Monday 21 January 2013

What's all the fuss about a bit of snow?

Now I know I'm old ... the BBC had a special programme last week about the snow, yet at the time only 10cm (that's about 4 inches in old money) had fallen anywhere.  The news reporters were there in their wellies and big padded coats and you could still see the grass behind them.  One of them even mentioned that the local pub was closing early - why on earth?  It would have been the perfect place for people to go and get warm and cheer up.

What's this current fuss all about?  When I was a child ....
1963
OK I was very small, but the snow was so deep that we had to dig our way out of the house.  There are pictures on internet of snowdrifts 22 feet deep from that winter.  Other people are commenting that rivers and the sea froze that year.

My mum used walk a mile to take me to school - she'd have my brother in one of those big wheeled prams and me sitting on the back edge with my feet keeping warm inside. 

The pram in 1961 with me inside, but the same one was used four years later for my brother
My dad still had to go to work at the pit - well, it was warm down there.  But he had to get to the pit top and we had no car in those days - so it would have been 4 miles (or more) on his motor bike in all weathers. 

So, will everyone please stop being complete wusses!!  Here in Barnsley the snow is currently about 4 inches deep.  Schools are closed, firms are sending people home early, even the history group I attend didn't meet this morning. 

The year before last I had to dig our car out twice from more snow than this.  And picking a few veg for tea involved wading through nearly a foot of snow.  Look - here's the proof!
2010
I'm going into town tomorrow for a nice lunch in the pub - I expect the buses will be running and that the pubs will be open.  Or I'll be having another go at modern life on here.

Rant over ... see you all in the thaw!





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