Monday, January 08, 2007

Snow



I finally got my photos sorted out, but as there seem to be an inordinate number of me in my thermal long john's (yes, very amusing children) there won't be many posted on here. This one though is really typical of the scenery there. It was taken incidentally at about midday. Many of the ones taken as late as 2.00pm haven't come out very well due to the lack of day light.

A comment made by a very public sociologist reminded me that although we very rarely have significant snow falls in this part of the UK, when I was growing up round here not a year went by without at least one week of very heavy snow. I lived in a rather isolated village but my school was in town. At the first hint of snow those of us who lived off the beaten tracks would be allowed to leave early to ensure we could get a bus home. I can remember snow drifting so high up against the pub I lived in then that it covered the downstairs windows. I can count on one hand the number of days my kids have had off due to snow, even though they too travel to a village miles away for school.

Being in Lapland instantly transported me back to days spent as a kid playing in the snow - that almost forgotten experience where you place a cautious foot on newly fallen snow and promptly sink up to your knees.

Meanwhile, back in central England in January I have just been out in a t-shirt and wasn't cold.

What the F*** is going on with this climate of ours?

2 comments:

Lisa Rullsenberg said...

I too recall snowy winters. And snow in May. We lived behind a green on our council estate and the snow would often drift up against the railings each winter in junior/early secondary school. Nothing like THAT in recent years though.

Mind noting your t-short remark, our office was bitterly cold today and just three fan heaters were enough to trip the fusebox three times this morning. Nice. Seems that we have to work regardless of cold since we are now effectively banned from using fan heaters as they will blow the fusebox.

George said...

The school I went to for my A-levels did have a snow-alarm, and one time we were off for most of a week, but it does seem to be getting to be an ultra-rare event - even in Aberdeen!

Your holiday sounded fab, especially the Losing My Religion bit!!