Sheffield weather: A little bit of snow never stopped us

Last weekend gave us our first taste of winter with a light sprinkling of snow.
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A couple of inches and all my plans were changed – just like that.

I also read that schools had closed and buses have been cancelled.

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Now this makes me feel old, and like a scratched record, why you may ask?

Students Jessica Brooks and Emily Glandenning with their snowwomen at Crookes Valley ParkStudents Jessica Brooks and Emily Glandenning with their snowwomen at Crookes Valley Park
Students Jessica Brooks and Emily Glandenning with their snowwomen at Crookes Valley Park

I’m of a generation that when the first sprinkling of snow appeared nothing seemed to change.

As much as some pupils wanted schools to be closed during the snow fall, they never did.

Apart from everyone's gardens looking the same, not much changed, most buses seemed to run, and everyone got to work, and teachers and pupils went to school.

Spring Snow hits Sheffield Spring Snow hits Sheffield
Spring Snow hits Sheffield
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Every year we still fall into talking about the weather as if this annual, phenomena had never happened before.

I do believe climate change has definitely changed our weather and seasons, with floods becoming a more regular occurrence, and some days in summer, breaking records for high temperatures.

With long dry periods through summer, which seem to be at odds with floods we experience later in the year.

Children still love the first signs of snow, that will never change.

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I watched my neighbours’ children have a snowball fight while I snuggled up next to my radiator – that’s as close as I needed to be to the snow.

We would sled or slide down any hill or incline we could easily find, even on roads –a lot less busy in the 60s and 70s.

Most of us came through this relatively unscathed – a few scratches and bruises for injuries.

We would hide bumps and scratches from parents fearing we would be barred from playing out during the snow.

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Clothing back then wasn’t as efficient as it is now. We would make do with itchy woolen garments, big bulky coats-which often doubled up as blankets at night.

They may have been warm, but not waterproof.

They would become wet, saggy, and very cold as we played out.

I partially remember my first experience of snow as a young boy of around 3 or 4, in the early 70s.

I remember our backyard, at our terraced home, getting a large covering of snow.

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Myself and my older brother and sister excitedly donned our winter woolies and wellingtons and went to play.

It was great fun shoveling and building snowmen, also clearing a path to our outside loo – a must.

The snow, so crisp and white, so clean and fresh, I loved it.

However we soon got cold and a bit bored and decided to go in and get warm, a simple affair you would think.

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We went in discarding our wet clothes and heavy wellington boots.

Turning the gas fire to full, sitting there with our little hands inches away from the flames – we’d be warm in a jiffy.

Chilblains: I think it was the first and probably last time I suffered from them as badly.

The pain was excruciating; I remember it to this day, and seemed to go on forever.

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It was my first time in the snow so I didn’t realise wet and cold weren't the only consequences of playing in the snow.

Every time I see snow now, I pay it the respect it deserves, although cleansing and beautiful, it can be painful and deadly.