Wednesday 16 December 2009

A post in which it is obvious that I am English

Guess what?



(I'll have you know that these photos were taken at about 11am. It was snowing and really was that dark, has been like this for days. Continued snowing for quite a while as well. Above is the garden. Below, the view from the front door - when I say we live next to a mosque, you can see that we really do live right next door to a mosque... and have grown to love the call to prayer, even at 5am!)

IT SNOWED! And not a light namby pamby dusting of snow either. There's a good foot and a half on the ground and that was from one day of snowing. The forecast for today: Heavy snow. Tomorrow? Heavy snow. Friday? Heavy Snow. That's a whole lot of snow coming our way.
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Being British and therefore not used to snow, I find this fantastically exciting. It looks so pretty! It is proper white fluffy snow, a powder dream for a skier and a snow ball dream for small boys. Although getting ready to go out is a real palaver, what with waterproof trousers, hats, scarves, gloves, snow boots and all, the boys want to spend all afternoon outdoors. So it is snowmen, sledging, snow balls and glowing red cheeks for us all the way. When they tire of that there is always a path that needs clearing or snow to be swept off the car, activities that could have been invented especially for small boys. And there I was thinking what was I going to do with them all winter.
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The Bosnians are not so keen on the snow. They walk around huddled darkly in their coats, hands thrust deep into their pockets, muttering 'zima' (winter) and tsking. They know that snow is a total nightmare in reality. The roads are treacherous, the walkways become ice rinks and it is going to get COLD (max temp forecast for Friday, a balmy -6C). Their kids love it as much as mine do, there were a whole load of them going to nursery on sledges this morning, but the adults know that snow looks pretty for about a whole day before it just becomes a wet, cold misery.
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They know how to deal with it though. There may have been 2 foot or so of snow, but all the buses were out this morning (as opposed to London's efforts in the snow fall last year), every single car has got winter tyres on (by law) and Tuzla, being the city built on salt mines, is never ever going to run out of grit to salt the roads with.
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No doubt, by the end of the week when we are totally snowed in and the boys are bored of being wet and cold, I'll be fed up with it too. But right now, I'm loving it for being so pretty, so Christmassy, so indisputably winter.
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(ps sorry about the lack of gaps between paragraphs, Blogger being a pain and not letting me do it and I've got bored of trying to make it...)

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well snow has the same effect on me - I get so excited and hope hope hope (yes, multiple 'hopes')that it snows here sometime over the next few weeks - enjoy yours while it's there!!!

Jen Walshaw said...

How beautiful, real deep snow. My boys would love it too

Alice said...

whooop whoooop!!!!! lucky you ... I have my bin liner at the ready to go 'budget sledding' but even though they said snow here, so far only rain :-(

angelsandurchinsblog said...

We've got snow too. But it's more of a dusting than a proper amount that might actually settle. But it's very pretty, and almost as Christmas atmosphere making as your pics.

Hot Cross Mum said...

How exciting! You just can't beat a bit of snow and then inside for hot chocolate, which I insist on making, even though they boys are not so keen. It just seems like the right thing to do! Have a wonderful Christmas.

Vic said...

I think your locals are allowed to be not so keep on snow - clearly you get it worse than we do over here. But, at least you're all prepared. I hate to think what a foot and a half of snow would do to London (again).

London City (mum) said...

OMG have just looked out the window from my (new) office - yes, I actually can see outdoors from here, unlike previous place which was a shoebox with a brick wall to gaze upon - and it is snowing here too.

Well, I think it is snowing, will have to step outside and ascertain for sure. It looks thicker than rain but it is going sideways. Hmmm, interesting. Will keep you posted.

LCM x

Unknown said...

Wow .. wow.. SNOW! I'm so excited just be looking at your photos!
I love playing in it but I too dread the stripping off of wet snowy gloves & coats!
Have fun! :D

Anonymous said...

I absolutely hate snow, always have. I dread it when the weather girl tells us snow is coming, and it's usually at weekends for some reason. Amy on the other hand, is very excited and is also very annoyed that it hasn't snowed yet. Mind you, the wintry showers we are getting from the East coast aren't very nice either!!

Enjoy your snowy weather.
CJ xx

Anonymous said...

Snowing here in London today too!!

Kat said...

Mother Nature is playing a trick on me. Everywhere else in the UK is getting snow; I'm getting rain.

Michelloui said...

Snow here too...but that fizzly, wet stuff that happens in the UK causing initial excitement and/or panic then disappears so that everyone is left feeling a bit anti-climatic (is that a word?). Anyway, its nothing that that gorgeous stuff you've got!

Liz (LivingwithKids) said...

Yep, that's proper snow alright. Unlike the light dusting mixed with slush we've got here in London this avo.

nappy valley girl said...

That's beautiful. Real picture postcard snow.

Would you believe it hasn't snowed here yet? Every time there's been a blizzard in America (and there have been a few now), Long Island seems to have just missed it and had rain instead. They've even had snow in London, darn it!

Metropolitan Mum said...

Yay! Snow here, too! Linked to your post for people to see what real snow is :)

Teacher Mommy said...

There's a reason I don't plan on leaving Michigan. It gets all four seasons and I love that.

I spent this last weekend playing in the snow (well, sort of--I was on a snowmobile, which totally counts) and truly enjoying winter for the first time in a long time.

And I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.

Harriet said...

I think the weird thing about being British and snow is that you *never* stop being excited by it. When I lived in Moscow it started snowing on 27 September (freakishly cold winter that year) and didn't stop until April. Did I stop being excited by it? Did I hell?! Got a bit bored by it lying around all the time, but every time it actually snowed, and you got that amazing hushed sound, like the world is holding its breath and the sparkle of snowflakes in streetlights I was eight all over again. LOVE IT! Even made a rubbish day at work in grimy London feel a bit better today (had turned into rain by the time I left, naturally, but for about half an hour it was wonderful - just as long as it doesn't cause my plane to be cancelled on Sat of course...)

Lady Mama said...

When I first moved to Calgary I was delighted by the snow. And then, after a few years I became weary of it. It is pretty, and fun for the kids but it really is a huge pain in the rear for driving. That does look like quite a lot though! Enjoy.

A Modern Mother said...

That is a lot of snow! Please have a safe trip and enjoy Christmas!

Dorset Dispatches said...

Kathryn - It will be pretty. Ours will be here for a while... we've had a whole lot more since I took those photos.

MH - definitely deep. Starting to dislike it now though...

Alice - bin liners at the ready and it is go go go here!

A&U - it does make it feel like Chrismtas when there's snow!

HCM - My two LOVE their hot chocolate as much as they love the snow. We're going through gallons of the stuff. Wish we could get some marshmellows to put on top though!

Vic - the locals know what to do, but the car repair place near by is jam packed from cars that have slid into other things...

LCM - yay for outdoor views! May there be some snow.

Emma - the boys are loving it. Me, less so now...

CJ - I'm truely fed up with it now. More posts to come later on this. But at least you can go outside in the snow, not so much in east coast shower!

Mud - London is so pretty in the snow.

Dorset Dispatches said...

Kat - don't feel too jealous, it will all have melted by tomorrow.

Michelloui - Ah yes, English snow. You can see why we get SO excited when there is some proper stuff!

Liz - There's a whole lot more of it now too. Sigh.

NVG - Can't believe you haven't had any yet. Get your shovels at the ready you are clearly due a big fall over Christmas.

MM - Thanks for the link. If we ever get any sun I'll take some sparkly photos.

TM - It did sound like you had a blast!

Plan B - have you talked to Potty Mummy about Moscow? That moment just after it snows is amazing. Then it is just miserable.

LM - I'm with you. The driving is a nightmare.

MM - thanks! We will drive safely but have to admit to not looking forward to this trip at all. Hope you get some more snow soon - more photos please.

Anonymous said...

Cheers to planb! It will always end up grey mush in London but while it's coming down we're in another world.

Lorna Harris said...

Wow - fantastic just before Christmas. Looks absolutely wonderful.

bathmate said...

nice posting....Wow - fantastic just before Christmas. Looks absolutely wonderful.
Bathmate