... that this was not a good day to be going out in the car when I didn't really need to!
I should have turned round when I got to the main road, except I didn't trust myself to do so without skating into all the parked traffic that had congregated at the road end.
I should have got a clue from all the drivers who were going north AND FLASHING THEIR LIGHTS AT ME.
But, no none of this deterred me and it was only when I saw the blue flashing lights in the distance and realised that everyone else was turning round that it dawned on me that actually the A697 HAD NOT BEEN GRITTED AND WAS ESSENTIALLY A SKATING RINK (hence the technical figure skating term in the title!)
Once I'd got to the point where I could actually see that I was driving on sheet ice, I was too scared to attempt to turn round so carried on at a crawl and eventually got to Morpeth - a jibbering wreck - bought the roll of foil and bread buns that I clearly couldn't live without - and met James for a quick cuppa. What was James doing in Morpeth when he should be at work, you may ask? Good question! He was actually waiting for the boiler repair man to turn up (and was working via phone and email) because the boiler in his apartment has packed up. Well actually, it HADN'T packed up completely, although clearly there was something of a problem - a bit of a leak I think - but by the time the repair man had finished it was properly knackered and needed a part that has to be ordered. All of which means that as he has no heat or hot water now, he will be staying in Fram until the problem is solved.
Anyway, while I was on the main street I did apprehend a couple of community police officers and asked if they knew anything about the problems on the 697 and they assured me that the gritter was being sent out immediately and that it should be safe to return that way in an hour or so.
So I took my time in Morrisons and didn't object to all the elderly and infirm who get in the way, or even the woman in front of me who decided, just before she paid, to challenge the price of her Blue Dragon noodles (they should have been 9 pence less, so obviously it was worth holding everyone up for that!) and very tentatively set off back home. only to find that the road was now perfectly clear and thoroughly gritted.
BUT WHY WASN'T IT DONE EARLIER?
Our postman says that when he drove up here this morning there were cars in ditches and littered along the verges. I'm not surprised at all. It was a death trap.
LILY & ROSE
Here are some photos of Lily & Rose. There are a few from the first time we saw them when they were just 4 weeks old. They would fit on your hand at this age and didn't look much like westies!
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You be careful Sue, don't take any unnecessary risks in your lovely new car. The snow is clearing quickly at this end of the country now - we has a very small flurry of little bits - it may have been the tail end of what you had? So we've been very lucky. I hope conditions turn better for you soon and that Charles can get back on the aircraft rather than train later today.
ReplyDeleteWill do Richard.
ReplyDeleteHopefully things should improve after today - the forecast seems to be better.
We still have loads of snow lying and I was working out that it is more than three weeks since we last saw the grass!!
James has stayed here overnight, so he will need to take care on his way to work this morning.
Charles will be home later today and is expecting his flight to be on schedule this time.