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Roxanne was doing really well at school , she was 7yrs old going 17 yrs. I loved her so much we were real buddies. I was a little worried about Frankie as he really didnt speak very well and I wondered how he wold get on in school. He didnt really have to use words as Lesley anticipated his every need so a grunt and a point got him what he wanted. I loved him so much but I was concerned.
We had just had our dinner when Roxanne looked out of the window and said it was snowing , we all dashed to have a look and sure enough there was a thin covering and it was snowing really heavy. Lesley and I said to the kids to give it a little while longer and we could go first footing( be the first to make footprints in the snow) a family tradition of ours. My goodness in half an hour it was quite deep and I was beginning to get worried about getting to work the next morning . We all got wrapped up warm, hats ,gloves and scarves and out we went. We had such a good time. Immediately in front of the house was this huge parkland that stretched for a good way. I think we first footed most of it. when we were so cold we couldnt stand it any more we went home for nice hot drinks.
The following morning it was complete whiteout as far as the eye could see. I knew I wouldnt be able to drive as I wouldnt be able to get the car out of the garage so I decided I would walk to the Train staion and see if the trains were running. I had to make the effort or my workmates would say at the first sign of bad weather she couldnt make it in to work. Lel said I was crazy, maybe I was but I was going to give it a go. I got my snow boots on and set off across the field. Lesley and the kids were watching me out of the window. The wind was blowing the snow in my face it was about 6inches deep and it was like climbing Everest. It seemed to take me ages I almost gave in and turned back but no I carried on.
I eventually got to the station and yes trains were able to run but they said there were long delays. A train to London Euston came and we all piled in and proceeded to wait for about half an hour. There was standing room only.At last the train got going it was stop start and was taking ages but they were doing there best.st we got to my station, Kings Langley and I couldnt believe it , there was just a smattering of snow, nothing like Milton Keynes. They would never believe it at work. It had taken 3 hours getting there, the usual time was 45 minutes. I was right no one believed how much snow had fallen in Milton Keynes . I was dreading going home this evening, not the train journey but the walk from the station to home.
Home time came and I went to the station just as a train came along. We got to Leighton Buzzard and the snow was really deep and it got progressively worse the nearer we got to Bletchley. I was dreading the walk home. We arrived and I walked out of the station and couldnt believe my eyes Jim was waiting for me in the car, he said he had been sat waiting for about an hour. I thanked him so much. we had our differances but this was an amazing thing to do. Evidently Lesley had told him of my struggle to get through the snow drifts he said he had admired my tenacity and thought this was the least he could do. He definitely went up in my estimation.
Roxanne had made me a paper medal for getting through the snow. I had decided that if it was the same in the morning then I would stay home. I got up at the usual time looked out of the window and it looked much better so I went to see if I could get the car out of the garage. I managed it and set off. The side roads were still really bad but much better on the main roads. I got to Stoke Hammond went up the hill ok then down the hill the other side but my god this was a sheet of ice. I had little or no control down we went sideways, luckily no one could get up the hill. The cars behind me were doing the same it was pure luck we didnt hit each other. At the bottom of the hill the police were diverting the traffic, as the road ahead was like the one we had just come down and that was in the process of being closed.
The road we were diverted on was not much better but there was a little grip. It was an absolute nightmare. Why did I move to Milton Keynes, I must have been mad, this was no picnic. I finally arrived at work again 3 hours late but in one piece which had been a miracle or my skillful driving. Later that day Lesley phoned me and said it had started thawing and most of the snow had gone.
I was getting ready for work one morning when I heard the postman I looked and there was a letter for me from Guiness Housing association, I wondered what they wanted now. I couldnt believe it, they were offering me a one bedroom house in Emerson Valley , they had enclosed the telephone number of the person at the moment living there for me to ring and make an appointment to view. If it was suitable I would take over the tenancy from 15th march, in 3 weeks time. I was so thrilled my own place again, as much as I had loved being at Lel`s I couldnt wait. I wanted to tell them but they were all in bed
Off I went to work and the first thing I did was ring Lel and tell her about the offer, she was thrilled to bits, I said I would ring her after I had rung the present occupant and find out when we could view the house.
Lesley rang me about an hour later and said her and Jim had been and had a look at the house obviously from outside and said it was really lovely, an end of terrace with my own car parking space. She said I would fall in love with it. I kept trying to ring the house and finally got through at 2.00pm and arranged to view it at 6.30pm this evening. I couldnt wait.