By the time we got to Sheffield, it was snowing, but only a little bit. And The Builder reported that it had stopped as he was heading back out of Sheffield.
Didn’t pay much attention, really. Until first Peter, and then Rupert rang to say that they were stuck on a tram and a bus respectively, and not going anywhere very fast and could I please cancel their morning meetings, or at least let people know that they would be late.
I began to pay closer attention. It was, in fact, snowing very heavily in the centre of Sheffield. So much so, that I couldn’t see the Royal Mail building on the other side of the bus interchange.
Rupert rang to say that his bus had turned back and that he was heading home. Also, that he had seen Peter who was also heading home. In the meantime, both Paul and Caroline had arrived, but they had walked in.
The buses and the trams were slowly but surely being cancelled.
There were several centimetres of snow outside the Adsetts Centre. This is very unusual – SHU is usually very good about gritting its surfaces.
At 10:00 I decided to cut my losses and go home while at least the trains were still running. And it transpired that SHU surfaces had been gritted but that the snow was just lying on top of it!
The trains were largely delayed or cancelled. Fortunately, however, the London trains were running, and running on time. I got on the next London train.
There were lots of people with very large suitcases on the train :-S
Got to Chesterfield, and the station carpark was covered in around 15cm of snow. Not a taxi to be seen. Went up to the bus stop. There were lots of buses sitting around (and several buses which were of no use to me actually moving). But no drivers for our buses.
Nothing for it, but to walk.
No worries. It’s only 5.5 kilometres from Chesterfield to home. Perhaps 6 if you count it from the station. Should be quite a pleasant walk.
As it was. There were a few flurries of snow, but nothing too bad. I rather enjoyed the walk from the edge of Chesterfield to Tupton. Until I got to the Hunloke Arms (just over half way) I was easily keeping up with the southbound traffic, although it mysteriously cleared away at that point.
But walking in 15-20 cm of snow uses muscles that I haven’t used since I was seven years old, and it was beginning to get a bit tiring. And I hadn’t ever noticed that there is quite a pull uphill at one point (although I suspect it wouldn’t be quite so much “uphill” under ordinary circumstances).
I was definitely very pleased to get home!! And I fear the January teetotal experiment was put on hold once I did get home. As I got closer and closer to home I had begun to think quite kindly of the idea of a glass of brandy. This was an odd thought because I almost never drink brandy. In my world it is a cooking ingredient, not something to drink. So I didn’t have brandy. But I did have a G&T, and some wine with our chicken hot pot in the evening. Back on the wagon today.
Probably just as well I walked, though. The first bus I saw was pretty much as I approached Tupton, and it was absolutely packed.
Had a fabulous run into work this morning. The Builder and I left home at about ten to nine (we weren’t going *anywhere* this morning until it was properly light!). The roads had been sort of cleared with snow ploughs and some grit in places. Most of the schools are closed. There was almost no traffic at all, not even in Sheffield. It was uncommonly like driving on a Sunday morning. Should be like that every day!!
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