25/12/2009 by Russell.

Ice Skating Natural History Museum, London.  Happy holidays!

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23/12/2009 by Russell.

‘Let it Snow…Let is snow..’ is the line from the song and boy did it snow Monday afternoon.

Emily, Greg and I had a lovely shopping day in Milton Keynes, all under cover, no worries of the weather, we left to get a frame from IKEA about 4ish.  leaving IKEA an hour later, a few snow flurries appeared, and thought nothing of it since travelling at rush hour, plenty of traffic, no worries………….

By the time we reached Dunstable, it was settling and it was a slower pace of 20mph.  And we ploughed on up the hills to Tring, which we liked so much, we decided to take it steady and take in the Christmas snowscape.  We waited patiently, and moved and waited all the while the snow lay deep and crisp and uneven.  Wilst we slewed to the Total petrol station in Tring, one kind gentleman asked me to pull over so he could park outside his house, queues of traffic in each direction, numpty! we had already crashed into a kerb by this stage in Dunstable.

Well we waited and waited (hour and a half later) then we made our move, being kindness itself we let a Vauxhall (front wheel drive) out from the petrol station, bloody numpty number 2, he came to a standstill at the r-about, when we we cruising nicely…20 mins later after pushing him up the hill to Tesco’s it was my turn.

Out Emily & Greg went into the snowstrom, push and push with others, and I was off, I ain’t stopping - see ya! Santa’s sleigh ain’t seen anything like it - Emily and Greg chasing after me…once on the flat I went back to help others, but once we were on the flat, we saw a huge queue of cars in the opposite direction, amazing for a slight incline in normal conditions suddenly becomes the North Face of the Eiger.  Cars all over the place.  We stopped to help a car up the hill, the next car in line to tackle the hill (well more like anthill) was a Z4, uhm I knew he wasn’t going to make it, my rear wheel drive was suffering, so I knew what was in store for him.  Oh dear!

We abandoned the Merc on the high street and walked 5 mins to the sanctuary of tv and jacket potatoes. 3 hours later, for a journey of 50 mins
Sadly there was one person who I know would have loved it, my Dad.  He and I have great memories of snowy escapades, Wingerworth 1967, Lavender Hill, handbrake turns in a van, Chesterfield to Manchester 1981, such fun…where are you Dad? I hope you are smiling up there!

Posted in me, Emily, Grandad, Greg, snow | 1 Comment »

19/12/2009 by Russell.

Well I never, I make contact with Sir Geoff Cathey, only to be shortly contacted afterwards by another old tutor Steve Hodgson (Sports Tutor, Tupton Hall). When it rains it pours.  What wonderful surprise number 2. He is well and he too is looking to retirement, I canna believe it.  He is still in the Nottinghamshire area working in sports.  However, this set of communication is not without sadness.  Jenny Irwin (form tutor 6th form and Tupton Hall tutor) has sadly died, she only retired Summer 2008.  I wrote her a letter upon her retirment addressed to her at Tupton, however, it never crossed my mind she had moved on to another School.

On a personal note, she was my form tutor in the 6th form and was a good cookie, she also passed a few secrets on to me about my status in the school amongst the females! lah de dah.  She also organised trips to see the Harlem Globetrotters, which myself and friends had the plaeasure of going to see.  As we left Wembley, we were racially attacked by a set f black lads, all hell kicked off in the car park, in her calm manner Jenny went to confront the troublemakers.   Sadly she will be missed by all who came into contact with her, my only disappontment I should have had another go to contact her, so readers do not put off today - you may miss an opportunity, and of course the funeral had to be Friday at Bretby Crematorium, Burton on Trent, when we had 6″ of snow.

I am still housebound, packed ice on the roads and I can’t move the car…it is very slippy untilyou can get to the main highway.

Christmas Scenes:

Posted in Nothchurch, Jenny irwin, Steve Hodgson, Geoff Cathey, snow | No Comments »