I’ve just walked in from a morning outing. I’m wearing three pairs of socks. I trudged through the snow and now, despite my layers and coverings, my fingers, toes and face have frozen. Good news is, nothing has fallen off. I don’t think. I can’t feel anything anymore.
Today’s temperatures, according to Google weather, range from a high of -1 degree C to a low of -2 degree C. Sorry to my friends across the pond, I don’t know how to translate those temperatures into F money. What I do know is that this is pretty darn chilly. Ask my face.
According to the Independent online, Britain has just experienced the coldest end to November in about twenty years. And the cold weather is set to continue. Reading that, I realise that since we have been in London, we have experienced a number of records. It makes me question our wisdom to time our London adventure thus, but I guess everything happens for a reason.
Here are the records, and they are pretty big:
- January 2010 was the coldest January since 1987, right across the UK. Overall it was the coldest winter since 1978/1979 with a mean temperature of 1.5 degrees C.
- In October, the British Chancellor announced the biggest UK spending cuts since World War II, affecting welfare, councils and police budgets. The reverberations and outworkings of the cuts will continue for some time.
- Current and future university students have launched a season of – often violent – protest at the coalition government’s plans to allow universities to charge up to £9,000 a year for tuition fees. Such demonstrations have caused chaos and disruption in Central London and other cities around the UK, as students voice their opposition to the plan for their future.
- The government has chosen to cut by a fifth the number of workers it allows in from non-European Union countries.
- With a surge in inflation towards the end of 2009, it was predicted that the cost of living in 2010 in the UK would be the highest since 1997.
My toes are starting to thaw out, and feeling has returned to my face. But the reality check sends fresh shivering chills down my spine. The cost of our London adventure.
Sunshine signing off for today.
My new header picture is a photo I took through our kitchen window this morning.
Sunshine in London 
both my childrena are students and tell me outside of London the demonatrations have been peaceful and mostly in good humour although as the media ratchett up the aggro the police presence becoming more and more menacing.
I can imagine that to be the case. It’s been most bizarre to watch the events unfold on the news … I’m also interested to know how the vote on this plan will go.
Hi Sunshine:
I’ll do the translation for the Americans…it’s right around freezing in England. Your winter is considerably warmer than ours, I’m afraid! Our average high in Saint John this winter is predicted to be about -2 C., low of -13, with a mean temp. of -8.
I’d heard it was expensive to live in Great Britain…those figures are scary!
Keep warm!
Hugs,
Wendy
Warmer being a relative term, I guess? For a Saffa, it’s been pretty darn freezing here, no matter what the figures!
Keep warm too, Wendy! xx
I love the new header photo–but then again, I enjoy snow–which we’re not getting any of here in Haiti–imagine that! I look forward to being home in the US for the holidays and catching a few flakes myself. Stay warm!
Thanks, Kathryn! I love the snow too, just not quite used to it yet!
Enjoy the warm weather while you can!
LOL @ Wendy!
That sure is cold, Sunshine, have a glass of sherry; according to the Queen on Twitter it is perfectly fine to do.
It’s vrek cold, Cindy! And a glass of sherry sounds like a fabulous idea … one thanks you and the Queen for that! xx
Sure seems cold that end. Here, we have one day of socks, the next day back into shirts and tshirts. Today has been the coldest temp so far. -2 to 18 but pleasant and I’m enjoying. Keep warm and looking forward to that designer snowman. Xx
It is indeed! Winter in Texas sounds a bit like Cape Town’s, but without the minus temperatures. Gosh – enjoy! xx
oh–it’s lovely–and cold!
hoping your toes and fingers thaw soon…
thanks for sharing another wonderful post.
jane
Thanks, jane. I now have my fingers and toes back, alive and breathing. All of them! xx
My wife’s parents live out West, in Montana. We went out for Christmas one year, and it was 0 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s -18 degrees Celsius). I see no point in that. If it’s cold enough for water to freeze, that’s as cold as you need, which is one of the reasons we live in the South.
Wow, Todd, that’s some kind of cold. I’ve often wondered if you can feel much difference after freezing point? Good move to live in the South.
I love your header. Some of my favorite pictures are of waterfront. As far as the cold, I can truly sympathize being from Minnesota.
My husband just commented on the price of used cars yesterday stating that he is paying the same $ for 2007 vehicles that he paid two years ago. They should be about $2000.00 less given that they are 2 years older provided the miles are the same. Prices are going up, up, up! Jeanne
Yip, I think it’s happening everywhere. More money buys less.
Glad you like the header pic – I love the view we have from our flat. It’s sometimes hard to believe we live so close to central London! xx
I am so happy nothing fell off…that could have been dreadful…LOL. Hugs, Diane
It could have been dreadful, Diane. And quite embarrassing! 🙂
We just got our first snowfall of the year (in Ohio). The temperature is 28 F, and the wind is blowing, which makes it seem so much colder. How much longer till spring?? I enjoyed your post.
It’s going to be a long winter, isn’t it? Thanks, Darlene, glad you enjoyed the post.
I do not so much struggle with the cold. I struggle with the fact that it is cold inside AND outside. Work is cold. Home is cold. Ouside is cold. Well, at least the tube is (sometimes) warm….lol. Beautiful view from your kitchen window!
The tube is warm, especially if it’s crammed! Wrap up with layers and layers, and keep warm!
Interesting record facts. Think records are being set world-wide in all areas of life. It’s a difficult time for all.
Did you and your husband manage to avoid all the student protests? SA students have been protesting high student fees for years! Don’t know if you saw Delia Lloyd’s article about it at http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/25/student-protests-in-the-u-k-where-is-this-headed/ ?
Difficult times indeed. We were nowhere near the protests, but have been watching it all on TV news. It’s such a huge issue on so many levels – the vote takes place next week and I’ll be interested to see how it goes. I’ll check out that article – thanks. xx
Here’s a fast easy way to, roughly, convert deg C to deg f:
(Deg c * 2) + 30 = Deg F
So, double the C temp and add 30. You’ll be in the ballpark. It won’t be exact, but it will be close.
Thank you, Matt – that’s helpful! And thanks for coming by.
Thanks for sharing your stories.
I’m in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil very sunny day and great weather!
Vanessa Rima
http://www.fashionissima.com
You’re welcome, Vanessa. Ah, a sunny day in Rio de Janeira sounds just wonderful.
Here in California, I find myself taking off my coat on some days!
I lived in Canada for a while as a child, however, and I still remember cold fingers and woolen mittens.
I gather Canada is much colder than we are here – and this is VERY cold for a South African! (And a Californian, I would imagine!) Sometimes I think my toes will actually just fall off!
We just returned from the UK (most of the time in the Cotswolds) on 11/29…third time visiting but hadn’t been to England in the winter before. It did seem really, really cold – usually your weather is similar to ours (in Cleveland) but not this time. Hopefully winter will not hang on until May.
Cheers. (By the way, did you find a job yet? I’ve been off since end of August…it’s nice but the pay is crap!) 🙂
I think today was the coldest day I have ever experienced – I seriously thought my toes would fall off! Not sure what the temperature was, but it must have been minus plenty!
No job yet – you’re right, the conditions and the boss are great, but the pay is dismal! 🙂