BS: It's Snowing...!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 07:32 AM

Actually, it's LTS at home...

Snowing again, I measured it earler at 7"...

All the schools in the area are closed, there are no buses and limited train/tube travel so everyone is at home and getting under my feet.

But I had a fun half hour shovelling snow off the path - haven't shovelled snow since the early 80's!


LTS

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 07:38 AM

I had the pleasure of starting my first job (a railway Signal & Telegraph Dept. as it was called then, trainee engineer) at Bletchley, Bucks, in the big freeze Feb 1963.

One of my first jobs which I got paid extra money for (snowing duties it was called), was clearing out the points (switches in USA) of snow and ice. We (or rather the Permanent Way Dept.) used to paste a de-icing fluid on them which I think they still do, but it couldn't always cope with the most extreme conditions, especially if they were located underneath bridges and never got any sun on them). Things were so bad on that day that I worked for 12 hours but it was the only time that I felt that I was doing a really worthwhile job helping the wheels to keep turning. In that winter, freight trains (a lot of them coal then) were stacked up on the West Coast main line in all available passing loops & sidings as the coal got frozen and couldn't be unloaded, so power stations went without and there were power cuts but I quite enjoyed the excitement of it all.

I remember having conversations with friends and colleagues about how mad the government (Tory) were getting Dr. Richard Beeching to permanently close down half the system and that in years to come there would be choas on the roads .............sure enough! Now they're re-opening and building new lines (even a new steam loco, see the 'Newly Built Class A1 Steam Loco' thread!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 07:45 AM

The real manitas here:

I decided I ought to try to get in despite my cold as I was more likely to make out than the rest of the support team but was turned back at the station. It appears that 90% of the company has decided to telecommute, we have managed to set up an additional terminal server to cope with the strain but the telecomms companies are struggling with the extra bandwidth being used.

Still snowing but the main roads should be clear enough for the buses tomorrow.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 08:05 AM

Just for you Guest Jim Martin

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Den
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 08:54 AM

We've had snow on the ground since Christmas here in Nova Scotia. I now have about 50cm in my front yard and I hear we have another 10 to 15 coming tomorrow.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 09:21 AM

Got a good foot of the white stuff here now. Harry has been out in the snow this morning but I had to bring him inside when it was up to his waist!

Chris I'm sure you can borrow a landie if you can get here!! LOL!!

Here is a link to some photos of the little fella out in the snow this morning.... Photos

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Stu
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 10:16 AM

Always interesting to see the amount of coverage the weather gets if it occurs inside the M25 as opposed to anywhere north of Milton Keynes.

On BBC News 24 they've had helicopters flying over the motorway (snow everywhere!) and the underground (which as it's name suggests is largely subterranean and perhaps not as susceptible as other rail networks to the wrong kind of snow) is grinding to a halt. They've even got a rolling ticker telling you which buses are running in the city. We've got snow here near Macclesfield and I can't see the 14 to Langely being mentioned . . .

Those poor southern jessies . . . ; )

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 10:43 AM

+5, sunny, no wind. Thank goodness winter is over! >;-)

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Maryrrf
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 11:56 AM

I had a look at your photos, Khatt. All I can say is those kids are adorable! And you're looking great too!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 12:13 PM

I woke up to 8" this morning (lucky me ;0)) and hoped school would be shut but when I rang the head she said they hadn't had more than an inch or two in Rotherham so it was work as usual. Had a really easy journey as all the roads had been gritted and there weren't many cars. My own kids schools were both closed so they have spent the day building snowmen and having snowball fights. The blizzards hit Rotherham by lunchtime so after parents were contacted the kids were sent home and we got to come home too. Its still snowing but wetter. I'm hoping it will continue over night and I can curl up under the duvet but won't know until 7.30 tomorrow morning.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 12:22 PM

No Buses, no trains, no school.

This was my week off and I was looking forward to taking the opportunity to get a few essential tasks done while my daughter was at school.

Well who cares!

Today we have been tobogganning and building snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other and generally marvelling at the beauty ofit all ...

... and the stupidity of some drivers ...

... the word "eejit" was created to describe them ...

I live on a steep road and it astounded me to witness the drivers of cars, wheels spinning, yet remaining motionless, stubbornly continuing in their fruitless pursuit.

Of course thats the ones trying to go up the hill ...

It pissed me off no end to see cars whizzing down the hill at top speed and then braking in the face of oncoming traffic ... only (surprise surprise) to keep sliding down the hill, only just missing the cars that were (not) coming up.

Anyway, fun fun fun.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: paula t
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 01:18 PM

School as normal today in sunny Northamptonshire - although we had an extended morning break to make snowmen.Some of our little ones went out first thing and used their first real experience of snow to do some "writing" later.
Don't know if we'll be open tomorrow though as the snow is falling thick and fast.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Penny S.
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 02:23 PM

I learned to drive in 63, and the instructor insisted on taking me out on the ridgy frozen slush roads and learning to cope. Not much opportunity to practice since, and you are right, there are many muppets, who have never driven on the stuff. Some drive very cautiously, others overtake on the bus lane from Bluewater. Someone's gone into the barrier on the way up from the place. Not down! I stay off the roads as far as poss, because of them.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 03:04 PM

We've had no significant local snow, althugh a half inch or so lasted a couple of days; but in the past couple of weeks the "high for the day" has ranged from 65F (18.3C) to 22F (-5.6 C) and has gone through the cycle about 3 times. Lows have been 45F (7C) to 14F (-10C).

An unusually large storm has mostly passed through the mid-central states in the US, and there have been some really gruesome pictures in the weather reports, especially for Kentucky and nearby where quite a few people are still without power after more than two weeks.

There are reports of large areas where "support" has not reached, so there are still many whose survival status is unknown.

Since that storm ran sort of slantwise across the country, both East-West and North-South major highway routes were pretty much shut down for about a week, but it appears to have cleared enough that fresh supplies were dispatched from Kansas bound for Quebec in the care of our family long-hauler on Saturday.

John

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 03:50 PM

John Martin - are you sure you don't mean Feb 1964? The big freeze then lasted from December '63 well into March '64 - by which time my mother had discovered she was pregnant with me!

It seems to come in 20year cycles... 1943/44 was harsh (so I'm told), then 1963/64. 1982/3 is the last time I remember having more than 3" and now, just over 20 years later, we're back with snow, snow, deep, deep snow.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 04:29 PM

If you are trying to emulate the quickstep, that is "Snow, snow, thick thick snow"

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 04:39 PM

What's a quickstep? See above - I was only conceived in winter 1963/64....

:D

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Will Fly
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 04:51 PM

conceived in winter 1963/64....

...the year (64) I started to play guitar...

Now - if we're talking snow, the winter of '49 (in Glasgow) was immmense. Drifts that blocked up the front door, coal shortage, taking up the lineoleum floor covering and tearing it up to burn in the grate... It was hell, I tell you, hell...

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 11:19 PM

Liz the Squeak - it was definitely 1963, I wouldn't forget when I started work! The freeze started on Boxing Day 1962 and didn't end until the beginning of March 1963. It finished the canals' cargo carrying activities to all intents & purposes, it was the last straw that broke the camel's back!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Joybell
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 02:35 AM

Just watched the news. London and buses lined up going nowhere. Trains at a standstill. Funny -- that's just like Melbourne except for the snow and the woolly clothes on the people. If you'll send us some cold and wet we'll send you heat and sunshine. Should work. Warm air rises -- cold falls down.
Cheers, Joy.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 07:47 AM

I have photos of me taken in 1963 up to my knees in snow. Set off to work this morning and as I got into the carpark Geoff rang to say he'd had a message that school was shut! 50 mile round trip for nowt!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 08:03 AM

If you haven't checked out Ms Tam's snow sculpture, take a look. The Lion and The Lamb in all their glory. Beautiful.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 08:13 AM

I just wish people wouldn't use buckets of water to defrost their cars/windows/doorsteps. Especially in the evening. A cafe on my way to work, last night washed its windows and step down and left puddles of water on the pavement. This morning I found them... luckily not with my ass, but that might have been preferable to my knee (a rather pretty genuflect facing east actually...) as it has a little more padding.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 08:27 AM

I'm jealous. We heard about all this snow coming so I rang round on Sunday night to cancel the Monday evening Comhaltas lessons. By Monday night there was hardly any snow on the ground at all. Oh well, better safe than sorry. You don't want carloads of kis getting stuck going home at 9pm on a school night.

What little there was was gone this morning. My nine-year old was most disgruntled. Wrong side of the pennines (or right side, depending on the context). I didn't even get the day off work. Bloody teachers.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Den
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 08:37 AM

Schools closed again today. Its starting to really come down outside. We may have to finish work early. There's talk of maybe 25cm followed by freezing rain. I hate winter.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 01:48 PM

The sun is shining in Ottawa and the 50 cm on my front garden bed is piled up very fetchingly. Unfortunately, I don't get to see it in broad daylight as I am incarcerated at the office. We've had five (I think) major snowstorms so far this winter, plus a 51-day public transit strike, and the bloody Department of National Defence just keeps ticking, and ticking, and ticking ...

Maybe I will go to sunny California and visit the sea lions with Amos.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 03:03 PM

It's snowing again in Maine. We just got back from a shopping trip in time. Kendall now has a new toy and a lovely new dark blue shirt.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 03:21 PM

Kendall Groupie Group Sigh


1...2...3...SIIIIGGHHHHHHHH! Does is match his eyes?

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 05:38 PM

Can they make bloodshot patterns on flannel???

































I'm heading for the cellar now....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: skarpi
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 05:47 PM

need more snow Liz I can send you some

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: ranger1
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 10:46 PM

Liz, if you like shoveling snow so much, you can come visit SINSULL. She needs a new snow elf now that I'm working year-round.

I've spent a couple of days moving the white stuff around with the tractor so that we'll have more room in the parking lot at work. I still haven't found the edges, but I'm working on it. I also headed out on the trails to check on a couple of things and neglected to take my snowshoes (figured I was staying on the snowmobile trail and I wouldn't need 'em). When I stepped off the edge of the trail to let a snowmobile go by, I went hip-deep into the snow. I managed to haul myself out by spread-eagling my upper half on the packed snow of the snowmobile trail and kicking with the leg that hadn't slipped all the way off the packed snow. Bet it looked funny, but all I could think of was "Gee, I hope someone doesn't come zipping down the trail at this moment!"

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: gnu
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 06:49 AM

Winter has returned. Must be that damn hog! We only got about 25cm and the wind wasn't bad at about 60kph.

But, I see it's to be around +5C again by the weekend. Once again, winter will be over.

This was storm number 9 but we haven't had any big ones yet. I think we've had almost that number of thaw cycles which included rain. VERY rough on the wildlife.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 08:32 AM

I did miss my snow elf this year and finally had to break down and hire someone to deal with the back porch and walk. I can handle the front withj he snow blower Kendall gave me but the back door has a drift against it and the electric cord doesn't reach so...
He does good work though and is reasonable.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Girl Friday
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 09:42 AM

"If only!   Rain would would be better though. "

Rain I am looking forward to after eight inches of snow in Orpington... trouble with rain is... it freezes!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Penny S.
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 06:34 AM

It is raining, and I am debating how to get out - walk into Bluewater, getting wet. Or try with the car, with the access area glassy last night and therefore horribly slippy now. The roads are OK, so's the drive, but manoeuvering on that stuff seems risky.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 08:46 AM

Rain and a thaw expected this weekend. Hopefully the ice columns hanging from my roof will go away without pulling the house down.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Rasener
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 08:51 AM

Took my daagters into school this morning just after it had snowed. About 11:00am, I got a call from my daughters to pick them up as the school was closing. The reason was that the bus company that ships all the kids in and out, had phoned and said they would not be collecting the kids at 3:30 becuase of the weather but would be coming to pick everybody up at 11:00am.

So its not always the school themselves.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 09:33 AM

What do you do if you are working? it would have been easier to cancel the day than have all this mid-day pick up nonsense.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Leadfingers
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 08:36 PM

We were told the snow would hit West London about midnight ! Its now 01.35 , and all we seem to be getting is a bit of drizzle . NOT that I want any snow , but it seem churlish not to be able to join in with all you people who are buried in the stuff .

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Sleepy Rosie
Date: 13 Feb 09 - 03:10 AM

My two little lads (furry child kind) have been having great fun running about in the snow this morning.

And then of course, they come in all excited and want to chirrup at you and tell you all about their big adventures 'out there' when they get in.

Little muddy wet pawprints dab-dancing all over the paperwork on my desk...

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: maire-aine
Date: 13 Feb 09 - 04:43 PM

Well, it took 2 weeks, but we finally got our thaw. Several days of mild weather (mid-40F) and rain yesterday, and almost all of the snow is gone. Lots of mud now.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Feb 09 - 04:58 PM

Here in Juneau, Alaska, we still have plenty of snow on the ground and on roofs but streets and sidewalks are bare and the sun is brilliant. We're supposed to have a couple more days of this clear weather and then who knows what will happen.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 08:28 PM

AAARGGHHHH!
More snow.
We had some Thursday into Friday and I did not know it was coming.
Now it started as rain, turned to ice and now wet, heavy snow. My house is warm and dry. I have little to complain about.
SIGH I am so tired of this.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 08:50 PM

Yep.
Bah, HUMBUG!

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 09:25 PM

And my power just went out. Time to call it a night and go read by flashlight.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Amos
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 11:30 PM

The first edge of Spring has crept into San Diego after a really wicked series of cold rainy days when even the surfers were beginning to get depressed. We are all feeling hopeful.


A

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: gnu
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 04:29 AM

Yup. This IS a storm. A real Nor'easter. Comin down sideways and heavy. The radar pic is real pretty. >;-)

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 07:25 AM

Yup- we got about 8 inches last night. I guess we'll take the Jeep when I go to mother's today.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 07:51 AM

Amos - shut up and get back to the cellar.

Looks like, instead of the promised 3-6" we got about a foot.

Kendall's out there with the snowblower right now.

I took these about 30 minutes ago.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Snowing...!
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 08:07 AM

My power came back on about 1:30 AM. The snow is lovely and all the young birch trees are flopped over (and will likely stay that way forever). My squirrel-proof bird feeder isn't snow proof, and it's now bird-proof as well, so I must go out and liberate the seed. The hell with the car - I ain't goin' nowhere, but it's going to be a challenge to open my door.