Thursday, January 29, 2004

reasons to be cheerful, or rather delayed;
Freezing weather conditions have brought traffic to a standstill in the West Midlands.
Roads have been gridlocked for the past four hours after more than 30 minor accidents.
Birmingham Airport may have to be closed overnight and all passengers are being advised to check with their airlines before travelling.
Four articulated lorries were stuck on a sheet of ice blocking the entrance to the Jaguar factory in Coventry and there were reports that drivers were abandoning their lorries in Manor Way Halesowen due to severe tailbacks leading to the M5.
Frozen slush
The Queensway Tunnel in Birmingham was closed for several hours following a number of collisions and the A441 was closed at about 1900 GMT after a crash involving a coach and four cars.
Castle Hill in Dudley was closed following a collision involving four buses.
;;; all from BBC web site...........
I left at 20.10. Went thru the copthorne, down Quarry Bank. Stuck in Old Hill High Street, went into a pub to see if I could stay the night, no. Back to Lye, Hagley, all clear, Lydiate Ash & home. 2 and a bit hours.

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Still in the office at 19:45, going to try and leave soon.
Now it is 17.40. I could have left early, but as the traffic was (and still is) queued up and not moving I don't really see the point. I am going to sit here in the office until the traffic eases. Which may be some time !
Wednesday already !
Yesterday evening it snowed a little, and some heavy flurries this morning. All gone now. No hum.

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Tuesday. Hectic w/e.
Saturday I was going out for a 2 hour hard ride, but had to drag round garden centres looking for a present for the Mrs-in-laws 80th. It had to be a steel obelisk, 6 feet high ! Well we found one in the third one we looked in, up past Lydiate Ash. Then off up M6toll, a bit stupid as it added about 25 mins to my journey. But if the M5/M6 was busy it may have been as quick or even faster. Arrived at a cheapo hotel, got in and off to the velodrome for an enjoyable evenings watching the stars on the track. Had 4 tins of Boddingtons, probably OK over 3 hours, but should be more careful ! Back to hotel after getting slightly lost on Eccles. Had a couple of pints of lager and a couple of glasses of wine.
Sunday
Up at 0630, off over the M62 to Thorne. Chicken pluckers went live, it was tense for me ! Left with great relief at 1300. Nice trip, came off the M62 and went a trip over the very high bridge over the motorway, meandering drive up M66, M65, Tockholes ! Horwich. Had a burger. Took it up Matchmoor & eat it watching the view over a dark Manchester, could see fireworks, they were the Chinese New Year celebrations. How odd, sitting out with the door open in the cold, enjoying myself looking at the view. What an odd fellow.
Then to pick up H. To hotel. Drank rest of wine and some Tia Maria. Was really plastered, sort of let it all go after the pressure earlier in the day.
Monday
Took H home, then to HoseCo. then to see Dad, then eventually home.
Dire warnings of severe weather on Saturday have come to naught so far, colder, certainly but no -5 and windchill of -15 with blizzards ! So far.