Snow? What Snow?

Well we are certainly caught up in a "cold snap".... Like SNAP is the right word.. more like COLD LONG WINTER... well I can say that I'm a southern wuzz! I thought I had missed the winter snow as it did snow whilst I was away - and that was bad (for us in the Thames Valley who generally get little or no snow in a winter).

BUT NO...

then came this week... for a change the forecasters got it about right... we'd have 15+cm of snow and it would not be getting above freezing for a week.... Well by close of play Thursday gone I had my own personal 8 inches of the stuff outside the front door.... and it wasn't just me either... this has to be the photo of the week (courtesy of Nasa)
Amazing picture of the whole of the UK covered in the white stuff taken 7th January!

Needless to say life is different with the snow....
For starters, given we have little ability to cope in this country community spirit in the main is coming forth....
- Neighbours are checking with neighbours if they are daring the roads to try and get to the supermarket - either car sharing or picking up some items.
- Those cars on the road are clearly having to drive slower and also with much more care. I for one have never driven on such empty roads so slowly.
- Neighbours are coming together for the odd snow ball fight (guilty)
- Random strangers helping push cars out of curb side snow banks
- Neighbours are coming together to clear the roads and paths outside their homes... not that we should, apparently it's against Health and Safety rules and we could be sued (this is snow joke)

Then there is the down side
- The country pretty much came to a standstill on Wednesday and Thursday, the only people I know who made it in to work were ones who were within walking distance of their work place... although clearly a lot of people have been able to work from home in this technology age of ours!
- Shelves in shops ran out of the essentials, and in the break between weather when they managed to get restocked, it was busier then pre-Christmas (so I've been told)
- The local councils are running out of gritting salt for the road and the Government has stepped in to help ration it!
- We've had several "alerts" of gas restriction (or something like that - with the cold and everyone being at home we are all using too much of it), but never fear Gordon Brown has said it "won't run out"... OH my - this must mean we are in deep trouble!!
- and worst of all, getting in run and swim sessions has been challenging ;o)

Looks like that we may be missing the 15cm due today (thank you mother nature), and just getting a flurry... and it does look like the 5 day forecast is looking better.. with highs of 3C and lows of -3C .... much better then the high of -1 and low of -8 we had last Thursday!

Now I have an appreciation for those who normally get winter weather..... I wouldn't like this for 3months of the year for sure..... Mind you we would all be more prepared I guess; we'd have snow shovels, wheel chains, enough salt to grit the roads and perhaps the odd snow plough!

Coming up next - round up of the week that was - and despite the snow I've done 'ok'! Until then - everyone drive carefully out there!