A DAY THAT STARTED OFF WELL -

BUT THEN WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE


The Odeon at The Metrocentre were showing Home Alone today to mark the 25th anniversary of the first film. So I bought a ticket online a couple of days ago.  I went for the bus this afternoon  in plenty of time.  But it was late.  Then it got caught in traffic.  Then it started snowing and the traffic got worse. I managed to get into the cinema just before the lights went down.

I really enjoyed the film.  I saw it in the cinema in 1990 and have seen it on TV a few times over the years and it was great to see it on the big screen again.  Got out of the cinema around 3.30pm.  I had intended getting the shuttle bus to Ikea but when I went for the bus I saw it was still snowing.  As the Ikea store is a bit of a walk from where the bus stops I decided to stay  out of the weather and stay at the Metrocentre.

Got a few Christmas gifts, a couple of throws for my sofa and a jumper for myself.  Then I went to get the bus home.  Then the trouble started.  Buses to Consett and Stanley just weren't running.  Apparently 6 inches of snow had fallen on the higher ground there and the roads were bad.  No idea how the folk needing to get home were going to manage.  They were ringing taxi firms - all fully booked  - and ringing friends in the hope of a lift.

I hoped my bus would still be running. Anyway after about 30 mins my bus arrived.  Great I though - I will be home soon.  No such luck.  The driver said he was going to miss out my estate and the other 2 estates in the village.  He was going to go along the main street and then return to the Metrocentre - without picking up any passengers.  So everyone piled on to the bus and got off as near to where they lived as they could.  The roads were really bad - cars were slipping and sliding around - no grit to be seen.  Some cars had been abandoned at the side of the road.  Total mayhem.

I got off the bus in the main street and then had to walk the rest of the way home.  Its only ½ mile but it was slippy and slushy and of course I didn't have the correct footwear on for walking in snow.  I was part of the way home and decided to take a photo of the snow for my blip shot.  Did that  - and carried on walking.

Got home after around 30 mins.  Soaking wet feet, soaking wet trousers - so I decided to get straight into my jim jams.    Made my tea.  Ate my tea and settled down for an evening of TV.

Went to get my camera to upload my photos so I could do my blip.  No camera.  Frantically searched my bag/s.  No camera. Panic.  Must have dropped it after I took the photo on my walk home.   Went on the local residents Facebook page to ask if anyone had found it. A long shot but worth a try.

Decided to go back out to try and find it myself.  So I got dressed again, put some boots on and a warm coat and braved the elements.  Searched around the area where I think I may have dropped it but no luck.  Hopefully someone will have picked it up and maybe through the residents grapevine they will find out it belongs to me.  Fingers crossed.

So my blip shot is taken with a different camera.  It shows my street taken as I was returning home from my fruitless search.

According to Facebook the whole area has been thrown into disarray by the snow.  Lots of accidents & vehicles unable to access certain areas.  Buses not running.  And this is the first real snowfall of the winter.  Apparently " The Council" didn't grit the roads as it was raining earlier and that would wash away the grit.  Then when it was snowing they couldn't grit as the roads were chock-a-block  with abandoned and broken down cars. 

Steps today - 11,723   ( a lot more than it would have been if I hadn't had to walk home from the village - and then go out again searching for a lost camera )