TB Hospital Revisited with Ice

Jenn and I returned to the old TB hospital on Sunday. We had chatted late on Saturday night and wanted to complete the exploration of the 2 buildings that we hadn't managed to see on New Year's Day. Freezing rain was forecast for later in the day and the temperatures were once again near rock bottom but we gallantly charged batteries and marched towards the buildings wrapped in fleeces, scarves and warm jackets, and in my case, more hand warmers. There was snow on the ground with freezing rain falling so we headed quickly and silently inside.

The auditorium with ceiling tiles littering the floor.

Outside the window the freezing rain was clinging and creating beautiful icicles on the brambles that were forcing entry through the broken windows.

One of the sun room areas that led off the hospital rooms, with lamp shades scattered on the floor.

 

I had just taken a photo of this building and turned away but had swung back again on hearing a huge rumbling. A bank of snow had lost its hold on the roof and tumbled off, crashing to the ground in a deafening avalanche. My quick reflexes enabled me to capture the moment and I was lucky enough to get a focused image. Jenn observed that if we had been inside the building when this had happened we would likely have been petrified since the noise had sounded like part of the building was collapsing.

Another old projector sitting on a table surrounded by ice. This room looked down on to the auditorium.

Up on the roof we found rooms that had once been labs, with a walk in fridge area and walls lined with cupboards and relics of sanitizing equipment.

On this roof was a skating rink. These open areas were once used by the patients to sunbathe and one used to have a children's playground.

A morgue in the adult building.

After about 3 or so hours, we'd completely finished exploring, feeling very satisfied that a mission had been completed. We warmed up with lunch in a Mexican restaurant and then I drove home, worrying whether Marshall had suffered from the freezing rain and if I'd be able to get back up the hill. Within a mile or so of the village I noticed that the trees were encased with ice and as I turned onto my hill, Stuart's wheels spun as he struggled to grip. At Meadow House a heavy fog was lowering itself onto the meadow and within an hour the neighbors houses had disappeared from sight. But I wasn't concerned, I was home safe, had a wood stove burning, two cats purring and a camera card full of photos to check out.