Tiresome Weather.

[Roger Kettle]

Look, I'm all for a wee bit of the white stuff at Christmas and that kind of thing but this is getting silly. We're now about to enter our third week of sub-zero temperatures and frozen snow with forecasts predicting at least another week of the same. Enough!

[Vulture]

Look, I'm all for a wee bit of the white stuff at Christmas and that kind of thing but this is getting silly. We're now about to enter our third week of sub-zero temperatures and frozen snow with forecasts predicting at least another week of the same. Enough!

You tell 'em, Rog!

[The Peepmaster]

I'll see what I can do. Losing a manager, and then enduring subsequent defeats certainly can lead to grumpiness.

- A Doctor

[Malc]

You sound surprised. It does get colder in the North and you do live in Dundee, which is prone to Northernness.

[Roger Kettle]

I AM, surprised, Malc. I was used to this kind of weather in the Highlands but it's pretty unusual here, being pretty much on the coast. Normally, we get a couple of days of snow and/or frost and then it goes away. As I said earlier, we're now entering our third week of constant sub-zero temperatures (it barely scrapes above freezing during the day, if at all) and the snow has remained a constant six or so inches deep. As I write, it has started to snow heavily again so you can add a couple of inches to my previous estimate! But I'm a hardy sort and the cartooning will go on regardless.

[The Peepmaster]

I AM, surprised, Malc. I was used to this kind of weather in the Highlands but it's pretty unusual here, being pretty much on the coast. Normally, we get a couple of days of snow and/or frost and then it goes away. As I said earlier, we're now entering our third week of constant sub-zero temperatures (it barely scrapes above freezing during the day, if at all) and the snow has remained a constant six or so inches deep. As I write, it has started to snow heavily again so you can add a couple of inches to my previous estimate! But I'm a hardy sort and the cartooning will go on regardless.

At least you're warm inside your little hut, scribbling your doodles, and watching the footy on telly. It's surely a comfort at the same time, knowing your dear wife is shoveling the path clear outside.

[Tom]

Well, we've ground to a halt. Everyone was late for work this morning, and we were all sent home at 3. The roads are now very quiet, and seem to be freezing over. And it's snowing again. Considering we hardly get any snow in these parts we've certainly got it now. A snow-plough passed me on the road earlier (going the other way on the other side of the road - it didn't overtake me or anything!) ... there haven't been many gritters on the roads though, which explains the pandemonium this morning. Having said that though, there's not much point driving an empty gritter while we have a grit shortage, is there?!

Still, I'm still enjoying the snow as we don't get it often, and the little one's definitely are. One threw a snowball at me earlier. I pretended not to notice as it whacked me in the back. I was walking to the shop in the blizzard to get the lottery for tomorrow night. The lottery machine was out of order due to the weather.

[Roger Kettle]

Actually, Nige, my dear wife was attempting to clear our steps with a RAKE the other day. As the old adage goes, if you want something done properly, do it yourself. I had to tap the inside of my office window and mime "shovel" to her.

[Diane CBPFC]

There is no point waiting for the snow to be gone here, because then it is the mud, then the drought then the mosquitos. May as well enjoy the season of no grass cutting.

[The Peepmaster]

my dear wife was attempting to clear our steps with a RAKE the other day

I just looked up "rake" on Google. It describes it as "a man habituated to immoral conduct".

What was his name, and haven't you ever been suspicious?

[Malc]

I was once a supermarket manager in Ayrshire, and one of the other branch managers was a legendary misogynist. His wife worked upstairs in admin and she told the story of when she was expecting their second child, she had to carry two buckets of coal up three flights of stairs to light the fire in their tenement.

On making the top of the first flight, she stopped for a rest, and he poked his head over the top banister, shouting: "Margaret, you're seven month's pregnant for god's sake! Bring them up one bucket at a time!"

[Joan]

Talking of mosquitoes, I have discovered a sure-fire way to kill them - have a good dose of chemo - one sip of your blood and she's a goner!  Bit drastic, but very effective and there's only a tiny little mark and no itch, which for me is amazing.

This is what my sister's garden in Balerno looked like yesterday afternoon.

[Diane CBPFC]

Joan said:

Talking of mosquitoes, I have discovered a sure-fire way to kill them - have a good dose of chemo - one sip of your blood and she's a goner!  Bit drastic, but very effective and there's only a tiny little mark and no itch, which for me is amazing.

Do you know, I would enjoy seeing that!

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

It finally hit us with a vengeance last night, all five inches of it! Primary, secondary and college closures mean that instead of being on my own today, I have the warmth of my family around me. Bliss!

And it all looks very pretty too...

[Malc]

Yes, Joan, a bit drastic, but maybe there's a little germ of a business idea there for when the chemo's over and you're back in the swim of things? There must be SOME way that experience can be put to good use!