Thursday 7 January 2010

Icy Hill

On Monday morning it was back to work after the Christmas break. On the way the thermometer in the car registered the outside temperature at -6 degrees C. I don't think I have ever seen it so low. By the time I arrived at school the temperature had risen to -5! Inside the building you might have expected the temperature to be a lot higher, and in fairness it probably was, but did it feel it? No. As per usual after the Christmas break, there was a problem with the heating, something hadn't come on and the place was FREEZING. To make matters worse what little heat that was getting to my lab was switched off at 11.00 as the air handling unit in the ceiling blew a gasket and was shooting steam into the atmosphere. One of the joys of teaching in a science lab is that you can use Bunsen burners to supplement what little heat the main heating system is producing! However, despite this I wore my coat all day as did lots of others, staff that is, the pupils don't do coats and wear only their blazers to school, whatever the weather, and then moan that they are cold. Maybe they should follow the example of Margaret Sherry's Snowman and wrap up warm.


Little did I know when I started my latest Just Nan project, 'Icy Hill' that evening how appropriate it would be!

On Tuesday morning I awoke to snow, about 1.5" and it was still falling. This would not have been too bad if the roads had been treated, and I'm not sure they had been. So I set off to school. At one stage I nearly turned back, the state of the roads and the fact that the snow had started to fall really heavily made driving very difficult. My journey took 15 minutes longer than normal, some members of staff took over two hours to do a 45 minute journey! But guess what? At school, 19 miles away from where I live, there was next to no snow at all! This situation was to change during the morning and at lunchtime the decision was taken to close the school over an hour early at 2.30. Later that evening I got a phone call saying that school would be closed on Wednesday and yesterday teatime I got another one to say that school would be closed today (Thursday) too! So with two unexpected days off I have managed to do more on 'Icy Hill' than I would have hoped.

Here it is, another mobile phone photo I'm afraid.

Icy Hill
Now I know that if you are reading this in a country where thick snow is the norm you will wonder what all the fuss is about. The last time I was sent home from school because of snow was 15 years ago, and that was for half a day. The pupils always complain that it never snows where they live, and being on the west coast of Britain it rarely does, so this is the first 'real' snow fall the majority of them have seen in their lives. However, I think they will be very lucky indeed to get another day off tomorrow.

Added at 18.30 well I take it all back, we are closed tomorrow!

10 comments:

Sea said...

I went in before 8am on Tuesday, and we closed then, and are closed until Monday at least now. With AS level exams on though there will be some staff needed in the school.

Mel said...

I wish we could shut down cause of snow... but then my city would be out of commission about 7 months of the year! ;)

Hope it's warmer soon for you.

Annie Bee said...

Snow what is that, we never get any snow here is Aust. Love your snowman and Icy Hill is gorgeous. Enjoy the days off.

grannyanne said...

You are certainly making the most of your extra days off because of the snow. The icy hill is most appropriate for this time of the year. Do you think we might have a change in the weather if we all started summery cross stitch? Somehow I doubt it. Looking forward to seeing it complete.

LisaG said...

Icy Hill is looking fabulous & I feel your pain with the snow... starting to suffer with Cabin Fever here in the South East UK.

Blu said...

Very cute snowman!

Justflo said...

Glad to see the weather has let you get on with your Icy Hill. It is looking very seasonal.
The snowman looks great- he looks warmer than it feels here.

Happy freezing stitching to you

tintocktap said...

Lucky you getting all those days off! I think we just live in a 'no weather' zone - never any exciting weather here!

Ah those bunsen burners bring back memories of snowy winters hiding in my Dad's classroom!

Carolyn NC said...

Wow - truly cold! Nice progress on your stitching!

Anonymous said...

I love the snowman where did you get the pattern and how would i beable to get it thanks cathy