No prizes for guessing my topic, this morning. Snow, snow, snow and yet more snow. Edinburgh hasn't looked this white since I was a kid and that wasn't any time recently. I was supposed to be helping out at the school this week, with the Prelim exams for the 4th years but they've been put-back to next week. I did venture over to the school on Monday and this morning, for 8.15 because I hadn't any definate confirmation that my services were not needed. This may have irritated me, in the past but I found myself quite happy to trudge through the snow, so much so that I went for a lap and a half of the Figgate park, after returning from the High school this morning. What a beautiful place to spend some time. I have never seen it so white and, if you weren't a local like me, you'd have had no clue where the path was or that indeed there was a path underneath all the snow. I might just venture down there again this afternoon to feed the poor ducks and swans as they looked very cold and sad, standing on the frozen pond.
My youngest is on her 3rd day off, whilst her sister has had to go in today. The senior pupils are pretty self sufficient and need a low pupil/teacher ratio, I suspect and the idea of them being in school is probably to get them to keep their focus on their studies for their upcoming exams. Being at home for 2 days, Jen didn't open a book. Instead, she made wonderful video montages of herself and her sister, in our snowy back garden. I suspect that she has discovered her passion and hope that she follows it to give herself a happy career, in the future. As she quite rightly defended, when I mentioned the schoolwork, "muuuum, the snow is special" and I guess that revision isn't really.
Whilst the kids and I are loving the snow, it is causing major disruptions to other peoples lives, including my hubbies. He drives for a living and so this kind of weather does him no favours at all. He was in a couple of accidents on Saturday night and whilst a mild whip-lash is all the damage he sustained, the taxi was not so lucky after being rear-ended by a big truck who couldn't slow down for a red-light. Why do people assume that they can drive at their usual speed in this weather? I know that we are all in a rush to get wherever for whenever but isn't it better to get there in one piece?
Last evening, Bill and I decided to brave going out. I had changed my last meditation class to next week, (when it may be better needed after parents' night) which left me free to accompany him to a movie screening (bumping Ali, who was supposed to be chumming him-thanks Al) We made it out of the driveway (which Jen and I had shovelled and salted in the afternoon) to discover that the road was like an ice rink-eek. We crawled down the hill and along a very much narrowed-by-snow Mountcastle Drive North. Turning onto Northfield Broadway, we began to have second thoughts about going anywhere, except home. Sliding to a stop, despite the slow mph, at the T-junction, we decided to go home and were planning the safest route to do so. We managed to do a u-turn and crawled back towards the safety of our driveway, deciding to stick to the slightly bigger roads which actually were no better. We saw the aftermath of 2 crashes, a car go through a pedestrian crossing 'cause he couldn't stop and a bus whos back-end slid, almost crushing the exiting passengers into parked cars-double EEK. We were only out for about 10 minutes, which felt like 10 minutes too long. I can't even imagine what it must be like for those who have no choice but to persevere with their journey. I don't ever recall the Forth Road Bridge being closed totally. The chaos, over there, must be horrendous as it is a hugely busy commuting route. All I can do is to keep sending out love and positive thoughts to all of those being affected by the wondrous white-stuff. Not since 1933, apparently, have we had snow in November resembling anything like this. There is nothing we can do about it and so we have to try to simply accept and enjoy it. Lots of us may suffer financially from its inconvenience but, looking out of my window at the breathtaking beauty of the sun shining on the snowy roofs opposite, I shall just have to decrease my wine consumption, which will save us a fortune.
It seems like I have had gallons of the stuff this past week, not helped with Bill being off work or the fact that my annual Pink-Night was on Saturday. Another night of fun and laughter (and wine) and raising money for a great cause. The biggest celebration was that Karen has finished her (big) treatment and has been given the thumbs-up-yahoo :) We raised around £400, which wasn't half-bad for 18 of us. I even ended up with some beautiful flowers to enjoy, that Auntie Mo won, 'cause we couldn't get up to visit her on Sunday. As always Debbie did a wonderful job on her arrangements and she should learn to accept that she has a great gift and a big heart. Thanks Deb and thanks to all the usual suspects, who unfaillingly support me with this fundraiser.
Well, I'm off to hang up my towels-exciting stuff but it needs done. No Bach stuff in this posting-wow. My Bach meeting was cancelled on Monday night and so I didn't get my 3 monthly fix of Bach-Talk with the other practitioners. Our topic was to be New Year resolutions and so now we'll have to discuss that in Jan (how appropriate)
Sending much love out to all for this coming week, especially those of you who may be struggling with the weather.
Keep warm and be safe,
Lxxxx
Posted on Wed, December 1, 2010
by Linsey Denham