Wednesday 29th November 2023
Snow!!! OK it was a light frosting which then stayed iced over but it was the white fluffy stuff that fell from the sky and made me happy.
My big encounter with snow was in a very different but appropriate location, the Swiss Alps. It was late 1987 and the ski resorts had opened but the snow was late in falling. Experienced skiers could still take the ski lifts to ski on the glaciers, but I was quite content with walking on the ground round the Chalet I was working and living in. Myself and Caroline, the other Chalet maid, slept in the nuclear bunker. Yes, all Swiss houses at that time needed a bunker and for about 4 months it was my home.
The resort snow arrived close to Christmas with massive overnight dump and suddenly everything looked different. Walking on thick snow was a new skill to learn, and clearing the steps of ice, with salt and a shovel, was an added daily chore. The amazing thing about Verbier, was the sunshine while the snow stayed put. The temperatures dropped below freezing but it didn't feel that cold. The Chalet had fireplaces for the guests which made it all cosy and fortunately we didn't have to chop wood, I think that was bought already chopped. It's amazing how much detail I have forgotten, and then suddenly I remember the gluwein we made for the guests on arrival Saturday.
Back to current day Hartlepool, fortunately there was no huge snow dump and my sister's central heating works. I also had a new drink of Bovril, which was yummy and salty and different from the usual coffee. I stayed indoors too, trying to sort out my accumulation of 'stuff' and things to pack. Blue, the dog came up giving me the saddest look because my sister and brother in law had dared go out without him.
More cold temperatures and snow predicted in the next few days, so my adventures may be internet bound, haha.
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