Saturday 8 January 2011

Ice-cold in Moscow


Take a look at this...

















Purty, ain't it?

Note how the delicate branches seem to be encased in glass; it's the only remaining evidence of the freezing rain that engulfed Moscow a couple of weeks back, paralysing the city and shutting airports. Well, the only remaining evidence apart from the mirror-like surface of our front steps, the countless number of silver birch trees bent sideways at crazy angles (their fragile branches seem the most affected by the ice) and - most annoyingly -our car.

We missed the worst of the ice, thank heavens, being on holiday in the UK at the time, but I should have known that we wouldn't escape it's consequences entirely...

We arrived home late last night and at around 1.00pm today, I announced my intention to go to the supermarket, marching out into the snowy day (a balmy -6C) with high hopes of being back in 45 minutes.

And at around 1.40pm today after an epic confrontation with nature and an almost complete change of soaking wet clothes, I actually left home.

Because what looked from the house like an innocuous blanket of snow over the car was actually an innocuous blanket of snow... over a 3cm thick coat of ice. Over the locks, the lights, and crucially sealing the boot - where all our ice-clearing equipment is kept - fast shut. (Note to self: maybe not such a good idea to have only the one ice-scraper, kept in the car...) On the bright side however, once I managed to jimmy open the doors (great exercise for your upper arms, don't you know) and turn on the engine it wasn't that bad, since as the car warmed up a little I was able to simply lift great sheets of the stuff off it and toss them away.

Which was fun, in an Incredible Hulk, sort of way (once you got past the freezing and soaking wet gloves and ice crystals down the back of your neck, anyway).

And of course it does give me more ammunition to bring out in conversations with people back home when they complain about the dreadful weather they've been having. I plan on waiting until some hapless soul bleats about the terrible winter the UK has had (true, I know), and how it's been so cold, and then after listening to their tale of woe, bringing this experience and others like it out to trump them. I am put in mind here of that scene in Crocodile Dundee where he's confronted by a mugger brandishing a switchblade and says something along the lines of: 'Call that a knife? This is a knife...'

And because I'm nice like that, I have actually found a lego rework of that scene just in case you have no idea what I'm on about:




So let's get started. Come on, you first. Call that a heavy frost.....?

11 comments:

  1. Erm, we had so much snow my wheelie bin actually looked pretty. Howzat? Happy New Year lovely. x

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  2. We've had the ice here too. The blizzard New York had over New Year melted a week later, but not quite all of it...and then it froze again. Meanwhile we were away and unable to clear the snow. So....once back, I spent a good half an hour every day this week chipping away at the big piles of ice on our driveway. (It was actually strangely satisfying when a big slab came away - although it did my shoulders in). And I can sympathise, because I bet it was ten times worse where you are.

    Be strong, PM - and remember, it's all an experience!

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  3. We've had a really tame winter so I can't compete...no... I only have a little switchblade..not the machete.

    Hey, I still have a blog in case you once visited, tried and lost me. If you haven't tried to find me then um...well, carry on!:-)

    Glad to see things are still "crazy" in Moscow.

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  4. My night-time wear is currently pjs over leg gins and two pairs of socks. It's a killer look.

    HNY x

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  5. HA HA HA.... Leg gins! Auto correct has given me the most excellent idea for warming up, gin before bedtime!

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  6. I've taken to wearing socks in bed because when I have to visit the bathroom during the night the tiles feel like your walking over a frozen pond!

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  7. Call that a heavy frost, we had SO much snow and ice that my gutters....nah, you win.

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  8. Our last day in Colorado was -13 Farenheit, which I do believe is about -25C.
    It was SO cold that my forehead froze. Mind you - nature's botox. I'm not complaining!
    (Expat Mum, BTW)

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  9. Once, it took me 40 mins to drive back from school to home, usually a journey of about 3 mins, because the road was sheet ice and everyone was going at a snail's pace. When the traffic lights changed to green, one or two cars would manage to get across the junction before they changed back to red. I was terrified. The weird thing was, that conditions had been bad but not impossible, when I set out to school from home. The temperature dropped so fast, that by the time I'd got the kids and was setting out for home, things were completely different.

    I can't match the mental image of you a la Incredible Hulk, though.

    I'm off to put my leg gins on now.

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  10. Wow. I was in the midst of complaining about my cold toes and my drafty house, but that's shut me right up. Good luck with the shopping, brrrr.

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  11. Jo, but I bet your wheelie bin ALWAYS looks pretty, with glitter and everything...

    NVG, not sure it was (10 times worse). Actually, the ice was one thing but now it's warmed up (0C today) so now we're into freeze-thaw which I hate almost as much!

    Lisa, hi! Will be over shortly!

    KM, I would say you've just coined a new phrase. Just off to put on my leg-gins... (Can you do one for vodka though?)

    Helen, I hate that! (Although actually I'm far more likely to need to wear socks in bed in the UK since the heating is so much better here)

    HCM, I thank you...

    EPM, I knew it was you (well, Mike never commented on here so I took a wild guess). Nature's botox, eh? Will remember that when I'm freezing in Morzine at the end of next week on MY GIRL'S SKI TRIP!!! (Excited, me?)

    Iota, leg-gins? You? Had you down for cinzano girl... (And I think you have me beat on the ice story...)

    MM, don't feel bad - I bet our house is warmer than yours,s o I have nothing to complain about really...)

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