Snow

[englishangel]

Do you not have a free evening and weekend call package?

[Angela Woodford]

Why would that post be unpopular, Neill? I think it's lovely of you to admit that you don't actually need the money, and to think of others that do.

Yup, I think that's lovely. We're ekeing out the oil we have for central heating and we're pretty cold. I suppose it's lovely to hear that NEILL is warm and happy. Splendid.

[lonelymom]

I think I heard on the tv the other day that there were problems getting oil to people at the moment (can't remember whether it was an oil shortage, or a transportation problem). Either way, hope you're not suffering too much

[J.R.]

Jan and I managed to actually get down to Horsham on the bus yesterday to do some Christmas shopping.

The thaw seems more advanced down there than in Dorking, though I noticed it seems to be thawing this morning.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Despite the problems, of being "Iced in", a kindly Neighbour called this Morning at 8am, (to be met by TBA, in her dressing Gown) to ask if there was anything we needed --- he being mobile, and possessed of a 4X4 ! What NICE people !
We were also visited by our Window Cleaner ---- WALKING his route and CARRYING his ladder ard bucket.
I call that ENTERPRISE !!. --- (Duly rewarded)

So you see -- even living in the Dorset Outback, has it's advantages !

[midget]

Our neighbours have been brilliant, umpteen offers for shopping, did I want the wheelie bin put out, etc. Our road would qualify for a ski run, steepish hill with a kink in it, but we had a bit of a thaw yesterday, so ventured out, using the shopping trolley as a walking aid. We stocked up on heavy stuff, milk fruit and veg and had a scary time pushing it back up the hill. Had to go out for a dental appt, so did a couple more odd jobs, eg leaving a tip for the paper boy, who has been very good.

[kerrensimmonds]

I moved last week into a Retirement Complex (have my own cottage, with front and back gardens and garage) of 32 properties - a mix of houses, cottages and apartments. Very well organised, and incredibly helpful Warden. In the recent snow, a team of the residents themselves - not including me because I am too new - went out around the grounds, clearing the snow and sprinkling grit on paths and passages, including the path to my front door from the perimeter footpath. I felt hugely humble, since I was not aware that they were doing it. But it has made life very safe, from the first onset of snow the other day. Contrast my experience at work. We have a team of estates people who have cleared roads and footpaths, but not car parks. People are advised to arrive with 'appropriate footwear'. I park in the disabled bays, and currently have only one pair of soft boots which I can wear. The surface in the disabled car park is diabolical. I did a request to Estates today to clear the ice formed from compacted snow from the disabled bays - the reply said that this was 'non urgent', had to be achieved by '28.12.2010', and a response made to me by '19.1.2011'. Get real!

[Mid A 15]

Drove to Norwich and back on Sunday.

Took me about 45 minutes each way longer than normal which I didn't think was too bad. My unscientific purely random straw poll suggests that gritting is considerably better and more efficient North of the Thames.

[Katharine]

Kerren, I hope you'll be very happy in your new home - and the animals too of course.

Apparently Gwynedd is now nearly out of grit, which I find worrying. We have had more snow at low levels than I ever remember, currently about nine inches. The mountains look fabulous, I just hope nobody, totally unprepared, is foolish enough to try climbing them which happens most Christmases.

[AKAP]

I did a request to Estates today to clear the ice formed from compacted snow from the disabled bays - the reply said that this was 'non urgent', had to be achieved by '28.12.2010', and a response made to me by '19.1.2011'. Get real!

What depresses me about this comment is the vision of the estate department at the end of the year patting each other on the back, muttering that they had achieved 98% of their targets on time, awarding each other a bonus and ignoring the fact that they never managed to sort out a safe journey to work for you.

[kerrensimmonds]

To give them their due, all the disabled bays had been scraped and sanded by the time I arrived today - as had the pathway from the bays to the main pavement.

[sejintenej]

To give them their due, all the disabled bays had been scraped and sanded by the time I arrived today - as had the pathway from the bays to the main pavement.

I fear, Kerren, that you were duped by the deadline roundabout. "They" have to set deadlines so they write in a date which is so far ahead that they cannot fail to meet it. Then they can report that they met their deadline with 2x days to spare and congratulate themselves with big bonuses. That you are handicapped is a total irrelevency.
Cancer treatment is a similar situation - they are given so many weeks to see the possible patient and then so many weeks to commence treatment - of course those deadlines are met so the government continues to hand out the dosh. Yesterday's report indicates that we are so slow in diagnosis and starting treatment that we have worse, sometimes far worse, death rates than similarly situated countries.

As an extreme example, my wife was referred to a local hospital for a CT scan and had to send the papers to them by post. So far she has been waiting for that appointment for only a couple of years. Our doctor got fed up so he sent her to a different hospital but we haven't cancelled the request to the first hospital (which did receive the application!). It is OK - cancer was not suspected so they are within target times.

[midget]

I hope you have many years of happiness in yout new home, Kerren.

[kerrensimmonds]

Thank you Maggie and Katharine et al - this is definitely the last move I will ever make! But although I am a lot younger than my neighbours they all seem friendly and helpful, and the Warden is brilliant. It is great that I have my own disabled-friendly two bedroom cottage, with my own front and back doors, a little walled patio at the back and my own garage just a few steps from my back gate. It's got a stairlift, a downstairs loo and a walk in shower adjacent to my (incredibly well cupboarded) bedroom. This is no McCarthy and Stone development! The community (31-32 properties, a mixture of flats. houses and cottages, with goodness knows how many residents overall) is really friendly, and the communal facilities (lounge, dining room, kitchenette, visitors' flat) are like a posh hotel - the gardens are magnificent - including ponds and fountains. When I have really retired there will be lots to do...Let's hope I can afford to stay here!

[lonelymom]

Kerren, your new home sounds lovely, and your happiness was so obvious in your post that I realised I was smiling while I read it!