An unexpected view today. But it was a good one. For those with really keen eyes you can see York Minster in the distance. The only city building you can see from this here.

A trip to work expecting to be kept busy until the school bell warms up for its last ring of the day. But quickly the full day was over in just over an hour. That’s the problem with zero hours based contracts. It’s not a stable source of income. But needs must. Full time professional employment was consigned to history when the world changed. Full time single parent – part time wage earner. So another Christmas which will need to be carefully controlled. Probably won’t be treating myself to the Italian Sports Car and the Racehorse this year.

So an unplanned dog walk. And that view. For some reason my mind wandered from affordable Christmas present ideas to snow. Many of my friends here have mentioned the snow they are struggling with. This time nine years ago we were in the middle of our own snow event. It was waste deep here. Our little sledging run is just behind this field. Every time it snowed my partner was out with her ruler to measure the depth. That was the only winter when she needed a bigger ruler. Wow it was cold. One day it never got higher than -17C. Was that the coldest I’ve ever been. My Partner would talk about the cold on her adventure to Patagonia. For me it probably was. Oh hang on a minute That night at Uni.

My mind wanders back further to a time before my Partner. Days of studying marked by text books finding a use as beer glass place mats. And that night. A cold dark winters night with fresh snow on the ground. A Hall of Residence Party which is suddenly overtaken with a brilliant plan. Let’s all go outside and make snow angels. A few sensible souls went out fully clothed. The majority didn’t… In the snow much exposed skin…. Of both sexes. For my sins it was trainers and pants – nothing else. So much laughter but it was a tad chilly. Some interesting snow angels and a very large snowman. A snowman who suddenly became one of the sisters as he acquired a bra. Then disaster the Halls Fire Alarm went off. We couldn’t get back inside until the Fire Brigade arrived. Now it was more than a tad cold. The only thing keeping us going was the bottles of Bud. The looks on the Fire Crews faces when they arrived. Still not allowed inside until a sweep has been made of the property. Then another brilliant idea. Form an orderly queue and take turns to warm your bottom on the Fire Trucks hot engine. I suspect we (or to be more precise the female students) made the drivers night.

Maybe one day I will delve back into that year. It got much more bizarre. But now back to reality. Back to my completely sober years. A present idea. Let’s get one of those cheap singing and dancing snowmen. That will bring a few memories back.

44 thoughts on “Snowman”

  1. Such fun memories! Sounds like a lot of fun was had. We haven’t had any snow either. Although they cancelled all soccer practices tonight because there was a 30% chance of snow. I have squinty eyes in wonder at that decision but am happy to have a night of no driving kids around.

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  2. There is in certain living being’s a quality of loneliness that is unspeakable, a loneliness so great it must be shared, as company is shared by lesser beings, such a loneliness is mine, so know by this that there is one out there in immensity,there is one, lonelier than thou…

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  5. Aww sounds like some good times. Snow angels are so much fun. and the beer doesn’t sound too bad as well. Memories are amazing. I love reflecting back on them. Hmm money and presents . I can understand but honestly I think simpler the better. and all your son needs is you smiling and being that fun dad I feel you are.😊

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      13. I am sure my older girl will see it that way one day…. What was nice is that my best friend and her husband died this week. Known them a long time and it was just dreadful the terrible bad luck they were dealt, but my older girl who had grown with their younger boy did tell him about that time we did all go to this Bryan Ferry concert and it was cancelled at the last …in the hall no less… and how like that she would never ever go out with us and why and I was able to tell him about a birthday bash a few years back,–he was in New Zealand for quite a few years—that he knew nothing about, How everyone just generally behaved really badly BUT the bar staff all said, I want a party like this one day, How his dad fell down the stairs on the way and had to be helped into the taxi by the bouncers, how my other friend’s husband, lay on the table after drinking with him and she was mortified. And that was but a bit of it. It was nice it made Steven laugh truly. I always think in life, better to make memories than not.

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  10. We bought my in-laws a tap dancing Santa one year and MIL hated it, so the following year we bought them another. FIL thought it was a riot. MIL was far from pleased. Another year I bought my FIL matching boxer shorts and a singing tie, which he loved, turning the volume up at the table so that MIL shouted at him to ‘turn that damn tie off!’

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