beer in his hand. Clearly not everyone is handicapped by the weather.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
How were the snowdog and snowcat posed? I tried to build a snowdog once and it wasn't anything like as easy as I'd expected. The snowlegs kept collapsing under the weight of the body.

The secret is probably to have the snowdog sitting down rather than on all fours; or perhaps it was the Wrong Kind of Snow or something.
 

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Posted by ExclamationMark (# 14715) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
It was minus 9 in Cambridge at 6.30 this morning, it's now improved to minus 3. I've just been out to defrost the chickens' water and struggled to get in the run as the bolt was so frozen.
We've noticed a blue tit going in our nest box and assume he is just sheltering from the cold. Must get dh to turn the live cam on so we can see what he's up to.

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quote:

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Originally posted by birdie:
[QUOTE]The Rector advocated cuddling during the sharing of the peace to keep warm. Remind me never to go to church in cold weather again.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ariel:
How were the snowdog and snowcat posed? I tried to build a snowdog once and it wasn't anything like as easy as I'd expected. The snowlegs kept collapsing under the weight of the body.

The secret is probably to have the snowdog sitting down rather than on all fours; or perhaps it was the Wrong Kind of Snow or something.

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The Intrepid Miss S and her fiance built snowcats sitting down with their tails tucked neatly round them, like good cats. They also built a snowbot, which was great

Mrs. S, more intent on keeping warm!
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
This afternoon we simultaneous had ice beginning to melt into slush, a patch of blue sky and light snow. I am now very confused as to what to expect.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Just expect anything. You won't be far wrong.

(Blue sky? That sounds a very odd colour for a sky.)
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Somehow the snow missed us, although it was heavy a few miles away.

I enjoyed reading this article, which urged us to build as many snowmen as possible to help stop flooding.
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Ariel:
How were the snowdog and snowcat posed? I tried to build a snowdog once and it wasn't anything like as easy as I'd expected. The snowlegs kept collapsing under the weight of the body.

The secret is probably to have the snowdog sitting down rather than on all fours; or perhaps it was the Wrong Kind of Snow or something.

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