Let it snow...

Well. We live in England, a Northern Hemisphere country with an extremely changeable climate. We have four marked seasons (often in one day) and yet we are still, as ever, unprepared for snow and poor weather conditions. In November. And today is the 1st of December and the official start of Winter. It's all a little pathetic isn't it?

I am writing this because I am sat at home in my pjs as my school is closed today. There are no problems with the heating and the school site itself is fine. The roads around Bexley and Kent on the other hand are treacherous. Under the snow is ice. And it's a bit slippy. And it's about -1c. Which is a bit nippy isn't it? So I understand why it's closed - health and safety of the students getting to and from the school and the fact that many teachers live in Kent and they might not make it into school. One of my Department was stuck on the sliproad off the A2 into Blackfen for an hour and a half yesterday. A slip road that's about 500 metres long. For an hour and a half. She could almost see the school from her car yet couldn't move! Madness.

But what to do...? Most teachers will be jumping up and down with glee at having a 'snow day' but whilst I'm glad not to be driving in dangerous conditions I would rather be at school working. Yeah, yeah... whatever... I know. But it's true. The kids, of course, will love having a day off and the ones that made it in yesterday did nothing but moan before being allowed to leave at noon.

I can understand that those people who live in Canada and other parts of the world where snow and wintery conditions are an accepted part of everyday life are laughing at Britain's inability to deal with a bit of snow - practically all of the SouthEastern Train service has ground to a halt - but we hardly had any snow for years and then the last three years have been pretty bad (cue global warming conspiracy theories!). Apparantly the snow we get in this country is wet and different to that in Canada. I don't know what that means but it creates chaos!

I will probably be off tomorrow as well - there is an easterly wind (all the way from Siberia!) and temperatures will struggle to get above freezing and according to the BBC the wind chill factor will make it seem more like -7. More snow is forecast but we will see. My wife made it to work but only after deciding on bus, tube and a trek across the bridge to the FT. Trains weren't running you see.

As much as I love the romantic notion of the wintery scene - you know, fresh snow on trees, robin redbreast, children sledging and making snowmen - the disruption caused is a colossal pain in the arse. SO. I shall just stay in, keep warm, maybe do some baking, definitely do some school work and keep myself busy and WARM. And of course, there is always daytime TV and the repetitive loop of Sky Sports News. Enjoy...