Are you all snowed in ?

[Monika]

Minus 10 here at the moment and a fair covering of snow but no more snow forecast until Boxing Day, they say.

I do feel sorry for all those folks who are trying to get from somewhere to somewhere with little result, particularly those who are trying to get HOME! Must be horrid to have to spend nights in the airport.

One of my grandsons just spent three days in London with his fiancee and they were worried about getting home on the East Coast Main Line, but all went well and the train this noon wasn't even full, apparently.

We did our main Christmas food shopping today and, although the supermarket was packed, everybody went about it in a cheerful and happy way. We now have enough food to last a fortnight at least!!!! Might need it in this weather.

[Malk]

Hello all,
a subject close to my doorstep.
7 months in Finland and yes, we have some snow, about 3 feet of it. We're not snowed in of course, the Finns don't really get snowed in. The temp is steadily around -10 sometimes going down to -18. We're just gettin on with it. I take the kids to daycare or the shops on a sledge some mornings, shovel the path everytime you go out. We're missing Scotland, but I guess if we're going to get lots of snow, better to be in a country who can deal with it.

hope you're all well and not suffering too much with the extreme winter weather.

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Malk, what a lovely surprise. hope you and the family are keeping well.

Regarding the weather, well you know what us British folk are like, stiff upper lip and all that.....

[Malk]

Hello, we're all well. Missing the UK and my allotment. Going to be here for a bit longer than first planned, so looks like I might be on looking for advice for crops I can grow in pots during short hot summers.

[oldherbaceous]

Well this is the right place to ask, Malk.

Bet the boys are growing up fast, doesn't seem two minutes ago that Nugget had just come onto the scene.

[Malk]

Well remembered. Let no one say you've lost your spark, Herb, sharp as a tack, you are.

Nugget - Aidan's 4 now
Peanut - Finn is 2.5 years
Niblet - Calla's 6 months

I have no idea where the time has gone.

[Compo]

We have about 7-8 inches here in Somerset near Bridgwater, been here for ten years and never seen it this heavy, just part of life's rich pattern the way i see it. I cant be doing with all the moaning, stuck at the airport, nobody died did they. Get a life please!! Moan over, will find a new one for tomorrow!!!

CoMpO

[alan refail]

Minus 10 here yesterday morning and never crept above minus five all day. But it was dry and exhilarating. The only problem was the constant battle to ensure that the four chicken runs had unfrozen drinkers. It was cold enough to freeze my hands to anything metal! The ducks were fine once they got through the frozen powder snow to the river, where they spent most of the day keeping their feet warm under water. Doesn't seem so cold here this morning, though I'm not venturing out till daybreak to check!

I'm sure many of you have had it worse than we have - it's just that this degree of cold is almost unheard of down here on the coast.

Hi Malk

Good to hear you are thriving in Finland. As an American living in Finland you must find all this British whining rather amusing

[peter]

My German colleague, who originates from Saarland, is much amused by our (as named by the news media) "big freeze" as "zis is qvite normal at home and nothing gets closed".

Remembered the Yorkshire Evening Post photo of my mother at Malham Tarn in 1947 reaching up through the ground floor window to the well muffled postman standing on the frozen snow coming halfway up the glass.

[Johnboy]

Hi Peter,
I remember 1947 very well and the was a photo on the headlines of the Hereford Journal (went to the wall years ago) of a cottage near
Kington Herefordshire with what appears to be an Atlantic Breaker over the roof and you could see about an inch of glass from the upstairs windows so there was at least 12ft of level snow at the front of the cottage and a more than 20ft wave coming from the back over the roof just as a breaker would be before tumbling to the beach. Very dramatic!
I pass this cottage quite often nowadays and it always reminds me of that awful long and bitter time.
Here it snowed most of yesterday and there is about 8 inches on top of the cars. My car is in Heathrow's long term car park and is likely to remain there for some time to come as I shall not be able to drive for at least a month and maybe more.
Thanks to our roadmen who have done a really superb job, the main roads are all passable. They have worked round the clock for us and really deserve more praise than they get.
JB.

[Monika]

Yes, 1947! We then shared a house with five other families in the woods in the extreme eastern corner of Germany. There was no heating in the bedrooms at all and every morning the big feather duvet was frozen solid in front of your face where you had been breathing. I used to take my clothes into the bed with me and dressed under the duvet before braving the cold of the bedroom. The temperature outside went down to minus 27.

Quite balmy here this morning then, only minus ten (was minus twelve last night).

[Primrose]

Hi Peter,
. My car is in Heathrow's long term car park and is likely to remain there for some time to come as I shall not be able to drive for at least a month and maybe more.

JB.

Johnboy. I think we'd better start passing the hat round now for a collection for you to pay your Heathrow car parking fees! If it's in there for a month, you're likely to need a second (or third) mortgage for pay the bill !

On a slightly brighter note, it's the shortest day today. I always feel better once that is behind us. I know it takes a while before we start to see the benefits of any lighter mornings and evenings, but psychologically it seems to help.

[lizzie]

Still all snowy and very icy here. The daytime temperature yesterday didnt get over -7.5 degrees (according to my new cars outside thermometers) and when I checked last night it had got to -13. Down the road in Crosby it was -17 which is so unusual on the coast. The whole of the beach in Formby is covered in freezing snow and the edges of the waves are beginning to freeze, as is the edges of The Mersey.

It's certainly a cold one. But you soon warm up with a cuddle from loved ones............ so shift yer arse Herby and JB and give us a cudge yer ald buggers

[oldherbaceous]

Well here's a big cudge from me, you cuddly little friend you are Lizzie.

[Catherine]

Sorry Compo someone might not have died but if I was stuck at the airport having spent a lot of money on a flight for a holiday I think I would complain and be upset.

My twin sister was due to fly out of Manchester to Heathrow and then on to Zambia to stay with my older sister for three weeks on Friday. (My older sister lost her husband two years ago and would have been spending Christmas on her own otherwise) She eventually flew out on Sunday having stayed at a hotel on Friday night and being sent back to Lincolnshire on Saturday night. She eventually got her husband to drive her down to Heathrow where she flew to Capetown, arriving on Monday morning then on to Joburg and then on to Lusaka. very late last night. She saved for a year to go andit cost her £900 + I would be upset not having been able to get there.

As far as snow is concerned we have had about 6" of snow which is well and truly frozen. -10 in our garden last night. Feeding the birds like mad at the moment. The foot paths are dreadful. We bought some kahtula's last year and they have ben fab for walking. If anyone ever is in any doubt about buying these don't you will never regret the cost.

I am recovering from an operation on my hand yesterday and because of the bandage, which is huge, I cant get a glove on so I am wearing a thick sock, typing is difficult too. The painkillers have not worn off yet so I am worrying that when they do it might be arhhhhhh