Canary Wharf Snow!

...the view out the window right now...it's settling fast! Wish me luck with my long journey home (at least I'm setting off in a few minutes rather than at 5pm)!

Something to warm the cockles...

...is definitely required today, what with a new cold snap on the way on Thursday, and betting shops refusing to take any punts on whether it's going to be a white Christmas or not (as it definitely is according to the MET office)...so how about taking a little trip back in time with me to remember how hot it was when we went to visit the Mayan ruins of Tulum in Mexico? If that didn't warm you up a little bit, then there is plenty more about our adventures in South America here, you might want to read it from the bottom up though...

Ahhh...good times... ;)

Oxted - Big Freeze Pictures

Just found a whole load more pictures on my mobile of the snow, I popped all of them on Flickr (over here, if you like this sort of thing, along with the ones from Earlswood from earlier in the year), but here are a selection (these give you a much better idea how deep the snow actually got) -

- this was Morrisons car park (a JCB was running *continuously* for all three days to try and clear the parking spaces - making these huge piles) -

- one of the 4x4 cars that managed to make it into town (complete with radiator icicles) -

- speaking of icicles, these were the ones gradually growing from the roof of my folk's house -



- and a few shots of the garden (absolutely buried - two feet deep in places)...

Pictures of Snow - Oxted

- the only commuting taking place was by sledge, to the shops where there wasn't any bread -

- (apart from French sticks being baked in Waitrose) tractors and 4x4s could just about limp around (no buses at all) -

- and the tracks they made meant you didn't have to wade through foot-deep snow -

- make it as far as the station and the signs weren't very encouraging-

- all the "ghost trains" being diverted to trying to keep the lines between Brighton, Gatwick (which was closed) and London...the broken down train stuck for days at Lingfield didn't help much either... ;)

...and we've still got loads of snow at home, heaps of it, mostly now turned to ice...Brrr! I put the hood back on my snow coat this morning, put on a jumper *and* wore a hat...most unusual for me... ;)

Snow update...

...just quickly (as very busy), I made it home on Friday afternoon in a Land rover (my dad sorted me out a lift back!) and we went out and all played in the snow together, and (despite a rubbish journey in) have made it back to my desk in Canary Wharf successfully this morning...more snow is on the way (apparently), but it shouldn't make it as far as London (thank goodness)...!

Surrey Snow...

...just a quick update, I never made it home from London, thanks to *four* broken down trains on the Brighton line my only choice was to head to Oxted (to my folks) where I am still stranded...we've got (no joke) about two feet of snow outside the house, all Southern trains are suspended and even the satellite service here has packed up (so no TV), I'm just about to head back down to the station now to see if there is any news, but this is *proper* winter and we are properly snowed in! Brrr!

Wish me luck!

Whitebushes Big Freeze

I know, I know, I've been very naughty with the blogging...promise I'll get back into the swing of things soon, it's just been a super chaotic re-boot to the annus (if you will forgive my Latin)... ;)

Last few days we have been completely snowed in, had over a foot of snow, just a couple of shots here, this was at about 8pm on Tuesday when it all started -

- basically, this level of snow didn't stop for 24 hours, when we got up the next morning it was to hear that Surrey and Sussex had run out of grit (not that they ever get as far as our estate anyway) -

- and that all buses, yes -*all* buses were cancelled in both counties-, Gatwick airport was closed (14 inches of snow) and East Surrey Hospital had cancelled all appointments and non-essential operations, so it's been a couple of days working from home -

- as official advice from Surrey police had come on the radio saying not to leave the house unless it was "a matter of life and death"...

...still, on our one little walk out yesterday lunchtime to assess conditions it does appear that *someone* has been making good use of all the snow... ;)

Wish me luck with getting home tonight! Brrr!

Oh and more pictures here if you like this sort of thing... ;)