Weather / Traffic Reports Please

[giraffe]

I did my food shop at 8.30 Monday morning. Everything had sell by dates after Christmas, so I see no reason to shop closer to Christmas. The queues were no worse than on a normal day. I went to the Co-op (smaller) today to pick up the things I had forgotton and some fresh milk, and there was no queue at all. I expect their usual customers had decided to go to the bigger supermarkets! Tomorrow I just have to make the syrup sponge pudding for Friday, and cook the ham and finish off the housework. Hopefully I don't need to go out, I managed to slide the car on the ice turning out our road today, fortunately I was going really slowly and no harm was done.

[clvrlad]

Christmas i knew id forgotten something....

[gill216]

I've been sorted a while too Giraffe. Got bread and milk to freeze at the local corner shop today.

We've just had another covering of snow while I wasn't looking so I'm quite pleased that if I haven't got it now I can do without it.

My car hasn't been out of the drive since Sunday and its not going anywhere for a while. I've had the fence down twice in the past because our drive is an upward slope -and I'm not attempting a third time.

[LAT]

Just been to fetch my son from the station again. It was raining which was melting the snow. The road was under water in places.
Now I don't need to get anywhere that isn't walkable it seems it will be safe to drive.

[Bunnylump]

I did one horrendous shop at Tesco for all the food yesterday (got daughter's OH to drop me off and pick me up in my daughter's car because I didn't dare drive again - her little car has small wheels and copes much better in the snow). I've never seen anything so ridiculous. As I said to someone "I never thought I'd hear myself saying this - however long will be have to queue for sprouts??" Then, when OH returned from where he was working in Milton Keynes, I made him take me to Sainsbury's in the evening to get all the booze! What a thrilling day.

It's been raining today so the snow is starting to melt and we're getting floods now.

[Bunnylump]

My friend's brother (Keith - even though the article calls him "Leith") got snowed in at work!! They had to make up beds for themselves and about 100 customers who were in John Lewis in High Wycombe!! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... l#comments

[gill216]

My stubborn OH decided to play hero- and volunteered to work tonight in the local club .

End result- slid down our drive, added a few more dents to the back end of the car and took the fence out that we having been waiting for someone else to do for days.

And he still can't get there!!!.

Trust me - my language has been choice. Time to open a bottle I think I shall murder him on boxing day!!!!

[Scurra]

I'm sure we can provide a plausible alibi for you

[giraffe]

I spent a moment there wondering why the purple rabbit had left buying the booze until so late, when it would keep. Then realised that she probably wanted full bottles of booze for Christmas.

Have a merry one Bunnylump.

[Bunnylump]

Oh you know me so well...

Gill - don't you just love men??

You could always use him as a replacement feature for the top of the Christmas tree...

[MBH]

Main roads up here are fine. Side roads are their usual white / compact ice situation - but careful driving sorts that out. Just driven home in some lovely freezing fog

Now..... When's this "Christmas" thing coming again???

Actually I'm just about kidding. Cooked up the Christmas dinners about 90% in the past 2 days, and after a Christmas Eve working behind the bar at the Cricket Club - I've just finished wrapping the presents. [Exept for one friend who we won't see till later on Christmas Day, so I've still got time for that]

Best of luck to all of you snowed in or spinning your wheels on sheet ice. Take care of yourselves and be sensible.

[gill216]

Today OH decided to dig out the car. it took him about 2.5 hours to clear the snow off our drive and out onto the road (which at night turns to sheet ice). THEN- and only then- did he decide to turn on the engine- and the battery is as flat as a pancake Ladies, tell me I'm not alone in thinking I'd have tried the engine BEFORE spending hours trying to dig it out.

I really have to laugh. The drive was frozen solid with the remainder of the snow at about 6pm. Now its snowing again and there is at least another inch of snow on top of the ice and its snowing quite heavily here now. What a waste of effort

[LAT]

But think of the fresh air and exercise.
And it got him out of the house for two and a half hours too.

[strep98]

We haven't much snow, but the pavements are terrible and I've had to get OH to take me to work an hour and a half early just to get a lift as I'm scared to walk on the ice after Christmas eve's dice with the back end of a juggernaut. Even got a taxi home today (I know what a whimp). They have cancelled all our out patient clinics on Monday as they did last wednesday as we are expecting more snow and they've told us they are not gritting the pathways around the hospital (I think they are trying to drum up some business for the fracture unit).

[MBH]

Weather report??? COLD!

Car was showing -9.5 on the drive in to work this morning - that's the coldest I've ever seen it [although in years gone by, cars didn't tell you the temparature]

Saw some wonderful snow-people on the news this morning - looks like people who are not going to work or school have been having fun. Some quite artistic work going on

Here are a couple of phenomenon photos of things I've never seen up here:

[Bunnylump]

Wow, the down pipe is weird, isn't it? Love the seat. My son made a giant snow sofa and telly in the local park!!

My daughter had to go to her placement today - managed to get to Potter's Bar and back OK thank goodness. Still a bit concerned about my son getting back to Cornwall tomorrow though. He has 5 train changes.

And Gill I can't believe your husband didn't try the car first!!!

[giraffe]

My car registered -11 yesterday halfway between here and school. OH clocked -12 on his way to work.

[clvrlad]

well i hope you all enjoy the fresh new white blanket outside
you should have said gill today ill be driving round in my forklift with the snowplough bolted on clearing the yard making huge piles of snow and enjoying myself immensely

about 5 inches fell last night here

[Redfraggle]

We have more snow today but nowhere near what the rest of you have. Im not going out, instead, Im sending Ivan out in it. Im scared of slipping! Our school is still open

[katsmom]

I know this doesn't compare at all to what you guys are going through, but it was a whopping 9 degrees here today. I was testing in a new "clean air" building. The thermometer in my room read 17 degrees. My heavy coat never came off, and one poor candidate reached across and grabbed my hands during the test. I hope my rubbing of her icy fingers didn't make sound and show up on that tape I know exactly how that poor girl felt.

I am now in pain from trying to hunch myself smaller all day long. The weather man says a couple more days of it and then we should warm up to 10 degrees. Laugh all you want, but my long johns are coming out for tomorrow! This is the coldest winter we have had in about 10 years or so, and it's not even the coldest time of year yet.

I heard the most horrible thing on the news last night as well. China's coal producing province doesn't have enough coal to make electricity. They have closed down the factories and will only run electricity to homes 3 days a week Those poor people are registering -18 degrees right now. I just feel so badly for them. It kind of puts my frozen bones into perspective. At least I only pay more money to heat my home. I don't have to worry about the government shutting down the power companies. Many other areas were said to have only enough coal to last for 4 more days!