Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

we`ve had about 2 inches overnight and it`s still snowing - got quite a surprise this morning after the last predicted lot failed to materialise.
I`ve chickened out of spending my morning driving backwards and forwards to town, transporting pupils to their orthodontic apointments.
I now need to go and dig a path out of the drive-way ,removing all the snow the school tractor hs deposited at the end of it whilst "clearing" the road!

We have been very lucky here over the past few days. We've had the odd flurry and now there is very little left on the ground. It's supposed to be coming our way later today but should be lighter than elsewhere.

An extract from The Way We Were by George Glazebrook an autobiographical look at life, primarily in Woolwich and Eltham, between the wars and the early part of World War 2:

......"Now my ears are rudely opened and voices and screams register noisily, unreal as though through a loud-hailer. People stagger to their feet. "Christ Almighty!" Someone splutters "the bl**dy Odeon's** gone - that was a near one.."

But the Odeon is still there highlighted by a huge flame hissing madly from the middle of the tram-track some twenty yards away. A gas-main has taken a direct hit. Twisted iron strips that were once tram-lines point crazily at the night.

A man turns to my father: "Thats torn it, that has. No bleeding trams tomorrow. A walk to Woolwich and back!"

The man is proved wrong. It is tomorrow now and the trams are on the move. Come snow, fog and Adolf Hitler they will run ... They always have run and they are in no mood to stop now......"

**for the benefit of those who do not know the area "The Odeon" is Well Hall Odeon, a cinema which in more recent years was known as The Coronet. No idea what it is now.

I remember the Well Hall Odeon, ISTR seeing the original version of Book 1 of Lord of the Rings there about 30+ years ago. It was an animated effort, not very good and if you hadn't read the book, utterly mystifying.

It has been snowing since the small hours here in north-east Brum, though there have recently been glimpses of a pale sun. Our garden remains as busy as Clapham Junction with visiting wildlife.

"If any politician mentions global warming and carbon footprints in the forth-coming general election, I will PERSONALLY, rip his/her head from his/her shoulders and stuff it where the sun don't shine !"

actually its climate change, not global warming, meaning more extremes of weather all over the world. seeing as this cold snap is the longest and worst for however long, and we had a similar amount of snow in feb. i'd say it is fairly extreme. I'd also say it was fairly extreme that last night in Melbourne the temperature failed to go below 34C (yes, in the night!!!). Besides, what is wrong with carbon footprints and all that?


Lots more snow in Brum today, can't see it melting for a while - but we're used to it now so life goes on!

it's supposed to warm up by the weekend.

englishangel wrote:Just watching the news, and while we have another inch or so on top of our five inches yet to melt, I see our friends in the west, Angela, Maggie* and others are knee deep now.

*these are the two who immediately spring to mind.

Not us! Happily we had sufficient rain to clear most of it, so we were able to walk down into town. I did take the shopping trolley (which I hate with a deep and abiding hatred) as a sort of proxy zimmer frame for security. Angela I think was caught in the snow band.

How about one of these Maggie, not your common or garden plaid number?. A bit budget busting but great fun

http://www.funky-shopping-trolleys.co.uk/

I'll have to ask Father Christmas for one!

But Maggie you would have to wait another 11.5 months! Wouldn't you want one now?

When I was heavily pregnant with the twins I went to the local shops one day with 3 year old and a plaid trolley. On the way back he decided to hitch a lift inside and when I bumped into an old dear who had seen us on the way out she asked where he was. He nearly gave her a heart attack popping out.

Eventually we had about 4 inches yesterday, but this morning I would say we have a thaw. No frost on the car and the paths are wet.

midget wrote:

englishangel wrote:Just watching the news, and while we have another inch or so on top of our five inches yet to melt, I see our friends in the west, Angela, Maggie* and others are knee deep now.

Angela I think was caught in the snow band.

The Tiverton area escaped more snow! It's much milder; moist, misty and melting. I padded along in the slush, longing for when I'll be able to admire some snowdrops. I love snowdrops!

I bless the day I bought some green Hunter wellies many years ago. What's more, a gentleman alighting from a Range Rover smiled at me!

RAINING in Dorking this morning.

Pouring with rain here in Cambridgeshire and has been since 9 am. I'm working at a pharmacy in the fens so I hope my route home won't be flooded!

Weak sunshine here in Chichester - looks as if most of the snow has melted though the car park was about 3" deep in snowy slush this morning and my buggy got stuck! Problems now with potholes especially in narrow country roads - worse at night when you can't see them.
Tried (but failed) to cut and paste a wonderful picture on today's BBC News website. Click on England (left hand of page), then half way down the right hand side there's 'picture of the day' or somesuch. It's usually a tantalising part of a bigger picture, and you have to click on it to open it. It won't be there for long - so hope you can enjoy it before it disappears!