To love or not to love the season

Well today, or more precisely, this morning I officially fell out of love with Swedish winters. I´m sure the love will return in time but at this moment I have had enough.

There is a line from a song which goes something like “And Jack frost nipping at your toes” Old Jackie boy was feasting royally on both my feet this morning as I stood outside in the snow and tried in vain to start my car. It was all to no avail. First the truck refused to start, and then the Saab also decided to have the day off. Luckily I have the best customers in the world, not only do they allow me to cut their hair and even pay me to do it. They also when called upon will come and pick me up and drive me to the salon. Thank you Åke, without your help I would have been stuck.

It is funny in serious way how this winter has taken over our lives so completely and made just surviving it a day to day battle. Here in Sweden we are at least prepared for extreme weather. The fact that all cars have winter tyres and houses (mine being one, as you will know if you read this blog regularly) are seriously well insulated, help when the temperatures fall below zero and the roads become treacherous with snow and ice.

Countries like the UK on the other hand cannot handle the type of winter we are now experiencing and more or less come to a stand still. While we are coping with -25 and below, they find it almost impossible to function when the temperature touches below zero for more than a few days at a time.

While Sweden clears its streets of snow, building walls of the stuff along every road, the UK comes to a stand still as the local councils stumble around complaining that it isn’t worth buying snow ploughs as most years they wouldn’t be used. I thought that was why you took out insurance, wouldn’t the snow ploughs be insurance against the years that they were needed. Wouldn’t the cost of them be recovered when businesses and schools were able to stay open and people were able to get on with their lives?

My mum, bless her heart, is scared stiff to drive from her house into the local town just a few kilometres away. There is a steep slope from her house leading up to the main road, with no winter tyres and the road not being cleared of snow I understand her worries. She is 75 years old and still very active, my step father and her have family living near by who make sure that they are always ok. My mum is one of the lucky ones. There are many people who are living on their own and especially at this time of year become vulnerable and can easily be forgotten about.

Living for so many years in a tropical climate like I did, the first few years here I only saw the fun side of winter. I was seduced by the beauty of it and the naked strength that dipping temperatures posses as they slowly but surely take possession of all that lies in their path. The frozen lakes and snow covered mountains change the landscape into a seriously cool (pun intended) playground. I have now realised though, that winter comes with a price and sometimes that price can be high. Especially if you don’t have the fundamental tools needed to cope.

Part of that price for me has been the new timer I bought today (actually Anna bought it so I suppose there wasn’t a price for me! But you know what I mean?) I´m hoping that by starting the engine heater at 5.30 am it should be ready for me at 8.oo am. Wish me luck.