Snow in the City
It was a freezing cold morning as we made our way along the train, which luckily was very warm. Coach G - - WARM. Coach F - - WARM. Coach E - - WARM. Coach D - - our coach - - ICEBOX! As we found our seats, a howling gale blew icy fragments along the corridor. A polar bear in the seat in front turned round and said "Great, isn't it? I'm going to stay in this seat until Spring."
On the wall was a little notice inviting you to text East Coast Trains with any feedback. With hands rapidly turning blue, I texted them to report the lack of heating in Coach D.
They texted me back "Sorry you're unhappy - but hey, things could be worse - you could have booked on Eurostar! So quit grumbling right now!"
No, they didn't say that. Actually they sent me a generalised text and then a real text from a real person to say sorry it's cold: and then there was an announcement from the guard to say that it had been noticed that Coach D was really rather chilly and we could move to reserved seats in other parts of the train if we wished.
So we did. But the icy blast from Coach D somehow permeated the rest of the train as we got going.
And then there was a points failure that delayed us for an hour, and then we got to London.
My son Olli was going to see the Gender Specialist for a testosterone injection, because the wheels of the NHS grind very slowly on such issues so he's having private treatment until the NHS take over, like many transgender people. (If you're new to this blog, Olli is twenty, was assigned female at birth and is married to my lovely son-in-law Gareth and they're still very happy together. Yes, I know it's an unusual situation).
We set off to walk from Kings Cross as it wasn't too far, and called in at the British Library as our attention was drawn by a poster advertising an exhibition of nineteenth-century photographs.
It was fascinating and we loved it and wished we had more time - but we didn't, so we had to go, as it was nearly time for Olli's appointment (but if you're in London and you like old photos, do go and see it).
And as we walked to the doctor's, it started to rain. And this had not been forecast. We were wearing warm coats, not raincoats. It rained very hard indeed, and then the rain turned to sleet.
I was soaking wet by the time we got to the doctor's. Water dripped from every bit of my clothing. I marvelled at the puddle round my feet.
Olli had his injection. He said the doctor produced a comedy syringe, like something out of a Carry On film, because he had 40 cubic centimetres of testosterone injected. Which is a LOT. It took about three minutes to inject. Ewww and furthermore Owww. And Owww at the cost too - £250 in total for the consultation and the injection. National Health Service, I love you but could you be a bit quicker to start paying for all this, please?
We went out into the snowstorm, which, by the way, had not been forecast either. We were supposed to be going to the London Eye, and had tickets booked - - but there were lots of cancellations on the Tube, and a complete white-out in the sky, and I reluctantly decided that it would be very hard to get to the London Eye, and even harder to get back again, and I was by now soaked to the skin and freezing cold and couldn't bear the idea of walking in the snow for one minute more than I absolutely had to.
We both got rather upset. We'd been looking forward to the London Eye, but even if we'd gone on it all we would have seen was WHITE.
So we went back to Kings Cross and sat in the waiting-room until our train at eight o'clock. It was warm - - but I just couldn't seem to warm up. I don't get cold easily as long as I keep moving - - but my wet clothes just kept me freezing. A few of my toes fell off and rattled round in my shoes.
We got the train which was delayed for half an hour on the way back - some problem with a level crossing - and then Stephen came to meet us at the station, and we finally got home at about eleven o'clock. I don't think I've ever been so cold and so wet for so long.
After I'd warmed up a bit, I spoke to Silverback on Yahoo Messenger. He was then in Michigan where it was snowy too - but he's now heading back to sunny, palm-tree-filled Florida.
"So," he said, cutting to the chase as usual, "apart from the train issues, getting soaked, no London Eye, spending £250 and both getting really upset, was it a good day?"
I fell about laughing: he always cheers me up.
But actually, in a way, it was a good day. The hot bath I had in the evening was the most enjoyable hot bath that I've ever had. We'll go back to the London Eye on a day with better weather. And on the train the ticket inspector said to Olli, "May I see your ticket, sir?" and that was my first proof that others can see what I see - that Olli is now looking, and sounding, like a young man, and he's so much happier that way.
On the wall was a little notice inviting you to text East Coast Trains with any feedback. With hands rapidly turning blue, I texted them to report the lack of heating in Coach D.
They texted me back "Sorry you're unhappy - but hey, things could be worse - you could have booked on Eurostar! So quit grumbling right now!"
No, they didn't say that. Actually they sent me a generalised text and then a real text from a real person to say sorry it's cold: and then there was an announcement from the guard to say that it had been noticed that Coach D was really rather chilly and we could move to reserved seats in other parts of the train if we wished.
So we did. But the icy blast from Coach D somehow permeated the rest of the train as we got going.
And then there was a points failure that delayed us for an hour, and then we got to London.
My son Olli was going to see the Gender Specialist for a testosterone injection, because the wheels of the NHS grind very slowly on such issues so he's having private treatment until the NHS take over, like many transgender people. (If you're new to this blog, Olli is twenty, was assigned female at birth and is married to my lovely son-in-law Gareth and they're still very happy together. Yes, I know it's an unusual situation).
We set off to walk from Kings Cross as it wasn't too far, and called in at the British Library as our attention was drawn by a poster advertising an exhibition of nineteenth-century photographs.
It was fascinating and we loved it and wished we had more time - but we didn't, so we had to go, as it was nearly time for Olli's appointment (but if you're in London and you like old photos, do go and see it).
And as we walked to the doctor's, it started to rain. And this had not been forecast. We were wearing warm coats, not raincoats. It rained very hard indeed, and then the rain turned to sleet.
I was soaking wet by the time we got to the doctor's. Water dripped from every bit of my clothing. I marvelled at the puddle round my feet.
Olli had his injection. He said the doctor produced a comedy syringe, like something out of a Carry On film, because he had 40 cubic centimetres of testosterone injected. Which is a LOT. It took about three minutes to inject. Ewww and furthermore Owww. And Owww at the cost too - £250 in total for the consultation and the injection. National Health Service, I love you but could you be a bit quicker to start paying for all this, please?
We went out into the snowstorm, which, by the way, had not been forecast either. We were supposed to be going to the London Eye, and had tickets booked - - but there were lots of cancellations on the Tube, and a complete white-out in the sky, and I reluctantly decided that it would be very hard to get to the London Eye, and even harder to get back again, and I was by now soaked to the skin and freezing cold and couldn't bear the idea of walking in the snow for one minute more than I absolutely had to.
We both got rather upset. We'd been looking forward to the London Eye, but even if we'd gone on it all we would have seen was WHITE.
So we went back to Kings Cross and sat in the waiting-room until our train at eight o'clock. It was warm - - but I just couldn't seem to warm up. I don't get cold easily as long as I keep moving - - but my wet clothes just kept me freezing. A few of my toes fell off and rattled round in my shoes.
We got the train which was delayed for half an hour on the way back - some problem with a level crossing - and then Stephen came to meet us at the station, and we finally got home at about eleven o'clock. I don't think I've ever been so cold and so wet for so long.
After I'd warmed up a bit, I spoke to Silverback on Yahoo Messenger. He was then in Michigan where it was snowy too - but he's now heading back to sunny, palm-tree-filled Florida.
"So," he said, cutting to the chase as usual, "apart from the train issues, getting soaked, no London Eye, spending £250 and both getting really upset, was it a good day?"
I fell about laughing: he always cheers me up.
But actually, in a way, it was a good day. The hot bath I had in the evening was the most enjoyable hot bath that I've ever had. We'll go back to the London Eye on a day with better weather. And on the train the ticket inspector said to Olli, "May I see your ticket, sir?" and that was my first proof that others can see what I see - that Olli is now looking, and sounding, like a young man, and he's so much happier that way.
posted by Daphne at 5:50 pm
8 Comments:
I think it's fantastic that you were able to share that wet but good day with Olli. Congratulations to you both.
PS Shame about the London Eye but, although it looks beautiful from the outside, I found it a little bit of a disappointment, and I went on a clear day!
Ah, the weather was truly awful in London yesterday for sure. What should have been a 50 min journey home took about 1.5 hours and a horrendous train journey as it was soooooooo packed. Really awful. Then on getting off at my stop it was a case of running the gauntlet (on the ice) to get home without falling & smashing the 2x bottles of wine I was carrying (gift from a supplier; bad day to be carrying them home).
I keep hearing about the photo exhibition at the British Library and I really want to see it. And in 10 years of living in London I've never yet been on the Eye. Sad eh?! Kept meaning to...
Glad the main objective of the day was achieved and was a success. That injection did sound scary, mind you!!!
I have heard of the Eye of Sauron (Lord of the Rings) and the Evil Eye but what in the world is the London Eye? I could Google it, I suppose, but I'd rather hear about it from you.
Hi Daphne
I read your blog regularly, and would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. I "stumbled across it" because I was googling myself! My name is also Daphne and I live in Leeds (Farnley) I am also in my fifties but otherwise we don't have a lot in common, apart from our love of the written/spoken word.
I like to look at the snow but the cold and the difficulty driving is beginning to get me down. The weather in London yesterday sounds awful, but al least Olli got there and din't have to miss his appointmant.
I enjoyed the London Eye, a couple of years ago, but despite having lived in London a long time ago, and being with my son who does live there, I found it quite frustrating because there as so much that we didn't recognise!
For the purposes of your blog I will call myself Daphne2
Ruth - I still want to go on it, I love being up high!
Milo - yes, do go to that exhibition, I think it's well worth seeing - lots of photos from the British Empire as well as from Britain.
Bob - the London Eye is a huge Ferris wheel with enclosed carriages, built for the Millennium celebrations. Everyone loved it so they've kept it.
Daphne - lovely to hear from you! There aren't many of us about and thank you so much for reading my blog. And a Merry Christmas to you too (and everyone else who reads it too!)
What an entertaining blogpost, recording the highs and lows of a day out: polar bears travelling by train, toes falling off, Carry On type injections, delays, freezing cold etc etc but it all ended well with a hot bath.
Give my love to Leeds. I lived in Headingley, Leeds 6, when I were a little lad; I still support United despite their lowly status - but we WILL rise again! Watch out world!
Joyeux Noël!
Hello from darkest and therefore sunless Florida. Glad that your London trip was so enjoyable and that you got to see everything you'd wanted to see.
The needle shot sounds like it was fun, train rides are always fun of course and I hope you didn't get too sunburned.
(My speed reading course is going well, thank you for asking but I think I might be missing the nuances of some blog post details)
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