Snow Times Two

There is a big metal door that locks our office building at night.  So leaving late this huge slab swings open and when it closes all of Lime Street rattles.  Every evening is an adventure, is it warm, cold, rainy, clear?  But last night, for the second time in a week it was snowy.  London gets about one snowfall a year and here was a second treat. 

It was a scene from a holiday movie, big fat flakes, a quiet street, a full pub across the way, the windows streaking with sweat.

Our hometown of Washington can’t handle the snow, but at least we have the equipment.  In London they can’t handle the snow because their only defense is to ignore it and wait for it to melt.

In typical human fashion, last year’s snow fall, which created havoc at Heathrow, caused them to pull the trigger a bit early this year and close the airport before the full force of the 10 centimeters was felt.  The opposite occurred at our children’s school.  A couple years ago the headmaster closed the school for a second day after a snowfall and the parents rioted.  And so now she is wary to pull the trigger.

Last night as the snow fell, the city quieted, the trains stalled, the cabs swerved and the British went to the pub.  Tomorrow it is half term break and we are going to Austria to ski.  Who knew we could have skied in our own back yard.