Snow...

[Double Trouble]

The slightest sprinkling of snow and the kids school shuts so I can't go to work anyway. The boss can't accuse me of not trying hard enough to get into work...it's irrelevant as the kids need looking after, besides, life's too short to sit in traffic. *yawn*

We're hoping for lots more snow so we can take the sledge up to High Beech. It's the best free day out all year round!! Bring it on...more snow please!

[stewart38]

I work in reading at the moment and it didnt stop for hours really heavy snow

Some one who left at 3.30pm got home 2.30am

Why she tried to get her car out of Reading I havent a clue, it was TOTAL grid locak as i slip to the station.

Reminds me of winters from the 80s

Real winters then 35ft snow drifts and -25c during the day

Will it be a white Christmas ?

[Lory]

Will it be a white Christmas ?

Well, if it does snow, I hope the roads stay clear, as me and my lot have got to get to my sister's in Essex.

If not, we'll be having the same Xmas dinner as DTS, beans on toast

[CheesyRobMan]

Oh, that was you was it?

I had a bump in my car last February sliding down an icy hill and have been extra cautious ever since. If you're one of these people who are "far too busy" to let others take their time then it's not their fault. Not aimed at you personally Gav, but it really annoys me when people drive inconsiderately, tailgating, speeding, cutting you up etc etc. Especially annoying when you're going slowly for a good reason!

[Lynn]

Why is 'now' pronounced with a silent 'w' but 'snow' is not?

Actually it's not is it?

It is pronounced differently though... that's English for you...

It could have been 'snough' - think about though, through, bough, rough, cough, lough... all similar spelling but different prounciation.

[stewart38]

I had a bump in my car last February sliding down an icy hill and have been extra cautious ever since. If you're one of these people who are "far too busy" to let others take their time then it's not their fault. Not aimed at you personally Gav, but it really annoys me when people drive inconsiderately, tailgating, speeding, cutting you up etc etc. Especially annoying when you're going slowly for a good reason!

Reminds me I cant see for **** without my glasses at night when I'm driving.

Must find them, I havent a clue what I'm hitting at night without them

I always find 5 or 6 pints steady my nerves before I drive at this time of year.

[straycat]

Must find them, I havent a clue what I'm hitting at night without them

Don't worry. . So you can see what you missed. (or didn't miss)

(on a vaguely more serious note, it seems that not everyone without good snow skills lives in the UK...)

[Lory]

The first story made me smile http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/we...y-weather.html

[Lynn]

Was snowing when we came out of Ceroc tonight - still at the pretty stage - most of the rest had thawed so this is new stuff. But I may not like it so much tomorrow when I have to go to work!

[Nessiemonster]

Got to say I love it, even though it's stopped me getting to a really important family gathering today down south. I'm not good driving in it as I don't have the confidence and experience, so I try to avoid driving as much as possible (though am seriously considering whether a snow driving lesson is a possibility to improve my confidence?)

I love the peace and beauty of it. I love the crunchy sound and feeling of it beneath your feet. I've been sat at home with the lights off and blinds open for the last two hours (since I got home from my aborted drive to the airport) just so I can appreciate it and enjoy it before it gets all trampled.

Truly, it's stunning - about 3-4" fell in 2-3 hours.

But I do miss my 4WD car, which had a low ratio gear option and was awesome in snow. Perhaps that's why I lack confidence in my 2WD now.

[straycat]

I looked at these online yesterday and I might get some

I had my first ever snowsock-enhanced drive today, and I have to say I'm highly impressed. Yes, I was driving slowly and carefully (see the earlier common sense remark) but I had no traction issues whatsoever. Putting them onto the car, and taking them off again was a cinch too. For me, they've just become a must-have for any time that snow is a possibility.

[jivecat]

Thank goodness the pavements are safe again! Having failed to take Straycat's sensible advice I fell over on the ice last week and have sprained my wrist really badly, it is still swollen with impressive bruising right up my arm. No dancing for me for a couple of weeks.

[Lynn]

It rained yesterday just as we were about to head out for a Christmas walk - would have gone ahead and walked in snow, but didn't want to in the rain!

It melted a lot of the remaining snow - unfortunately the slush has refrozen and pavements are uneven sheets of ice.

[Lory]

Has anyone changed their minds yet?

We've got more snow today and I've just decided if I can't beat it, I'm going to use it as another photo opportunity, so I'm about to head off, before the light goes

[Maxine]

Has anyone changed their minds yet?

We've got more snow today and I've just decided if I can't beat it, I'm going to use it as another photo opportunity, so I'm about to head off, before the light goes

No did not like it before and nothing has persuaded me otherwise. Plus I've had nearly 3 weeks without heating

[Lory]

I'm back and I have to admit, when you've got the time to enjoy it, and its fresh and powdery, its rather lovely

Plus I've had nearly 3 weeks without heating

How an earth are you coping?

Have a warm hug

[emmylou25]

I still hate it.

I only got into work last Mon & Tues, then was snowed in the rest of the week. And this week again got in Mon & Tues - drove home via our only 'safe' route home (ie smaller hills, slightly more cars driving that way as it goes past a rural business park, and there's slightly more chance of gritting at least part of that road as it's Warwickshire rather than Oxfordshire), to find half the road covered in 3 ft snow drifts - fresh snow blown through the hedges from the fields!

So this morning it was a closed road, until a tractor & snow plough could clear it, and get the stranded car & van out. Stuck at home again...but can work from home.

However, then desperately needed food so cadged a lift from my brother in law & his wife who live next door to get in to the supermarket in a Discovery. And we ended up in a ditch - moved slightly onto the verge to let a tractor past which couldn't move over any further, and in slow mo slid sideways into the ditch & hedge. Wouldn't want to do it at any speed! Luckily it was right outside my sister in law's house, and we could call for my OH, and other bro-in-law to pull us out. They could get no grip at all on the road, so the teleporter had to clear the road to get traction, and then that and the tractor had to get the 4x4 out. So, now I desperately don't want to drive tomorrow morning once it's all frozen again...it's just so lethal.

[jivecat]

I still hate it.

I only got into work last Mon & Tues, then was snowed in the rest of the week. And this week again got in Mon & Tues - drove home via our only 'safe' route home (ie smaller hills, slightly more cars driving that way as it goes past a rural business park, and there's slightly more chance of gritting at least part of that road as it's Warwickshire rather than Oxfordshire), to find half the road covered in 3 ft snow drifts - fresh snow blown through the hedges from the fields!

So this morning it was a closed road, until a tractor & snow plough could clear it, and get the stranded car & van out. Stuck at home again...but can work from home.

However, then desperately needed food so cadged a lift from my brother in law & his wife who live next door to get in to the supermarket in a Discovery. And we ended up in a ditch - moved slightly onto the verge to let a tractor past which couldn't move over any further, and in slow mo slid sideways into the ditch & hedge. Wouldn't want to do it at any speed! Luckily it was right outside my sister in law's house, and we could call for my OH, and other bro-in-law to pull us out. They could get no grip at all on the road, so the teleporter had to clear the road to get traction, and then that and the tractor had to get the 4x4 out. So, now I desperately don't want to drive tomorrow morning once it's all frozen again...it's just so lethal.

Poor you. Disruption in the countryside is probably far more inconvenient than it is in the city, even though you get the benefit of prettier-looking snow. I'd find getting stuck on a country road really scary, hope it's OK in the morning for you.

I haven't been to a supermarket since before Christmas which suits me just fine. There are plenty of calories left in the house which need eating and if I was desperate for anything I could nip to the corner shop, 6 doors away. To add a few vitamins to the mix I invested in a bag of brussels sprouts and some oranges from the market yesterday. Should be OK for another week or two. I hear that there's panic buying in the supermarkets, is that true?

My "sprained wrist" has been re-assigned as broken, and slapped in plaster for 4 weeks. So, no dancing and no driving, but on the plus side, no working. I'm doing complex sums in my head to work out if the savings on shopping and petrol will outweigh the expenditure on central heating and loss of supply earnings.

I was due to spend the weekend in London but almost called it off after a horrendous forecast. Glad I didn't as the weather wasn't nearly as bad as the forecast made out it was going to be.

[emmylou25]

I'm doing complex sums in my head to work out if the savings on shopping and petrol will outweigh the expenditure on central heating and loss of supply earnings.

Ouch with your wrist! Avoid further slippage is your main aim I'd think.

I've been thinking the same thing - not being able to mooch round the shops at weekends or go for coffee, and having to eat what's in the freezer rather than being able to nip out for something you fancy really helps keep costs down. On the flip side, my working from home for 6 days already has my OH moaning about the extra electricity used (although we do have a log burner which does mean the heating doesn't have to be used as much).

[gamebird]

And my prayers have been answered

I know other parts of the country have had phenomenal amounts of snow. I know it's stopped a lot of people doing things they need to do and worse still stopped them doing things they want to do and I do sympathise...

...but it's snowing again in central scotland - just as the grass was showing, the tarmac was back to black and the only 'snow' left was the horrible grey stuff at the sides of the roads - now it's all clean and white again (sadly I can still make it in to work )