Isn't it gorgeous? :-)
Feb. 2nd, 2009 09:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
abendgulesLondon is getting up to six inches of snow - started last night, continuing into tomorrow. There's about three-four inches fallen already.
It's beautiful - mild and cool outside, perfect snowman weather. I took pictures of our little yard and our close covered in snow.
This would be no problem in Canada - ok, a bit of a dump, like the first big snowfall of winter, have to wait for the plows to get round the 401, but not a big deal.
Now picture the same conditions, in a densely packed city of 7million(?), where not a soul owns winter boots or a snowshovel.
Cars here are completely innocent of ice scrapers (I had to describe one to my office mate), snow tires ('oh, the things with chains, right?'), antifreeze for the windshield, or winter oil.
Actually I exaggerate - I own winter boots, and I've seen a couple of people arrive at work who look like they're wearing their hiking kit.
My commute was blissful, actually - no buses at all (all London buses are cancelled today) few cars, almost no fumes even at the busy intersections, and a clear run up my arm of the Northern line.
However, 10/11 Tube lines are down or partly down, so I was very lucky. I'd be SOL going into the centre of the city.
So far I'm one of four in the office, out of about 17.
It's beautiful - mild and cool outside, perfect snowman weather. I took pictures of our little yard and our close covered in snow.
This would be no problem in Canada - ok, a bit of a dump, like the first big snowfall of winter, have to wait for the plows to get round the 401, but not a big deal.
Now picture the same conditions, in a densely packed city of 7million(?), where not a soul owns winter boots or a snowshovel.
Cars here are completely innocent of ice scrapers (I had to describe one to my office mate), snow tires ('oh, the things with chains, right?'), antifreeze for the windshield, or winter oil.
Actually I exaggerate - I own winter boots, and I've seen a couple of people arrive at work who look like they're wearing their hiking kit.
My commute was blissful, actually - no buses at all (all London buses are cancelled today) few cars, almost no fumes even at the busy intersections, and a clear run up my arm of the Northern line.
However, 10/11 Tube lines are down or partly down, so I was very lucky. I'd be SOL going into the centre of the city.
So far I'm one of four in the office, out of about 17.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 07:02 pm (UTC)I came home from the station at a steady 25 mph and just sort of slewed into the driveway where I bottomed out on snow. I managed to brute-force the car most of the way in -- far enough to avoid the splash from the road -- and then set about shovelling the driveway.
bendgules speaks sooth, though: snow shovels aren't sold here that I've ever seen (nor are long-handled snow brushes with ice scrapers on the other end). So the dustpan was pressed into service.
You have to imagine me in an ivory mohair business suit under a black Cossack-looking coat dancing the kazatske in order to bring a no-handled dustpan to bear on the packed snow.
When you're done laughing ...
... thank you ...