Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Or maybe not.
Life in General|Much of the UK is currently covered in a blanket of snow. The strange thing is people seem to be finding it harder to cope this year even in my surrounding streets but the strange thing is we had more snow here last year. I’ve just said on a myspace friend’s page that while I appreciate how difficult it is, I can’t help thinking some countries must be laughing at us. I remember visiting Canada and when they talked about the temperatures and conditions they have to face, it made me feel embarrassed. I love/hate snow but I suppose that goes for most of us but I guess it’s not the snow so much; it’s when it turns to solid ice.
A friend of mine in Devon is snowed in and she only has six inches of snow. Trouble is she lives at the top of a great big hill and no way can cars get in and out of there. She’d walk round another way and take a bus…but no buses are running so she can’t get to work. She has food until Sunday, so I guess will be trudging into town on foot, hoping they’ve got supplies. They’re apparently short of milk in the shops there because of people stocking up. I appreciate why people are doing this but it leaves nothing for anyone else. If it continues I guess shops may consider rationing. Other friends of ours close to London tried to go to one of the large supermarkets the other day only to discover it was closing. They tried another and got told the same thing: closing early owing to staff shortages…so is it any wonder people are stocking up when they ‘can’ get into a store?
I’m thinking if we’re in for this on a more regular basis then it’s time we started investing in some proper snow gear, proper ’snow boots’ for one thing. I used to have a pair of boots that you could have walked across a skating rink wearing and not slipped.
Last night I ‘belated’ remembered I have pair of biker’s boots. I’m going to try them out later and see if they fair better in the snow than my normal boots do. Dear Husband had to go out walking the other day and I made him wear a pair of my ear muffs (not that he was complaining) but at least I gave him the plain ones, not the fluffy animal print ones that I have.
And the thing is as I was discussing with a friend the other day, it used to be we cleared our own drives, paths, and pavement out front. We didn’t just sit there expecting local authorities to do it. I can definitely remember my grandfather doing it, so why is it that street upon street you see all the snow just left where it is? There’s a good reason for it over here in the UK. Apparently, people are afraid to touch the snow on the pavement because if you clear it and someone slips they can sue you. So they’d rather slip on an uncleared bit then? Seriously, get a grip (no pun intended). This world has gone mad.
However, according to article on the BBC this isn’t entirely as clear as people believe. Apparently, there is a ’slim’ chance of doing this regarding the pavement, but your own personal land including your drives or paths are your responsibility and if someone slips because you haven’t cleared them, you’re just as at risk of being sued. For the full article read here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8443745.stm
I would be concerned if the law stated we ‘had’ to clear the snow because of those who are perhaps unable to do so. I appreciate the article says ‘do the neighbourly’ thing and help but is there such a thing these days?
January 17th, 2010 at 1:57 am
After looking at MSN’s 10 coldest places on Earth, I was a tad embarrassed as well. The Serbians and Russian have weather as low as -40 and -50’s. Finally it rained and the snow has melted away. My sister lives in the middle of nowhere (also on a hill in the country) and she had no water for two weeks. It came back today thankfully.
January 18th, 2010 at 10:52 am
We’ve seen shows of ice truckers in Alaska driving 16 ton trucks over frozen lakes in temperatures of -70. Big time scary! The sort of bravery that also stupid, and I don’t mean that in an insulting way but you’ve got to think ‘that’s crazy’ every time you think about what they’re actually doing. To be fair, for so many years the UK simply hasn’t had to cope with it and so hasn’t paid out for the resources but if this is the sign of things to come they’re going to have to think about it. Glad your sister got her water supply back at last.
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:56 am
If we look at it this way, that’s they’re life. That’s kind of all they know, like all we know is rain. So I suppose to them that’s just normal. True, the snow has been atrocious this year and more so how cold it has been.
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:01 am
I had to laugh at the ‘all we know is rain’ comment. It’s raining now. Can’t help thinking if we get snow again for a third winter in a row they’ll have to start investing and get a bit more organised. They were talking about the overall cost but a friend of mine couldn’t get to work and so she didn’t get paid. No one is considering the personal cost to her.
Thanks for stopping by. You must wonder when you’re going to get another book from me. I have the Changeling release soon, which is a light bit of fun and there are other things in the pipeline. It just seems to be a bad time for me. Things outside my control are holding up my schedule. Trust me, no one can be more frustrated than I am. Gagggh.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:17 am
She didn’t get paid. Good God. The country needs to really start investing in snow – with global warming and the Earth almost about to blow – they’re probably just waiting it out -rolls eyes-
Oh no I understand Sharon, I like coming here – you’re probably the only author I communicate to frequently, lol. I am looking forward to when ever you release something in the m/m range. But I think a lot of authors are cutting down on their output lately.
Is the new CP story a m/m story?
January 25th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Quite a few companies didn’t pay their staff if they couldn’t get in this year and I think the trouble is we used to have bad winters and then have had it so easy for SO long that the councils didn’t keep unnecessary services so in the last couple of years have become unstuck. There’s also a lot of confusion as to what you can, can’t and should, shouldn’t clear away yourself and under what circumstances someone can sue you.
Yep, the CP story is m/m. Watch this space over the next few days and I’ll be posting some news on it. Also awaiting my cover. It’s only short, about 16,000 words but I hope will raise a few smiles.
) In discussion over SS3, which is what’s holding up my schedule and then have a last pre-sub edit to do for a m/m novel, which publisher is interested in. So I have everything crossed that at least three titles will be out this year, one of them contemporary.