Saturday 31 January 2015

The Phoney Winter




If only they'd bring you a menu .
" Rain again , Madam ? Gale 'n Hail ? Or chef has some very fine wet snow ... that comes with a side dish of icy slush ." Then at least you could plan the next few days .


 I mightn't have found myself travelling through banks of fog on a nearly empty train , peering out for some sign that I wasn't an extra in a next season's Dr. Who episode .  Still , I was rewarded by glimpses of a deer and a very large flock of geese . Three grey Shetland ponies  stood expertly camofluaged in a frosty field . The odd hawk stared beadily out over the frozen ditches . A red bulldozer and a couple of men with a theodolite loomed out suddenly , like ghostly Bob the Builders .... they could probably have done with a menu , too .
Once in Groningen it was only slightly better , and someone had been knocked down on a corner of the market square . He lay in a puddle of blood  , under a pile of table cloths ripped off a nearby cafè's tables , a couple of building workers giving him first aid . An ambulance tah-too-d  round the huge square ... and stopped on the wrong corner . A bunch of people , coats flapping , ran up trying to redirect it , confusing things further .  A tall foreman walked towards it waving his yellow helmet and order was restored , the man loaded into the ambulance and a policeman tidied up . We stood feeling a little lost . Luckily there was a clue


" At least we know where the tower is ", said a woman clutching her coat closer , before disappearing in the general direction of  the shops ...
 On the return journey we were suddenly treated to sparkling hoar frost  , just  till I'd found my camera and we'd hit the fog again . That night all the weather maps had Amber warnings . No , not snow but sheets of rain  and rough seas .
Still , Middle daughter reported a light dusting of snow yesterday , when I  'phoned .  Small Grandson the Adventurer,  had apparently already put on his wellingtons , grabbed the binoculars and was ready for action .


"It's snowing ! I'm going to build a NoMan !! " he yelled to me and went to the window in case any more fell   . Daughter laughed and finished her coffee first, as we chatted . Perhaps the teaspoon might come in handy when they went out .

The curly kale still had a few snowflakes , later in our market .  
Today we've got blazing sun  and there's a fine display of snow shovels outside the hardware shop .

6 comments:

materfamilias said...

We've had fog here and more fog, rain and more rain, even the occasional crisp, cold day, but we haven't had any snow since one fall back in November or early December? And I'm beginning to doubt I've remembered that correctly. Have to admit I'm rather happy to do without unless some should happen to fall enough to shut my campus down for a lovely snow day or two. . . .Your post made me chuckle -- thank you! ;-)

Liz Hinds said...

I would hate that fog. We have very little; actually we never have fog. But I would like a bit of snow, please. But only on a day I don't have anything important to do.

Glad you got home safely anyway.

Friko said...

Not so phoney here, it’s bitterly cold now and every morning there’s ice; slippery roads make old ladies stay indoors until at least 11 o’clock.

love those cupcakes said...

Actually, I rather like the weather surprises, that opening of the blinds first thing to 'see what it's doing today'. Can't remember the last time we had fog here yet it always seemed to be foggy (probably assisted by all those coal fires and heavy industry) when I was growing up. I used to love hearing the grown-ups say 'Ooh, you can't see a hand in front of you'.

rachel said...

I love fog. Otherwise your weather seems to have been fairly foul - we have been so lucky here, just cold days of bright sunshine and our usual rain. Still time for winter to strike though!

colleen said...

Another fog-lover here. Maybe it's more exciting in the city because it muffles sounds, rather like that first falling of snow.

The weather here has been cold but clement. Good home and away weather.