I normally quite like snow, and the snow we have had this year has been unusually copious and of exactly the right quality for making snowmen and playing snowball tennis. Good fun. However today the snow has just scuppered things. Lots of things.
My brother and his family were supposed to be visiting today and we were going to take all the kids bowling. He lives in Cockermouth and at 12 noon he phoned me to say they had made it as far as Carlisle, it was unlikely they would make it to us before 2pm so could we just rendezvous at my parents' house in Livingston instead? No problem, I said. I will get home from work (yes, I am back at work, thanks for asking), scoop up the kids and head out.
I left the office and as I walked towards where my car was parked, big fat snowflakes began to fall. The kind that cover you and coat your eyelashes in seconds. By the time I was driving home, the roads were becoming a bit iffy (yes, yes, Canadian faction, we are hopeless in snow because we are not used to it and don't have snow tyres and stuff). Half an hour later at home, I phoned my mum and dad and said sorry, I am not risking driving out to Livingston in this weather. (Despite being only 17 miles from Edinburgh, Livingston is inland and always has worse weather than we do). They agreed that was sensible.
Fifteen minutes after that my mum phoned to say that the weather had worsened and they had phoned my brother to warn him. He and his family had turned back towards Cockermouth. This would have been disappointing at the best of times, since my kids love nothing better than playing with their younger cousins, but this time it is excruciating. My brother and his family fly out from the UK the day after tomorrow for Sydney, Australia, and there is every chance they will not be back. They certainly won't be back any time soon. My mum has been deprived of the last chance to see her son and grandchildren and she is beyond miserable. She managed to speak to me for about 20 seconds before choking up and handing the phone over to my Dad.
Damn snow.
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Oh dear, what a shame:(
ReplyDeleteYou guys have really been hit with the white stuff this year! My cousin was driving up to Scotland today from Devon with his family. Long drive, wonder how far they made it?
We on the other hand have hardly had any snow yet!
Weird.
Oh Loth how heartbreaking for you and your family. So sorry to hear that. Hulla xx
ReplyDeleteOh, misery. We got our family Christmas day but had to cut it short due to imminent ice storm. Even Canadians with snowtires can't drive on that guck.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard when someone goes so far away. My warmest sympathy to you and to your mum. However, in the age of Skype and similar, it's not as severing as it used to be. How's your mother on a computer; if she's nervous, tell her that if I can do it (67) so can she.
Oh dear, I do feel for your poor mum. I can't cope with my boy being in Glasgow, let alone Sydney. I'm not sure that Skype is that much help; it just makes one realise how much one misses the person.
ReplyDeleteAnd without any particular personal reason, I'm seriously fed up with this snow. Yuck. Bring back the rain.
I'm so sorry you weren't able to get together with your family as planned. The weather realy has been wreaking havoc on the roads and in the skies lately.
ReplyDeleteWe got extremely lucky, driving up from Cambridge late yesterday (Monday) afternoon/evening. Yes, we hit negative 10 degrees along the way, but the roads were clear.
We took the boys sledding on Davidsons Mains this afternoon, their first time sledding. Oh how they loved it!
Oh, what a darn shame. I'm so sorry.
ReplyDeleteWell, you'll all just have to make a trip to Oz very soon. Also, not all Canadian cities are as oblivious to snow as Ottawa. There are plenty who wouldn't risk driving in blizzards even with snow tIres. Also, "Cockermouth"...tee hee hee)
ReplyDeleteOh, damn snow indeed.
ReplyDeleteOh NO, Loth, that is horrendous ... How awful for all of you. And how utterly ridiculous that in this day and age and bit of snow has to wreak such misery. I so hope your mam and dad can somehow get to see your brother and family either in this country or Australia sooner than you might all think ... So sorry to hear all this, believe me.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that the snow messed things up. I tell people who live far from loved ones, to get Skype hooked up so they can stay in touch. I love it!
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