[kitchenwitch]

It snowed last night, and it stuck to the ground. A lot of it has since melted, but it sure feels and smells like winter outside.

I'm looking forward to going to Florida next week!

[mr dragon]

Very cold, wet and rainy. I just got home, with slightly wet jeans, cold hands and another bust umbrella!

I also feel a bit horrible. I walked past a young girl (who I think was about sixteen- perhaps younger), who was begging on the street when I came out the station at Ealing Broadway tonight. I don't normally give money to people begging in London, you don't know what they're going to do with it, they can sometimes act like arseholes, and you seem them too often. But it was very cold and wet and she apologised straight away for asking when I shook my head, and had a pretty forlorn look on her face. I did some shopping, felt pretty guilty- which I don't normally, and went back and bought her a take away cup of hot tea after I was done. Some other guy had also decided to buy her a kebab when I got back. I asked her if she had somewhere to go tonight and she said she was trying to get money to stay in a cheap B and B. Normally I don't believe what they say, but this time I did. She seemed genuine and very grateful, and didn't ask for anything else. In the end I said to her she musn't stay out here tonight- it's too cold. I had a guilty pang in my heart when I walked away- but what else can you do? Some of these young homeless people, especially young girls like that, have either been kicked out of home or have left for parental physical abuse reasons. Maybe it's a male thing as well, you just don't want to see a young girl out on the streets like that at this time of year, at this time of night, particularly not in this weather. I felt a bit horrible when I got home to my warm flat and was still thinking about it. I've seen this stuff for so many years now in London- you just become completely emotionally immune to it, somewhat cynical, and ignore it. For some reason I didn't tonight with that particular girl, it stayed on my mind all the way home and still now. I don't really know why.

[wakeyboy]

I've felt guilty myself at times Mr D.

I dont see beggers very often but occasionally see one in Leeds and there was one in Edinburgh.

I've been taken for a right mug by a guy in Leeds once and another guy looks like he's on drugs, and thats terrible to make that judgement when I dont know for sure but you get that feeling.

I've walked past people trying not to make eye-contact and ignored whatever they've said. At other times I've given them money.

Its important to realise that we cant help EVERYONE. You could give away every penny you own and still there will be people on the streets.

Sounds like you did the right thing Ben. As much as you could.

[mr dragon]

Yeah, it's weird. I don't normally feel guilty about ignoring it when I see it. Perhaps I've lived here for too long and become too cynical over time. Even though I grew up in a nice and very well off London commuter belt and cathedral city in the Home Counties (St.Albans) where you never see any of that kind of thing, I've spent nearly all of my working life and an awful lot of socialising in London for the last 22 years or so- and also permanently lived in London for the past four years. You just get used to seeing it on and off over a very long time, stop caring about it, and become 'cynical' somewhere about the whole thing. It's not like you see beggars in London every day, but you do see them in the city and become emotionally immune to the problem over the years. Usually they ask for cigarettes (or money) if they pass you if you're in an outdoor cafe or bar, and the answer is always 'no' from me. I even had some nutty old bat 'steal' some cigarette butts from an ashtray I was using a few days ago in an outside cafe while P was phoning me, and I just didn't think about it- other than it was surreal. I've always been pretty harsh internally about the whole thing- ie it's not my problem and I'm not overly interested, however tragic it may be, because it's not my problem and I'm not responsible for it. You can't go round trying to save these people all the time as you say John, and some of them are also partly responsible for getting themselves into that mess in the first place (or not finding a way out of it)- though not all. I think the issue for me the other night was that it was a girl probably in her mid to late teens- and it was cold night in Ealing Broadway (which is not a poor place to live in). There are some young people on the streets in London, but mostly it's adults. I just found it heartbreaking for some reason last night because she wasn't an arsehole like many of them can be- I saw that straight away when I walked passed her. And as I say some of the teens who end up in this situation are just kids who've left home because they were being physically (or even sexually) abused, and sometimes have nowhere to go other than end up on the streets. When I talked to her later she seemed genuine and great full for some attention- I could see it in her eyes, behaviour and responses. I've seen a lot of these people over the years and most of them can be wankers somewhere- so I know the difference. Part of me just wanted to take her home, let her use my shower, give her some clean clothes that I don't need or wear anymore, eat some decent food, and let her sleep on my couch for the night in the warmth, instead of being out on the streets in the cold and open to all sorts of abuses. She was just a kid- not more than 17 or 18. However you can't do that for so many reasons.

So, yeah. I did do the supposed 'right thing' by not completely ignoring it last night. But, it's a £1.30 cup of tea that I can afford without even thinking about it. It's not going to fix her problems- or how she got into, or perhaps, was forced into that mess of a life. And it's even more cold tonight too. But what else can you do. It's fucked up.

[ukus]

I'm a sucker for a little handout unless they are career begger's ( same face in same area) or look plastered.


Woke up to a windy, wet morning ..... but parts of West Texas have snow
High of 59º today.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

48 here at 11:30 AM. Don't think it will get much warmer. We were in the upper seventies yesterday, really nice and then at 11:30 last night the front came roaring through and ended it all.

Karen they think we'll get our first freeze later this week so start thinking about anything you wnt to protect.

[Druid 2156]

Kind of gloomy out today. I just heard the weatherman say that by this weekend, Houston will have more snow than Minnesota. Sad commentary.

[JuanaLaLoca]

We're in our new location this week, and on Monday, it was terribly hot in here. Yesterday it was still a bit hot. So today I wore a sweatshirt with no blazer, and it is freezing!!! I'm sitting here in my heavy wool jacket, and thinking that I would be wearing my gloves if I could type with them on!


Outside, it's in the 40s, sunny but windy.

[ukus]

Well apart from the climate, how are you liking the new diggs Juana? Have you got a window to look out of?

[JuanaLaLoca]

Well apart from the climate, how are you liking the new diggs Juana? Have you got a window to look out of?

I don't like it at all! No, as usual, they have not given me a prime location, so I am not by the window, but where everybody walks by. The developers did not get offices in this new location, so I am back in a cubicle, and even smaller than the cubes in the old building. Being in a cubicle in an exposed location should guarantee that I will be back to catching every cold and flu that comes around. Three sides of the cube are partly glass, which is very distracting, and the walls are lower. Also, sound really carries, so I can hear every word that everybody in the department says. It sure was nice for a few years to hardly ever get sick! And the location is about three to four times as far away from my condo than the old place.

It sucks. Sorry for the rant - but you asked!

[SilverMiniCooperS]

Karen - get out your snow shovel and snow shoes!!

[JuanaLaLoca]

We had a lot of wind yesterday and quite a rainstorm last night, but today it is sunny and currently 67! Much warmer than we have had lately. It was supposed to rain during the morning and get sunny in the afternoon, but the sun was already coming out when I left for work, so I opened up the windows (much to the cats' delight!).

[mr dragon]

It's colder again. I heard on the radio, on the way back from Oxford, that it's going to be about 1 degrees C tonight.

Nice...

[ukus]

Oh dear, sorry to hear that about the new place Juana, especially as you have so much further to drive to get there. I guess, looking for the silver lining, in this day and age you just have to be thankful you have a job.

Karen - get out your snow shovel and snow shoes!!

I'm so excited
I love snow, my Terry can live without it though.
It makes me giggle to see some folks all dressed up like they are in the antarctic. We have some mover's packing up a houseful of furniture a few doors down...... all dressed up to the nines, it's a wonder they can move at all, let alone shift furniture.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

It's already sneauxing here in Conroe - not much yet, but it's early yet. It's bleedin' cold out there. I went out to undo the hoses from the outside taps and almost froze my arse off! 39 degrees right now and going down into the twenties tonight. The remaining oranges on the tree will have to fend for themselves.

[ukus]

I covered my gin and tonic tree's last night. The only thing I haven't taken care of is a huge Rosemary bush ... I'm presuming that will be hardy enough (crosses finger's)

[eddie2003]

It's snowing in Texas?????

[ukus]

Yesssssssssssss

Spoiler:

?

[eddie2003]

I always love the TV footage from southern states when it snows...People down there don't know how to drive in it. HA HA.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

The rosemary will be fine Karen. I have a large one and have never covered it. When we were in Denver I also had some and it always came out fine despite sub-zero temperatures for most of the winter.

[ukus]

Thanks for that info Jen

[ukus]

I always love the TV footage from southern states when it snows...People down there don't know how to drive in it. HA HA.

Well that's true . They have already prepared the trucks to go out and grit the roads and bridges, hoping to cut down on accidents.
The kids are happy. Lot's of schools are closing early.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

I just saw a shot of 290 and somewhere and they have a lot out there already. The main even isn't supposed to start until later and into the night.

[eddie2003]

A little snow closes the schools....amazing.

[JuanaLaLoca]

It makes me giggle to see some folks all dressed up like they are in the antarctic. We have some mover's packing up a houseful of furniture a few doors down...... all dressed up to the nines, it's a wonder they can move at all, let alone shift furniture.

Well, that sounds more reasonable to me than up here, where a lot of people still run around in shorts and t-shirts! Crazy!!!


Sunny again today, but only around 50. Tomorrow back down in the 40s where we've mostly been lately, and will be again for some time, according to the forecast. Yesterday was warm enough to break most records for that date.

[ukus]

We had quite a bit and some settlement. Enough to throw snowballs for Georgie .... I took a few pics so will see if I can post them later.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

It didn't stick here Karen. At one point, shortly before it ended, it came down quite heavily, but not for long enough. Tonight we will be in the lower twenties, so there will be ice.

[kitchenwitch]

I saw Katy Texas on the weather channel tonight! They were showing off your snow.

Although I have to admit, as a resident of the northern climes, it just wasn't all that impressive.
But I do appreciate how unusual it is for y'all to have snow, especially in early December. Are you dreaming of a White Christmas yet?

[SilverMiniCooperS]

A little snow closes the schools....amazing.

The schools didn't close. The system that brought all the snow came a bit earlier than expected and the temperatures were dropping to the freezing point, so they let some of the schools out early. The snow wasn't their concern, but the icy roads were. The temperature in Houston last night dropped to 23 (21 here in Conroe) and many of the overpasses and less travelled roads had ice. They did spray magnesium chloride to prevent the major ones from freezing.

Now the airport from another thing altogether. It isn't often they have to de-ice planes at IAH!

[mr dragon]

We have a similar problem in the south of England. Although it's not 'Texas' weather down here (!), mostly it's fairly temperate apart from some periods during the winter where it gets pretty cold, however things also tend to go a bit awry when you get a sudden snow storm or a very cold ice patch over night in the south. If a region is used to that kind of weather on a regular basis they're more adapted to it in terms of infrastructure, and I guess also psychologically. Though, I get why people who do live in places that regularly have very bad weather during the winter also having a laugh at other places that seem to go completely awry when it happens to them. I used to go out to Oregon, back in about 1999-2001 during the winter time for a couple of years, to stay with a friend and do some stock photography- and the weather particularly in Eastern Oregon and around the Cascades, over the winter is NOT by any stretch a summer time stroll in the park! I'd then get back to London, sometime in mid Jan, and you'd be reading stories about the train system failing merely because of a few centimetres of snow...I always thought that was kind of funny after seeing five or even ten foot plus snow drifts up in the mountains, some horrendous snowstorms and sub zero temperatures, and yet people still managing to carry on with their lives.

It's mild here tonight, unlike a few days ago. I was in Ealing Broadway earlier this evening and I saw my homeless 'friend' again at the same place near the station. I had a chat to her after doing my shopping- she's actually 19 and her name's Jane. I thought she was at least couple of years younger than that (she looks very young)- hence why I was concerned the other night. If you're under 18 you shouldn't be living on the streets anywhere in the UK- there are organisations that will automatically take you in if you're a minor and have been chucked out of home. She got kicked out by her mother seven weeks ago and she's on a Shelter waiting list for some kind of temporary accommodation, but at the same time sleeping on a stair well in some old flats in south Ealing, or staying in a cheap B and B's if she can make enough money some nights. It's not a good situation, and I obviously question why someone could end up making the choices she has- but then again you don't really know the full circumstances. I can't really get too involved in this, you don't even know whether you can trust a person in a situation like that and there are also too many complications, but I think she's genuine- I can tell somewhere by her answers and her attitude. I've seen too many homeless people here over the years and many of them are more than a little bit full of shit somewhere about their situation (despite what may have happened to them or what they say), but I don't think she is in this circumstance- it's just a gut feeling. I'm going to make some calls on Monday and I have a friend in the police force who knows more about this kind of thing and what's available to help young people in that situation get back on their feet- so I think the least I can do is see if I can get some more info on how she can be helped and perhaps give it to her if I see her again. I can't really do much more than that, but I guess at least it's something.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

Oh Ben. I can see it now.............

[mr dragon]

See what?

[ukus]

I hope your policeman friend can think of something Ben. It's awful to think of her being on the streets and open to the threats of some horrible person who could use the situation to their advantage. You'd think there would be somewhere for her to go.

I've a feeling it will continue to mither you too, until you know she is safe and out of the cold.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

See what?

I've a feeling it will continue to mither you too, until you know she is safe and out of the cold.

It would mither me too Ben.

Just be a little careful though.

[Mr Retro]

It's raining, but in the upper elevations, it's snowing! I drove through some snow earlier. It was "slushy" snow that melted as soon as it hit the ground, but it was snow none the less.

[mr dragon]

See what?

I've a feeling it will continue to mither you too, until you know she is safe and out of the cold.

It would mither me too Ben.

Just be a little careful though.

You're sweet Jenn, but don't read too much into what I wrote Don't worry, Dragon's not about to adopt a stray homeless person. I just figured I could do something a little bit positive. I've seen this kind of stuff for years in London, most of them are too fucked up for you to want to get involved in any way- seen it way too many times. However I've seen and talked to her a few times since then at the same place outside Ealing Broadway. She's ok as a person. She's not on drugs (at least not yet)- you can usually tell by their eyes and their behaviour. Usually my gut feelings (and conscience) are pretty spot on- I've nearly always found that when I ignore either in life, in part or fully, that I turn out to be wrong (or at least partly wrong). I'm not the only one either- a couple of other people have also been helping her out a little from what I've seen. I think she's ok and not dodgy- she just needs something a little bit positive. So far it's cost me £2.39 (= a cup of tea when it was freezing the other night and some little bits of food in a sale that was about to go out of date in Tesco's when I was shopping last night, and an old slightly busted cheap umbrella that I was going to throw out) and also ten minutes of my lunchtime today with a look on the internet and a free call to Shelter to find out some extra details for her). I can't really do an awful lot more than that kind of thing, but to be honest with you- it's actually not anything special anyway. If I gave ten quid to charity every month it would be more money, and I'd have to go through the process of setting up the direct debit and all that stuff. If she's just a waster, which I don't think she is, at least I can say I did do something regardless of knowing. Basically I don't want to be reading in the local paper in January that some 19 year old girl froze to death over the winter, or got beaten up, or raped, because she'd been kicked out of home 7 weeks before by her mother and ended up on the streets- and then have to 'say' to myself: "oh shit I think I know who she is because I've seen the poor mite shivering outside Ealing Broadway tube looking pretty forlorn and alone- and also actually genuinely apologising to people for asking them for money" (which most people who are begging don't- or if they do it's all a bit false). If it is all false (which sometimes these things can be), it hasn't really cost me very much and of course my conscience is clear. And to be honest I don't actually think I'm really doing very much at all- just a few small things to alleviate my conscience (probably partly selfishly). Believe me Jenn, there are a lot of people on this planet that are far more generous and helpful (and more trusting) than I am.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

OK.

[Mr Retro]

Here are 3 photos I took today from my delivery route. They show the aftermath of a major storm that passed through the west coast on Monday turning the usually arid desert into a winter wonderland.

[kitchenwitch]

Once again, really nice pictures Mr. R. I can't get over how clear and blue the sky is.

I guess that same storm is headed for the east coast today and really caused a mess in the midwest. I'm thinking the 80 degree weather we're having here in Orlando is pretty darn nice. I just hope that things are clear and calm for our drive back up north Friday and Saturday.

[JuanaLaLoca]

Horrible, horrible snowstorm!!! And of course now my commute is much longer than it was, so it took me over a half hour to get here. At least last week I managed to find my alternate route so that I don't have to go on the highway. Lots of snow and sliding around, but hardly any other cars, so I just went nice and slow. First time in snow on my new tires; now I wish I had bought the more expensive Michelins, because I've never seen my traction control come on so much. But I made it.

[Druid 2156]

Here in Minnesota it was pretty treacherous, what with the type of snow that we had. It was that stuff that compacts real easy and then turns straightaway to ice. Today it's still snowing and now it's blowing all over creation and really screwing things up. I've been training in a new guy, and yesterday went alright, but we had a VERY near miss. I can't wait to see how he does today.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

We have a sunny 45 degrees but with that horrid north wind is bleedin' perishing out there!

[JuanaLaLoca]

I think it's raining now, so it should be nice and icy after the sun goes down, by the time I leave.

[bll]

We're getting gale force winds, gusts up to 65-70 mph. I've got several tree limbs down and I'm hoping we keep our electric. We started out in the 50s this morning, andnow it's in the 30s, and heading for the teens over night. We're supposed to get sleet and snow in time for the evening rush. I'm glad I'm working from home.

[tonyrockyhorror]

It was like a Monsoon last night and through this morning, then a little after noon the rain and wind stopped. It was fairly mild, around 54.

Right now it's still mild and clear as a bell.

[mr dragon]

Fairly mild here again today. It's been like that for most of the week.

[SilverMiniCooperS]

COLD

[wakeyboy]

41°F / 5°C

Sunny, mild, no wind. Quite pleasent.

[JuanaLaLoca]

23 degrees, and with a wicked wind chill!

[Caer Ibormeith]

I think it's raining now, so it should be nice and icy after the sun goes down, by the time I leave.

I saw on the news that the Fitchurg area got a lot of snow out of the storm on Wednesday. Hope you weren't hit to hard in Lawrence. Boston got lucky, a little snow in the morning and then all rain. It was miserable, but at least the ground stayed clear of ice.