Snow day

Well, the promised snow arrived last night (about 3am I realised there was no way I was going anywhere today - too worried about getting back safely!) - and everything looked so wonderful draped in snow.

         

I can work from home luckily, so did some database stuff, but we had to pop out to the shops - and on the way we decided to go and see what was happening in Meersbrook Park (just down the road from our house) - and found a small collection of roller girls and boys making an igloo - but of course.

We stayed for an hour or so and helped with the building (well I helped, Jamie encouraged and I made blocks).  The final igloo was amazing and got loads of attention, we didn't stay long after it was built as we really weren't dressed for much more than walking in the snow.

WE'RE ALL DOOMED!

Anyone would think it never snowed in the UK, the media has gone into overdrive, with the Daily Express this morning screaming 'THREE DAYS OF SNOW CHAOS' - wow!!

But there is no denying that the forecast does look bad, but it's rarely as bad as the predict (as I'm sure they over predict so they can't be blamed if it's worse than they say).  And anyway, we have grit, shops full of goods and most people can walk if they need to (there's the problem, most people wouldn't dream of walking!!  when there is snow often I'm one of the few who has got to the office although I live the furthest away - because I'm prepared to walk to the station).

Having said that, older and less able people will have problems so it's always worth checking on neighbours and friends.

I know below is a joke, but it made me laugh!  I'm going to be doing none of them (although there may be a few Instagram pictures).

Weather

there is a road out there ...... somewhere.

We've had some weather! And not just a little either! This month has been the coldest in 100 years and it's caused rather a lot of disruption across the country.

As the beginning of the month it snowed. It was lovely for a couple of days, I went out with my camera and everyone seemed to be enjoying a few 'snow days'. But it didn't stop! 15 cm on the patio, minus 10 overnight.

After a week of being snowed in it was getting a bit ridiculous. Trains and Flights canceled, roads blocked and shops running out of supplies (mainly as idiots were panic buying).

And in the middle of all that I caught the cold from hell, actually I think it was flu. I spent 2 days in bed. Finally things started to clear a bit and I managed to dig my car out after about 6 days of it just being a white blob up the road.

But the temperatures stayed low. In fact although the snow moved south to wreak the Christmas shopping and travel plans of southerners, it still remained below freezing up here.

We've been struggling with a semi-blocked toilet for a week or so, the pipe outside is frozen, not convenient!

Various idiots have started going on about 'global warming' - when will they, and the tabloids, realise that 'climate CHANGE' is what we should be worried about, and what we are experiencing.

There's a car under there!

and again....

Earlier this year it snowed (January), and NASA produced a photo of the UK completely covered in the white stuff, I blogged about it, the picture was amazing.

This week it's happened again, and another photo has been released - still just as amazing (although more cloud cover this time).

I'm sure that there are lots of idiots claiming that this cold snap is 'proof' that 'global warming' doesn't exisit.......but to me it just goes to show what a mess we've made of our climate (the words are 'climate change').  Here in Sheffield it's been crazy with 15 inches of snow - the most ever recorded (records began in 1882).

The sun is out now but that just means that with the low temperatures everything is becoming very icy.  John and I are going to dig the cars out in the bit - most of the roads are clear.

This is getting rather serious now

The snow seems to being showing no sign of stopping anytime soon, and it's causing chaos across Sheffield (and beyond).

No buses are running, the road outside my house disappeared last night and hasn't been seen since, there are people trapped in cars all over the place (the radio just said A57 at Worksop there are people who have been in their cars for 18 hours!).

Very few businesses have opened, and it's making work all but impossible due to no-one being available (or those that are in being really busy).  I've done some admin, hoovered the house and been watching what is going on via the internet (twitter, facebook and BBC Sheffield).

I've been taking lots of photos, been out for a couple of walks down to Heeley.  The Co-op at Heeley Green had nothing whatsoever in the way of milk or bread, but just as we were leaving the shop a big lorry arrived - I have no idea how it got there!!

The snow is not due to stop for at least the next 24 hours - how much more can there be in the sky.  I'm seriously beginning to think that the Gulf Stream has switched off and no-one is telling us!

Anyway, about half and hour ago there was 14 inches on the patio, we'll see what it's like in the morning.

So the forecasts were correct

It did snow last night -

This is an image from our nearest traffic camera, it's also the way I'd have to go to get out of Sheffield to my meeting in Doncaster - which I can assure you I WILL NOT be going to!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow......

The next twenty four hours looks set to be rather white!

White out

NASA satellite shot of UK snow
Originally uploaded by thebadastronomer.

I probably should record that it's snowed a bit! On Tuesday it dumped a few inches, followed by a few more the next night - and now everything is a winter wonderland. Actually it's all rather sludgy at the moment as the roads have cleared and the pavements have become ice rinks covered in brown snow!

Most of the country seems to have gone into panic mode, fuelled by the media. People are panic buying in supermarkets, cars are being abandoned all over the place and public services (schools and buses inparticular) have ceased to function in any way.

I'm one of the lucky, I can work from home (although I worry about the fuel bills). Many people have been unable to travel to work or anywhere else for that matter.

It's Thursday evening and more snow is forecast for tonight, I'm kind of looking forward to it - there is something about a good snow fall that brings out the child in me.

Anyway, the photo above comes from NASA's Terra satelitte and was taken earlier today - amazing.

Floods come to Sheffield again

Cars 2 Heeley
Originally uploaded by Mysticmogg.

Guess what? it's been raining round here!

This isn't far from my house, and makes be very glad that I'm at the top of the hill - although the patio has aspirations to be a swimming pool!

Winter?

Snow! in April!, originally uploaded by MollsMusings.

It's April for Bob's sake - and last night it snowed! Although it doesn't look like much in the garden there was actually a fair amount.

What have we done to our planet? The forecast is actually more snow for today!

My lovely friend Jill has gone back to her old team in London, she's no longer part of the group of three, and has to spend her days locked in a dungeon (actually she's not locked in but it is the basement) with no windows.

I couldn't work like that it would drive me potty (okay, more potty!)

So each day I'm sending her a photo of the outside world for her desktop, sort of like a 'window'. Today she got the picture above - not inspiring but better than a blank wall.

[a winter wonderland]

The snow arrived this week in Britain, in the south at least. Anyone would think that we'd never seen it before! Schools were closed in Birmingham, roads ground to a halt and loads of people used it as an excuse not to go to work!

Here in Sheffield it snowed a little on Thursday and has been raining on and off every since - boo hoo!