Wednesday 31 March 2010

Not again

The forecast heavy and disruptive snow arrived as planned, but I never expected it to be so bad. These really are new photographs and not a repeat of ones earlier this year.Mr FF flew to Dublin on business yesterday taking an early flight, he was up at 5 am and fortunately packed wellies and a snow shovel in the car. During the day I kept an eye on the weather and sent him a few reassuring messages as the snow wasn't really settling. Around 6 pm the power went off and when I phoned the help line they said there was a widespread loss of supply that they expected to restore around midnight. This wasn't a huge problem as I had the battery radio, the wood burner and whilst it was light my knitting so I boiled up some pasta on the fire and settled in. The power came on at 10 pm, went off again for about half an hour, on again and then alternated between on and off for the rest of the evening.
Mr FF phoned me just after 9.30 pm to say his flight had arrived and that though there was a lot of snow around the airport he was going to try and get home. He phoned me again about 1.5 hours later to say he had managed to get onto the ring road, a couple of miles from the airport having dug the snow off the road several times. He phoned again to say he'd tried to book into the Travel Lodge on the ring road but it was full so he would keep moving. Cut a long story short, it took him 9 hours to drive approximately 25 miles home during which time he frequently dug himself out of the snow, met up with other travellers in the same situation including a couple from our own village, watched the snow ploughs putting down grit and salt but not clearing the roads that were full of various abandoned cars, buses and lorries.
Today I've been out clearing the paths again, the snow is very heavy and clinging, it's bent over trees and brought down some branches. The power has been going on and off again, the tv station is down as is the mobile phone provider, not that I mind any of that as long as we are home and safe. It is truly horrible and big setback for my springtime garden so I am going to concentrate on these tulips that Pam sent me after her party. I need to get my body clock back to normal time as we slept from 7 am till around midday, it's not just the weather that is confused. I thought March came in like a lion and went out like a lamb not like a big fat grumpy polar bear.

21 comments:

  1. Oh blimey will winter never end in Scotland? It seems its been like Narnia there for months :(

    No snow here but its definately colder again :(

    Roll on flipflop weather ;)

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  2. I just took one look at that first photo and felt all doom and gloom. It is just incredible for that amount of snow, and March is quite done and over with! I'm already walking around in my rubber slippers (flipflops!) when the sun is out and it's at least 12°C outside. Hang in there Jenny!

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  3. That's quite a heavy fall for this time of year, we just had a little sprinkle over here.

    Glad Mr FF got home safely though it sounds like an epic journey.

    Have you built a snowman yet? This should surely be your last chance before spring!

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  4. I thought they must be pictures from earlier in the year.. goodness!! Glad DH got home ok..

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  5. I also thought you had reposted photos! What a long hard and strange winter it has been.
    Glad you are both safe though, keep warm and Take Care.

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  6. I gthought about you when I saw it on the news this morning. Lets hope it doesn't hang around for as long. I honestly don't know where its all come from this year.

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  7. Good grief Jenny. You must be so hacked of with this.I love winter weather but I know when enough is enough.

    Glad hubby got back safely, even if it did take him such a long time.

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  8. Oh my word! That's unbelievable. You've certainly had it tough this winter....and spring! Quite a worrying couple of days for you Jenny. Glad Mr FF arrived home safe and sound, even if it did take him 9 hours! That grumpy polar bear can't stay grumpy for too long! Take care. Ros

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  9. Gosh - your photos are unbeliveable! Hard to imagine that we've spent today grumbling that the promised snow didn't materalise (last day of term...), but after seeing your picture, I'm heartily glad that it stayed away!

    Hope it clears up soon.

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  10. Ach, what rotten luck. Glad Mr FF made it home OK, it's so stressful driving in that weather. They're now calling for our temps to be over 80F on Friday! But I don't believe we're out of the woods yet, we often get snow in April. Looking back at my journal we got 7" last year after spending the weekend in shorts lazing on the deck, and three years ago we broke a record for hot temps (84F) and the following weekend it snowed!

    I'll take it as it comes. Hope you manage to enjoy the East er weekend though.

    Hugs
    Brenda

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  11. You really have had more than your fair share of snow, that is a huge amount to fall in a couple of days. Thank goodness Mr FF got back eventually, what an epic journey. Stay safe and warm x

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  12. How Scary that must have been for your husband and yourself. I am very glad that you are both safe and sound, as you say that is all that really matters. Hopefully your power will stay on and you can just enjoy the time together with hopefully a nice hot plate of stew to warm you both. Thinking of you, do take care, xxxx.

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  13. Saw all the snow in Scotland on the news - you do have it so bad up there! I hope you can manage to keep warm and fed until it goes again. And please God, no more terrible accidents!

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  14. Heavens to Betsy that is a huge amout of snow!

    I'd noted the bad weather on the news but had no idea that it really was that bad!

    Keep warm in doors and lets hope spring really does get there soon.

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  15. Oh no... no...not more snow?! Oh, I could just cry for you, Jenny. :o( Heavens...Do hope that white stuff won't stick around and that spring will return--very soon! Keep warm... Wishing you & Mr. FF and all of yours a very lovely Easter holiday weekend coming up :o) ((HUGS))

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  16. Oh, poor you, Jenny, you must be so sick of it. It really does feel as though this winter's gone on forever, doesn't it? Hope it's gone soon, and so glad Mr FF arrived home safely (eventually!)

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  17. Hi Jenny, I just came via News from Italy .. I have been reading about the horrendous weather in Scotland, I do feel for you. It is unbelieveable. :-(

    I cannot believe what you poor husband had to endure, Oh my word.. the poor man must of been exhusted.. that is so bad. At least though he arrived home.

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  18. That's some serious snow fall but it's good to hear you're both where you should be. Hope the garden doesn't suffer too much.

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  19. Oh Jenny,
    You must have so worried about Mr FF, I guess Mother Nature just has a mind of her own...
    Glad to know your ok and thankfully even though he was Very very Late, Your Mr FF arrived home safely..

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  20. Boy, that's a lot of snow!!! What's going on with the weather over there? It's as if the worlds weather has moved.
    Lucky for you that you have wood heat at least. I hope it doesn't last too long for you...

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  21. Hello! Just discovered your blog - via Mouse I think. I am another Yorkshire woman in the Lothians. Now live in Edinburgh, but brought up in West Yorkshire, near Keighley. Glad to make your acquaintance. Will enjoy browsing through your blog archive.

    We just got sleet and slush in Edinburgh - which is worse than snow I always think. Rosie

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