Bring me flesh and bring me wine

[davywavy]

One of my happiest memories as a child was waking up one wintry morning and finding that several inches of snow had unexpectedly fallen overnight, meaning that school was closed. I know that those of you who live in famously snowy places like Seattle might not find this so unusual, but it's a rare enough event in this country as to be worth remembering. I got to spend a few days making snowmen and skating on a frozen pond rather than having so-called knowledge rammed into my uncaring brain and it was ace.
Something similar happened on Monday morning; eight inches of snow over London. I trudged to the station to go to work on the off-chance that the trains might be running, but to my barely-disguised joy and the apparent chagrin of the other commuters the trains were cancelled.
So I went home and built a snowman. It was the best day of work I've had in some time.

Of course, the trains were running on Tuesday so I had no excuse and had to come to the office. However, the weather forecast was ambiguous for Thursday and Friday; predictions varied from some light rain to eight inches more snow and everything in between, so as you might imagine I spent the rest of the week with my fingrs firmly crossed that the heavens would open and deposit a huge load of snowy chaos over the capital.
Alas, it wasn't to be.
So I find myself in work, wishing I could have skived off work again today, like the postmen still are doing. Wishing so much, in fact, that I think I feel a song coming on!

To the tune of Orville's Song, by Keith Harris and Orville.

I wish I could skive
But I've got too much drive,
So I can’t,
(You can)
I can’t!

I wish I could stay
Tucked into my bed all day
But I can’t,
(You can)
I can’t!

(Now, David.)
Yes?
(You work for yourself, you arsehole)
Do I?
(You do)
Oh, right.


I wish that I worked in the public sector
But I don’t,
(You don’t?)
I don’t!
Instead I'm a dynamic director,
So I can't
(You can!)
I can't

(Look, David)
Yes?
(Now that I’m here with you,
There’s nothing that you can’t do,
So why don’t you make a start
And hear what I’m saying, David?)
Yes?
(You'll only be poor if you shirk)
I will
(So shut up and get back to work)
Oh.

Comments

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

I didn't even leave the house on Monday morning. I can see the train lines from my window, and it was very clear that they weren't going to be running much. I enjoyed my snow day.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it super? There was a huge snowball fight in our street with about 30 involved. It was lovely.

[gnommi.livejournal.com]

Snow days Monday and Tuesday: straight to bed with flu Wednesday, clawing my way back across the Styx today. Have still managed to analyse a week's experiments and read 3 cell culture textbook chapters though.

I suspect work tomorrow.

Baaaaaaaaah

[madwitch.livejournal.com]

There was one of those in the courtyard of the estate. And though the waiting time at Somerfield was over 30 minutes, nobody cared, the queue was the cheeriest thing.

Fantastic day.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

More snow forecast for Monday - fingers crossed.

[manywaters.livejournal.com]

Seattle's not infamous for snow - just rain, rain, and occasionally icy sleety rain. It snows a few times a year for the most part, and the city shuts down because it's rather hilly and the city owns all of 27 snowplows. It's not like Chicago or Minneapolis where I think they might as well build igloos.

Now, there are some years where it DUMPS, and this year is one of them. My parents live east of the city, and my mom's been stuck at home for probably a total of 2 weeks this winter while my dad takes the SUV with the 4 wheel drive to work.

[song-of-copper.livejournal.com]

We've finally got a decent quantity of snow here today, but seeing as I only live ten minutes' walk from work, I have no excuse to stay at home! Still, I can enjoy it vicariously, as all the students are pelting each other with snow at every opportunity.

It's also a good excuse not to have to wear smart attire. I saw one person waddling around the building in wellies earlier. :-)

[hiromasaki.livejournal.com]

Seconded. My ex lives in Seattle, and I used to get photos sent to me every time it snowed, which was not very often. Seattle looks very pretty under snow, but I certainly wouldn't want to live there during a snow. :P

[elbly.livejournal.com]

As a public sector worker (I work for the NHS) I will have you know that I have been up at 6am every morning this week and got myself across the city in order to get to work and provide a service to the residents of South Birmingham, and anyone else needing our specialist care.

Our hospital has managed to continue to provide a full service despite the snow because our staff (myself included) are not work shy idle bastards. So don't tar us all with the same brush please!

Note: I have worked in other public sectors where, if I could, I'd fire every member of staff for being utterly shit, so I'm not saying you don't at least partly have a point.

[(Anonymous)]

Some of us actually wanted to get into London on Monday - I had the day booked off as leave so wouldn't have been working anyway, but I was actually supposed to be going to a gig...

However, I have been unable to get into work Tuesday, Thursday or Friday so it sort of makes up for it.

Though I haven't built a snowman yet.

V