Never mind knuckles - it's white everything!!!

Sometimes life delivers a real time full on suprise.

This morning started rather well.

The temperature was up, the ground felt a lot easier, the schools were all open.

Except of course the little valley school Gwion goes to.

07.45 I went off in one direction to meet the school bus and the management went the other to meet the college bus.

Neither of us dreamed this would turn into one of the most eventful days of the year.

I was not even home and I got a text to say the school bud had turned round as school had just closed for the day.

Turning the Plugeot I raced back to the bus stop not wishing the kids to be waiting any time in the raging sleet that was now falling.

Quickly heading for home I noted the sleet was now snow and it was heavy very heavy.

Landing on the frozen ice it was forming a carpet in the short time I had been out about 1/2 inch was covering the road even the bit that had been gritted not ten minute since.

Turning up the minor road towards the house, I was very aware how much snow there now was. The car got tantilisingly close to home before all traction was lost and it slid to a halt. It was really close so we reversed back a way and tried again, conditions were now getting really bad and after about 30 minutes trying to get up to the house I abandoned the enterprise as too dangerous, especially as none of us were expecting this and whilst I had good outdoor clothes the others were dressed for school.

But of course my mate had gifted me a set of snow chains, most excellant, time to fit them and, they didn't fit these tyres. They were a lot of use then....

Hit reverse and all the way back down,leaving the kids at the farm on the main road, I hitched a lift on a tractor and made to collect the Green Goddess.

Isabelle was on the button and the 4x4 fire engine made short work of the drive up to the house.

Bruce had been summoned home from college and when they made it to town off I went in the fire engine.

Things seemed to have improved, a lot, so I dropped off to pick up the plugeot and have another go.

Following the GG things went well, untill keeping momentum up I got too close to the fire engine and had to slow down which then became stop.

Of course the fire engine stopped to help and then found that the ice would not permit a restart.

So I reversed right back out of the way and the snow started again.....

Blinded by the snow the fire engine ended up in a ditch.

Lots of effort and really skilled driving got the truck out.

Several more attempts the truck got itself up the bank.

I reveresed all the way back to the farm and tried again.

Getting virtually to the top of the hill I lost it big style and the car ended up on it's side in a ditch.

Time to walk home then.

Got home about 4pm.

Lovely

Taken me all day to get warm.

Still tomorrow I can put chains on the GG then it should be a doddle.....

Watch this space.....

Of course Bruce has some photos I might be able to post those later.

R