We thought that the snow that was falling on other parts of the country was going to miss us but on Friday we awoke to a very wintry scene.

Fortunately, we weren't treated to the gales that were forecast to create blizzard conditions and compared to many places we escaped quite lightly.
We don't suffer from snow very often, but when we do our system doesn't cope well. News reporters become very excited reporting of stranded motorists, planes grounded, train and bus services suspended and schools closed. In the nearly thirty years that I was teaching we didn't close the school once for snow. I remember getting up early and trudging the two and a half miles to arrive at school before the children started to arrive. Playtimes were extended to allow for snowball fights and the building of snowmen.
I guess that nowadays they fear accidents that will result in schools being sued for negligence.