Phew! What A Scorcher!
At two o'clock this morning we awoke to a scary rumbling noise and we knew that the thaw had begun. It was either that or my snoring had got out of control again.
But no, huge slabs of snow and ice were tumbling off the roof. This prompted our dog to begin early rehearsals for a forthcoming Festival of Barking. He's dedicated, I'll say that. He kept practising all night.
Today in Inverness we've been enjoying the balmy sunshine and temperatures as high as 2 degrees. I doubt if this is the last we'll see of the snow this winter and I'm sure we'll all be a little better prepared next time around. I do, however, take issue with people describing these conditions as "extreme". Unusual, yes. Unexpected, yes. But not extreme.
You ought to speak to my colleague Elizabeth Clark about that. She spent a year working in Canada and loves to tell you about the "extreme conditions" she endured in Winnipeg.
Radio bulletins there would always include a skin-freeze estimate.
"Good morning - it's 40 degrees below zero just now and exposed skin will freeze in under a minute."
It's almost enough to make you buy a balaclava. Almost. If only they were a little more stylish.
Meanwhile, back in Scotland, I'm still waiting for them to clear the railway line at Carrbridge so that I can get to Glasgow without having to brave the blizzards still sweeping A9.
Tomorrow, they say.
These have been extreme conditions, they say.
P.S.
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