are we on for another really snowy winter then?

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

Bah humbug

DH was born January 1963, they all lived in one room with the coal fire going.

I was talking about this to a friend yetsreday who predicted a mild winter as there were no acorns on the trees.

I remember the winter of 1963. My mum could pull my sister and me on the sledge all the way down to the shops. We had to go to the end of the road to pick up our milk as the milkman couldn't get up it and the branches of the big conifer in the garden were touching the ground with the weight of snow on it.

There are no acorns on the trees because of the weather this year so far, probably because of the drought at the beginning of the year followed by the near continuous damp.
However, I do think there is some logic to the prediction that low acorn/berry years mean a mild winter as often it seems that weather from one winter to the next comes in clusters of similar patterns. This time last year I remember that there were lots of berries (but still not so many sweet chestnuts) folklore predicted a harsh winter that never came.

Ice on the car windscreen today.

The winters of 2009/2010 the snow fell end of November and didn't shift till the end of January. I live in a village with lots of privately owned tracks and if they weren't cleared they developed about 8 inches of ninja ice covered with an innocent dusted of snow. Lethal.

So we are already prepped here. Winter wood for burner and snow boots delivered this week. All in ones from last years non event still good. UHT in and grit bin full. Bring it on!

I am cancelling that out sovery. My Dad has dropped round with one of those mahoosive snow shovels for us. Therefore no snow.

I've been trying to use up my store cupboard that had ridiculous amounts of food in it. So I predict snow for as soon as its empty...

I bought some 2L value bottles of water last year in case the pipes froze. DH drank half of a bottle before complaining that "this lemonade is horrible"...

I am with you Everlong. DS1 goes to school 12 miles away by coach but I have to drop him at the coach stop 6 miles away in the middle of nowhere.
This is the first year though. If it snows is it the bus company that decides whether DS goes to school? I suppose the school could be open but the bus can't get there? Or I can't get DS to the bus?

I had a lovely year where both DSs were in school half a mile away. I didn't worry about getting them to school in the snow. But it didn't work out for DS1 so we moved him and now I am back to stressing again.

It's all rural windy lanes to the school now.

Hi, we've moved this into Weather at the OP's request.

Everlong he is like a different child. It was the right thing to do.

They don't start High School until Year 8 round here. he went up from Middle School with everyone else. It never occured to me it wouldn't be ok but he hated it from day one. I kept telling him it would be better by Half Term, Christmas then we got to Easter and he still hated it.

It isn't ideal having him 12 miles away but there are no more tears or sleepless nights.

All my older relatives tell me that 1963 (started snowing on Boxing Day '62 and didn't stop until March '63 apparently) was much worse than 1947, it's just that 1947/8 had a much harder impact due to so many things including electricity still rationed/ in short supply after the war.

Didn't get any snow last winter :(

Thanks EverlongOver half the children in the school go by school bus so if it does snow and the coach can't get there he won't be the only one.

But it isn't going to snow.

I have to drive two miles to the school bus stop. Apparently the bus company lets the school know by about six, if they'll be running or not. We too have the cross country on untreated roads trek!
I will be stocking up. Last year was really mild and the first year we didn't get snowed in. You can guarantee if I get nothing we'll be up the creek!

Yay, all nice and tidy! Now MN if you could come and tidy my living room that would be ace.....

I have ordered one of these

I feel it may have been a bit precocious

Oh if they do that here Dawn that would be great. I wonder what happens if they get there by school bus and then the snow starts?

This happened about 3 years ago after Christmas. First day back. No snow on drop off but by 11am it was coming down thick and fast. Took DH 3 1/2 hours to get DS2 back from a school 6 miles away. I started out to get him and had to turn back.

I love snow, my office is twenty miles away on untreated roads, but me and DH work at the same place so can make him drive. Downside is if we really can't get in I have a local office across the road, so can walk over there and borrow a desk for the day, bonus is my working day is still shorter though as no snow traffic to fight through :)

I used to work for one of the big banks. We were told to go to the nearest branch if we couldn't get to work due to the snow.