'It's a lovely day for snowmen'

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 08 February 2007 19:34:11

What the best dressed Miffy is wearing:

underwear - we draw a veil over this one
ve..correction 'camisole' supplied by The Patron Saint of the High Street
long-sleeved top
woolly cardi
quilted waistcoat
jeans
40 denier 'body sensor' navy tights
shocking pink chenille socks
backache busting heatwrap
fleece
hat
hood
abominable snowman boots
parka

So it was sporting this fetching ensemble that I set out in the wee small hours of this morning. Hardly a soul around apart from the milkman, who if not exactly 'The Fastest Milkman in the West' was certainly the fastest moving object on the streets given the conditions. I'm now rather regretting having politely refused his offer of a lift down the hill in his float. Well, I've been erring on the cautious re personal safety recently. Besides I thought that maybe Mr M would object. Not that our milkman is anything like 'Ten Ton Ted from Teddington,' more like mild-mannered Mike. And to be honest, I was really looking forward to the walk through the yet as unspoiled snow. The return journey was a different matter, once the paths had started to turn to grey slippery porridge. (Ted, where are you when I need you?!)

Anyway, owrk was like a furnace, thanks to powers that be's worries re possible burst pipes. Returned home some hours later to find mutiny in the camp as local radio's list of school closures rose steadily til finally it must have included every educational establishment in the area bar two. One of which happened to be little M's school. As he and his friends said, there could be a nuclear explosion in the vicinity and the wretched place would still be open for business. And...warming to his theme (sorry about the pun!), there's not been a decent snowfall for nearly four years, this might be their last ever chance to go sledging and play in the snow before adulthood with all that that holds closes in. Shades of the prisonhouse... A2s, uni, work etc etc. Well, he didn't put it quite that eloquently. Their last chance to build up memories of the old town etc etc etc.

So, you'll no doubt be glad to learn, that, along with probably 99% of the kids in the district, they armed themselves with sleds, trays and skateboards and headed off for the slopes. No doubt Nemesis will be looming at some point, thanks, in part to the diligence of the local press coverage of half the town gambolling in the snowdrifts. And judging from the footage I just viewed, and according to son and his pals, a good time was had by all. There was something quite touching, really, watching a bunch of hulking great 17 year olds simply (and I mean simply) ENJOYING themselves, just for the sake of it. Not because somebody, some so- called 'celebrity' said they had to, not to meet curriculum requirements, not because it would look good on their CVs or UCAS forms. Not by proxy via a games console 'experience,' but simply because it's FUN!