Snowy view, but not on Arran

Those who read yesterday's blip, which was very brief on the subject of Arran weather, will realise quickly that I didn't get there today! To be fair I could have got to Arran, but would have been stuck in Brodick without power, so thought that it was best to stay here. Being in Catacol with no power would have been fine, but there is a long stretch of uncleared road between where the ferry comes in and Mum's house.

For those of you who haven't been seeing British news, there was an extremely heavy fall of snow yesterday on the Isle of Arran, cutting off power from 6am yesterday, and roads in the Northend from more or less the same time. The Council put their efforts into keeping the most populated bits clear, and having limited vehicles, we ended up with huge drifts on the String (the road over the middle of the island) and the Boguille (the road in the North). They got the South end cleared today, but someone just posted on Facebook a video of the clearing operation on the String, which is involving a 20t excavator, followed by a digger to try and get the snow cleared, it's astounding, especially for Arran, which really doesn't get that much snow at all. Apparently they will be working through the night to try and get things moving again, as until SSE can get around the island to look at and actually fix the downed lines etc, there won't be power restored! They have brought generators and snack vans down so things are a bit better in Brodick, Lamlash and Whiting Bay, and I've heard that the Kinloch Hotel is doing something in Blackwaterfoot, but up in the North it is still a case of neighbours helping each other out, which of course they are doing. The phone network is largely working, but if you have a modern cordless electricity dependent phone, you are stuffed, so I've spoken to my Mum several times, but not to my sister. Mum has an old phone of mine in her cupboard for just such times as this, and apparently Jake's (hardware shop) was doing a great trade in them (and hot water bottles) in Brodick today. I spent the day picking up handy things for mum - a new wick for her oil lamp and mantles for her gas lamp, as well as non-perishable food, went for a walk in Queens Park, slipped in the mud and got very messy, then went to the pictures and met up with a friend, so all in all rather a nice day.

I hope to get down tomorrow, but no guarantees. Kerri and one of her neighbours witnessed 10 electricity poles come down in Lochranza yesterday morning, so I don't envy SSE their job to get the system back up and running, but I have candles, hot water bottles, dry shampoo and other handy items in my luggage, and Mum has a gas cooker (if she didn't it would be a whole other level of discomfort), so am not too bothered to be honest. The thing which most bothers me is the thought of what great snow pictures I could be taking if I had been down on Arran...

Hope you are all warm and cosy wherever you are!

This is a technical backblip - as I had to backblip the previous few days I ran out of time to get this one posted before midnight! Do have a look at the last few days if you have time & are interested.