#different rules

But this week! The alerts and forecast said snow since last weekend, but then it is Britain after all and lets face it weather forecasts are not ver believable more than an hour ahead and even then it is a very rough guideline, a bit as if I forecast the sun will be in the sun tomorrow (which will always be the case sometimes it is just covered by clouds.) By Tuesday we all knew snow will be coming we had all the signs for it. Wednesday we were informed that the headteacher will make a decision if the school will be open Thursday and Friday, during the last lesson of the day we were informed that the school would not be open.

Now I think I have to explain something. I grew up in Germany and in there when it snowed that was it, it snowed but the life would not stop. Roads were cleared and/or gritted, and I mean pretty much all roads even in urban areas and -that is a huge factor for the world not stopping when it snows- there is an obligation to clear and or grit the footpath touching your property during the week from 7AM and Sundays from 9AM until 8PM. Doesn’t matter if you own it or rent it, you are living in it you got to do it. This also means if you do go on a holidays in winter you got to make sure your neighbours will clear your footpath. Sounds like a lot of work but that means no slipping and sliding through snow and ice. I would also say there are more than 4 gritting vehicles in Hannover, Germany.

This said in the UK you are advised that you may if you want clear your footpath, it is even said that no one is likely to sue you if there are injuries on your footpath because it isn’t cleared. Roads are gritted and cleared but only main roads other roads are said to be gritted by the public out of the grit boxes. I guess it depends where you live but my neighbours do not bother to pull together and grit our little side road. I think it is the lack of obligation that causes the world to stop in the UK when there is snow. I never had a day off in school because of snow (very rarely you heard of a school being closed because something broke e.g. heating or burst pipes but not because it just snowed). We also don’t moan that much people in Germany just dress appropriately, so thick tights, warm socks, waterproof winter boots, scarfs and jackets and you know the proper way to dress. Sure public transport was delayed or occasionally broke down but it did not stop by the first flake in the country. Also cars have to have winter tyres from the 1st November until the 15th April which makes the driving a lot safer.

So here I am all schools in Bridgend closed, and anything not life necessary closed as well -aparently the coffee shop in the train station is life necessary because my dear friend is still working despite trains being cancelled, we are advised to stay at home and only travel if really necessary. It did start yesterday morning, by midday it looked like winter and by 8PM we had roughly 10cm (3 7/8 inches) but it was so windy that it was a patchy snow blanket. There were patches that were a lot deeper that 10cm and some that were completely clear. It looked like a winter wonderland.

My garden door is not proper sealed so we had snow come in through the gap but other than that the house is safe, secure and warm. I went to bed planning to go for a walk with the dogs in the morning.

I woke up to the snow still being there so I wrapped up the dogs and myself, moaning a little because since I left Scotland my proper snow clothes with time just weren’t worth keeping, my boots broke and I did gain too many pounds to fit comfortable in my winter jacket, but I layered up. Three leggings one thermal, skiing socks, slog sleeve shirts and my warmest wool dress. My boots not 100% snow boots because they have a heel but they were warm and had a profile that would keep me safe. The dogs wore jumpers and then coats above and Kurt even wore his teeny tiny candy-cone striped leg warmers. It is so cold that despite being dressed so warm it would not be safe for him to be outside longer than 15 min. He was unsure in the beginning and definitely struggled walking through snowbanks that were higher than he is tall but then thinking I had to walk through a snowbank that is 2m (6foot 3/4inch) high. Even though he did struggle a little bit he did run around and play in the snow. He even forgot to walk his weird stiff walk he does when he has his leg warmers on. He enjoyed himself. And afer 11 minutes he clearly showed me he had enough and we took him home.

Dakota on the other hand she had never ever seen snow in her life and last night I think she was actually overwhelmed to comprehend the snow. But this morning all wrapped up and in the light she had a moment of awe and then off she went running around like a little crazy bouncy ball. She could not run fast enough and not just once actually did a somersault in the snow. She was so excited and when we took Kurt back to the house she didn’t even want to come along. When it was just her and me we were running and chasing snow. I cannot even remember the last time I saw proper snow.  I love the crunching sound it makes when I walk over snow.

I wish we had a lot more often snow, if people would be more used to snow it would not disrupt normal life so much. Wouldn’t it be fun to build a snowman after work?

Ready to go, wrapped up warm.

Kurt is even wearing his candycane leg warmers

It’s the first snow ever in Dakota’s life, Kurt knows snow from Scotland

“Let me think, not sure about this white stuff.”

“Okay nevermind the white stuff it is kind of fun.”

Winter world

Discovering snow

Back in the warmth in his dressing gown.

“WE ARE NOT YET GOING IN!!!”

“It flies when I jump into it.”

Pawprint

This is a good foot deep.

Dakota looks definitely happy

Maybe I need ot move somewhere that has every winter snow.