Snow Stopped Play

[Cubist]

Bitter-sweet memories today thanks to the snowfall. Clearing it away used to be one of the chores I didn't mind so much but this year it reminded me that, after clearing my own paths, I would pop across the road to my old neighbour Gordon's house - a hundred yards away - to make sure he could get to his log store safely. Sadly he passed last year so no need to continue that effort but I do miss the old codger.... and the two or three whiskeys we would share after 30 minutes shovelling the white stuff.

Ah well, at least I got some extra time to reply to some old and new contributors here.

Hoping the snow and ice have not been unkind to you - take care and maybe help a neighbour too if you can.

 

[LadyArowana]

That’s a nice memory. We only had a little bit of snow, so no shovels required here, not that I have one, could scare up a broom and garden trowel to do an escape route in extremis. Today’s entertainment was watching a tour bus get stuck trying to squeeze by some chaps unloading scaffolding. It did not go well for the bus, the person who could drive the large truck had gone awol or was pretending to not be the truck driver, bus driver got angry but couldn’t get out of the bus because it was stuck between parked car and truck. Passengers likewise unable to exit, one particularly irate tourist on the open top deck of the bus engaged in the pointless task of shouting abuse at the retreating hard hatted figure. Priceless pantomime. I unfortunately didn’t catch the end of the story as I had to go out, I suspect some very careful reversing of the bus.

 

[a twig]

Those buses used to drive past my first floor flat - most off putting to have 30 tourists peering into my bedroom as they tootled past at 9am

 

[paulc]

Just soggy wet rain here. Hasn't been very warm either, so lit the fire fairly early in the day.

 

[Cassie]

No snow at all here on the south coast of Devon. Although my sister in our homeland in the peaks has plenty! Your story Cubist reminded me of walking 2 miles to school through the deep snow and drifts as a child and warming up in front of the fire in our 2 room school. My poor mum had to walk it back and forth twice a day. We had a big freezer for the snow ins was only the 70s but seems like a lifetime away

 

[Cubist]

De ja vous day today......., or is it Groundhog?

Greeted by another couple of inches of snow this morning and currently resisting any suggestion to go outdoors and shovel some more. Harrumph, am grumpy.

 

[LadyArowana]

Those buses used to drive past my first floor flat - most off putting to have 30 tourists peering into my bedroom as they tootled past at 9am

Luckily our bedroom is above viewing level, they can see into the drawing room on the first floor, but we have shutters so unless I choose to let people be nosey they can’t see anything, mostly the bus is moving along anyway. I don’t really mind actually, I feel it entitles me to reciprocal arrangements elsewhere.

 

[malcolm]

I've been hibernating again this week. I don't function when it's below 5 degrees. The snow was useful as it formed a dam on my bay window roof and I had water coming through when the snow melted. That reminded me to call a leadworker. With the phone handy I also called a woodburner installer and an electrician.

Why do electricians never answer their phones or reply to messages? I'm starting to think I'm on an electrician blacklist.

 

[LadyArowana]

Why do electricians never answer their phones or reply to messages? I'm starting to think I'm on an electrician blacklist.

You have to grow them from little baby apprentices! I realised that the chap doing most of the work on our big refurb had been junior on a small wiring job we had done 12 years previously when the house being readied to go out for rental. I showed him some pictures and he was chuffed as he thought he remembered the house. Also traps best baited with Jaffa Cakes

 

[Cubist]

Why do electricians never answer their phones or reply to messages? I'm starting to think I'm on an electrician blacklist.

Power cuts, dud batteries, and crossed lines/wires? Or at least that's what I keep being told - irrespective of trade.

 

[LadyArowana]

Power cuts, dud batteries, and crossed lines/wires? Or at least that's what I keep being told - irrespective of trade.

That’s the first list of excuses, they have others …. ‘getting a bit of winter sun’, ‘working somewhere with a dodgy mobile signal’, ‘booked up with site work for the next couple of months’ and in extremis there’s always various family emergencies with relatives and pets!

 

[malcolm]

You have to grow them from little baby apprentices!

I must start growing my own trades people. Just had a quote of £1000 to install a wood burning stove. Liner is already in and it just needs the chimney plate and stove pipe. It'll take me a day and will still need building regs but we're in a recession so I've got the time.

 

[Cubist]

must start growing my own trades people.

A good idea given how many of em seem to be vegetables. And why not when they treat us like mushrooms.

 

[malcolm]

A good idea given how many of em seem to be vegetables. And why not when they treat us like mushrooms.

I find it maddening. I'm sure the chimney people would do a good job and I guess they need to quote for worst case. I see half a day but I'll not get anything else done that day so call it a day. They see a whole day for 2 people. Last stove took a couple of hours for 2 people.

Electricians are the maddest. Used to be you could get your whole house rewired for £5K. Now it's £10K for half a house. And they don't bother replying to your messages. Zebra gave me a training session and lent me some books. I'm going to have to get around to that this year too.

I guess that's why we all get DIY about these things.

 

[Lacan07]

I find it maddening. I'm sure the chimney people would do a good job and I guess they need to quote for worst case. I see half a day but I'll not get anything else done that day so call it a day. They see a whole day for 2 people. Last stove took a couple of hours for 2 people.

Electricians are the maddest. Used to be you could get your whole house rewired for £5K. Now it's £10K for half a house. And they don't bother replying to your messages. Zebra gave me a training session and lent me some books. I'm going to have to get around to that this year too.

I guess that's why we all get DIY about these things.

I'd be interested in finding out about installing a wood burner Malcolm, the last person I spoke to last year said £1200 for installation. Will you have to pay the £300 odd for BC inspection?

I've been trying to sort my leaky roof issue the last few months, very few roofers are interested in trying to solve the actual problem. The other day I was quoted 3.5K to remove my very small chimney stack and make good the roof tiles.

 

[Cubist]

No snow at all here on the south coast of Devon. Although my sister in our homeland in the peaks has plenty! Your story Cubist reminded me of walking 2 miles to school through the deep snow and drifts as a child and warming up in front of the fire in our 2 room school. My poor mum had to walk it back and forth twice a day. We had a big freezer for the snow ins was only the 70s but seems like a lifetime away

Ah, the Peak District, that brings back memories. Mostly good I'm pleased to say; sauntering through the Dove and Manifold valleys, struggling up Jacobs Ladder, at Tissington Spires, finding a discarded horse harness at the bottom of the river Dove while swimming, Goretti Linehan... Hmm, perhaps some reminiscences are best not mentioned - like the name of the pillock who packed a leaky Primus stove above the sandwiches in his rucksack!

 

[Cassie]

It’s certainly a beautiful part of the world Bet those sandwiches weren’t all that after a good dousing!

 

[Cubist]

It’s certainly a beautiful part of the world Bet those sandwiches weren’t all that after a good dousing!

They proved a very effective emetic - of the projectile variety!