Well that's what a weather bomb is?

Is it me or have we taken to adding extreme labels to what used to be defined in more simple terms? I grew up in the 70's and 80's, when we experienced snow and hurricanes during my education. It those days they were called either snow days or like in 1987 we got storm days, when the weather brought down one in every three trees where I live. But if we could we got up, brushed ourselves down and if we could went to school or work. Sure it could get a little scary like trying to get home during the storm 1989, but we managed and I am sure it toughened us up a bit. But I never heard a weather incident being called a bomb, what's with that?

Have we become so over zealous with health and safety that things have to be labelled with such dramatic sub fixes that the fear of all that is holy is enforced on us. I mean, sure weather can be dangerous and unpredictable, fatal even, but nothing common sense shouldn't be able to guide us through. I do believe since the dawn of man we have had weather, extreme weather even, so why have we suddenly become so sceptical about it? Why do we all go into mass hysteria at the mention of snow? It is either going to fall or not , so why the crazed rush to the nearest store to by all the milk and bread you might need for an army for the next week? Chances are it will be a light dusting gone by the next morning and if it is worse, you do have legs, walking is an option. Its not like the majority of us don't live 15 minutes away from some shop!

The whole situation makes me alternate between laughing at the stupidity and crying with despair. Are we really so soft now no one can make a loaf of bread at home ? Or do you not know you can buy powdered milk? I know come October after making all the jams, chutneys etc from our home grown stuff I do a full cupboard check, stocking up on basics like flour, yeast, canned lentils and other dried goods. Yes it's a little old fashioned, but it means we never have these panics, nor do we ever run out over the Christmas season if friends drop in. Then about March or April we consciously start running down the stock and not replacing in the shop. Yes we also have candles and batteries in stock. Even the odd sleeping bag and duvet. But it just takes the stress out of life.

Maybe being disabled for the five years means I am overly aware of my limitations, and snow days are a thing of my past, but we make it a family activity and part of our families harvest for want of a better way of putting it. It could also stem from the fact I spent half my youth living with family on the edges of Dartmouth where weather could physically cut you off and the power could just go out. I don't know, but I do know that now living in the suburbs it's hard to understand this panic mentality and over dramatics of a fierce wind. If you lived in the Highlands of Scotland or even on the coast of the north Sea I would understand, but not in greater London. We are too populated to end up in that kind of chaos.


I'm not belittling the property damage or danger there can be, but that's always going to happen and there is little we can do but avoid unnecessary risk. Just make sure the elderly and more vulnerable don't have to put themselves at risk. I stuck my nose out this morning to see my wheelie bin looking more like a weeble that a static object, that was enough for me to know the garden centre can wait till tomorrow or the weekend rather than me adding myself to the statistics of my local hospital. For those who work etc, it's not so easy, but doable, you just have to slow up and accept time is  not your friend today and everything will take longer. Travel will be upset, but better late than dead in my book and sure you may be late home and frustrated at that, but it's nothing personal and next week will be forgotten.

These are normal occurrences in life, the weather is something we just have to live with, along with other people and taxes, they are a fact of life. There is no point in panicking and absolutely nothing is achieved by giving them dramatic labels. Instead we have renamed it stew and dumpling day, and if I am very lucky it may also be mulled cider day. But it certainly doesn't need to be a weather bomb day, just a little hiccup, that equals tomorrow will be find your bin day.