Saturday 14 February 2009

Valen-what?

Oh... today is February 14th?

Gosh, I hadn't even noticed...

Monday 2 February 2009

One Man And Her iPod

Dear Anyone,

Last night I went to a comedy show with Shar, and although it had started to snow while we were on our way, I didn't think it would settle, because it hardly ever does. But by the time we came out of the venue, the snow was falling so heavily and had settled so deeply, that we couldn't see our way properly back to Shar's car. People had already started building 'snowthings' (because they weren't all snowmen) and the snow fights were in full swing. It took us far too long to even get back to my house, because Shar had to drive at about 5mph. It is probably the only time that traffic could go so slowly and people won't complain. Poor Shar didn't get home until after 2am.

Then this morning I received a call at about 7am from my cousin Wonder, telling me that Transport for London have suspended all buses, and most train and underground lines, due to the snow. Now the bus is the only way I get to work, so I decided to turn the TV onto Sky News and see what was going on, and to my complete satisfaction - it was true!! I figured that no-one would be able to get to work today, especially since my colleagues all come from East London, so I turned over and made myself more comfy, but still listening to the updates. I'm supposed to start work at 9.30am, so at 9.30am exactly I decided to text my team leader and ask what her situation was, and I told her that buses weren't running in my area, so I didn't know how I'd get in. I was expecting her to say that she's got no way of getting to work so she's still at home, but instead she said that she was squashed up on a train that wasn't moving, and that I should do my best to get in. Dagnammit!!

I still took my time getting ready, because I honestly couldn't think of another way to get to work besides walking, and that was something I absolutely did not want to do. I really didn't want to have to. In fact I refused to even consider the option. But I did it. And it took me an hour to get there. And I was slipping and sliding all over the place. And my legs were aching. I don't think I would have gotten through it, were it not for my iPod. I love my iPod. It keeps me company everywhere I go. As I was walking and freezing my arse off, I was singing along to the tunes aloud, and I actually didn't care who heard me.

Now I wasn't sure how to feel when I got to the deserted office at 12pm, only to be told "We're going to finish at 1pm today, because the snow is going to get worse." Do you laugh or cry? I really didn't know what to say. Obviously I was happy that I could go home early, but bloody hell - they could have told me not to bother! But it's alright. I'm trying to see the reason for everything, and I think in this case it was to make up for the fact that I didn't make it to the gym yesterday, so God wanted me to exercise in an alternative way. That's fine. I didn't actually do any work at all, because it's my team leader's birthday today, so we just spent time doing a mini celebration for her, then left the office at about 1.30pm to go and have snow fights right outside the building, before fighting the snow on our journeys home. This time I was able to take the tube half way, but I still had to walk the other half, and by the time I got home I was knackered!

The forecasters are saying that the snow is expected to continue tomorrow, so let's all cross our fingers and hope that the disruption continues!