It has gone barking mad here....
There was a snow storm that hit southern England yesterday that sent the entire transportation system into a tailspin. People were stranded in cars for TWELVE hours on highways, the military was mobilized to rescue them, and 550 schools were closed in Hampshire County. It snowed about 12-inches in the hardest hit spots. And about 1.5-inches at our house.
Which made it absolutely beautiful and only slightly treacherous. I would've said not dangerous at all, except I ended up sliding into a ditch when my car slipped on a small hill that goes down and around a sharp turn. Don't worry! It was nothing serious! In fact, it was crazy that my car narrowly avoided going into a deep ditch and a large tree, gliding just past them and into a hedgerow, instead. My back wheel was, quite literally, in the air over the ditch! And almost immediately after I got out of the car and ascertained that I was not going to be backing out of the hedge, a truck came around the bend, stopped and asked if I need a tow out of the ditch! Sure enough, he hopped out, got his towing rope and hooks out and just popped me out of the ditch. It all took less than ten minutes.
Sometimes I feel guilty for not going to church more. Because clearly someone is looking out for me.
The really mad part, though, is that the boys' school was closed today ~not because of the weather~ but because they had run out of oil to heat the school. How's that, you may ask? Well out here in the country, there aren't gas lines, so buildings have these big underground tanks that hold oil for you to use to heat them. The school was supposed to get their oil delivery on Monday, but the truck didn't show. And then didn't show again on Tuesday, which is the day they ran the tank dry.But wait, there's more!
The truck didn't arrive today because of the bad weather....
So school is canceled tomorrow!
Hold up: there more....
It takes so long to heat up a building the size of the school that even if the truck finally arrives tomorrow, the school still won't be warm enough for the children.
So school is canceled on Friday, too!
And my mom is finally here for a visit and I am having to share her with my children more than I wanted to.
And, YES, I am pouting.
Awe, that sounds a lot like what we deal with when a few flakes hit the ground. We are originally from MI, so snow doesn't stop us. But here in S.E. Virginia, everything grinds to a halt.
ReplyDeleteAnd lord help you get through the rest of the week of no school.
Missy
Even though I'm in Canada, my little corner of it get so little snow that we should be shut down when it does because it's chaos.
ReplyDeleteI heard that some areas actually got a fair amount though. Of course, I was probably hearing centimetres and not inches. Whatever.
Welcome to England in the snow. Happens every year. And every year everyone is taken by surprise. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair though, we used to live in Washington DC and schools there were always being shut because of snow and potential tornados. We thought it was brilliant.
Unfortunately in Scotland we just get on with things. We all own boots and proper winter coats. The best we get is being sent home at flexi time home time. Boo
ReplyDeleteI wish for a snow day.
I just saw on the tv that England is having a wicked winter, in fact this whole world is having unusual weather this season.
ReplyDeleteStay warm and keep the family safe!
Secretia
I'm just glad you're ok. And oh yes, we don't really cope with snow. Actually, we cope much better up north as everyone drives humvees up here.
ReplyDeleteGosh now I feel silly for complaining about our one snow day this week, you are in the grips of a major crisis over there. I heard some old codger on the radio saying it was a national disgrace that the UK couldn't deal with a little white stuff. Don't worry in another month the crocuses will be blooming and I will still be dealing with snow days.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a terrible time for motorists and people trying to get about. I live near the Scottish borders and it's horrendous. But life goes on, we have come to expect it at the time of year, but this year it's been worse than normal.
ReplyDeleteCJ xx
I just so don't get how an inch of snow can bring one of the world's greatest nations to it's knees.
ReplyDeleteI live in subzero temperatures with feet of snow on the ground for about 8 months of the year. Nothing grinds to a halt. Like, ever. How was England able to colonize Canada?
I just don't get it. Do you drive around in little toy cars? Are your roads made out of licorice? Are your building made out of gingerbread?
I should travel there someday.
We here in Oklahoma land have had crap weather ever since Christmas Eve. It's so cold outside my snot freezes before it even leaves my nose.
ReplyDeleteOf course they don't cancel anything here over a few flurries, but inches, well yea for inches they cancel everything. Including church.
Love the photos!
Thank GOODNESS your Mom is there to help.
ReplyDeleteSomeone is looking fo sho.
I should have gone to school in England.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the US with schools closing for a bit of snow and supermarkets empty of groceries because people might not be able to have a few staples.
ReplyDeleteSeems like the USA is not the only place in the world that's having a cold winter. Ha global warming. I pouted too when our school closed. Grrr.....
ReplyDeleteholy crap! Ok, I'm done bitching about the snow. None of that here!
ReplyDeleteThe Swiss are annoyingly well-organized so no matter how much it snows, all keeps going on. The streets get cleaned and salted, the trains and buses and trams still work. Which means no sleeping in for me. And let's face it, that's one of the pleasures of a snowy day ;-)
We got enough to cover the ground (and close the schools) here in Tennessee too.
ReplyDeleteMy BIL is an enviro big-wig and was recently in Copenhagen for the summit. He was cold over there, and returned to find the entire east coast on lock down because of snow and had a hard time finding his way home with all the flights cancelled. I meant to ask if he found any irony in that, but he doesn't have a sense of humor about these things. So I laughed at him on the inside.
Glad you are okay..sorry about your cold snap it's crazy. I hope you are having a wonderful visit with your Mum! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteOh that sucks! My grandparents house was oil heat so I know what you mean. My mom is visiting me too right now and I can't wait for the time when both of the older boys are at school so she and I can just hang out. I totally get how this blows :(
ReplyDeleteI'd pout too. Hope the little buggers go back to school next week.
ReplyDeleteOh my!! Good thing you are a midwestern snow pro! I would have had an anxiety attack for a month if I had to go driving on bendy roads with ditches in the snow.
ReplyDeleteI still can't get used to it.
So jealous your mom is there. 4 years later, mine has yet to visit!!
What ev!
Don't you miss the good ol' sensible Midwesterners in Wisconsin who will plow through the foot of snow and get away with 1 snow day and 2 hour delay the next day. December 9th was a big snow here, then the next one, the kids were out of school for holiday break. Though at the beginning of Jan, I attended a funeral in Iowa. -12 F for the morning of the funeral WITHOUT the windchill factored in. No where near as cold in WI and I don't know why that is.
ReplyDelete