Okay, we all know I’m a home-body and am most comfortable inside. But even I can’t say “no” to going outside when it’s 6 degrees and sunny. So I took this opportunity to forgo the down jackets and took the boys outside. I mainly just let Calvin walk up and down the lane, splashing in puddles and eating snow covered in cedar debris. Did I mention we got wind gusts up to 120km/h this morning? Needless to say, we didn’t stay out too long because of the wind, but I’m glad we got out.
Winter is most definitely here, and Calvin likes it a smidgen more than I do. The first snow came when Victor was just 4 days old, and we’ve been getting more and more every week. I haven’t taken Calvin out to play yet on my own, because that also means bundling Victor up, but he got in some good play time when his aunties were here.
Auntie Catherine loves the snow just as much as Calvin!
Entering a snow cave built by Tim’s cousin, Jeanette. It has now flattened a little and will probably make a good little sledding hill for the rest of the snow season.
I stayed in the warm house while Michelle and Calvin had fun.
Hardly any room for sliding!
And now a video for your viewing pleasure, brought to you by Auntie Michelle, who let Calvin humble himself for pure entertainment.
Today is a day to get things done around the house, so I don’t mind that it looks like this outside:
Another reason I don’t mind is that I know for a fact that Spring is a reality and not just a far off dream. In fact, last week we had a few days in a row of gorgeous weather! We got to go out to the park and have fun on the playground, and jackets aren’t even a necessity! It’s great having one just a couple blocks away.
Snow removal is a full time job here. Not a once or twice yearly thing like back on the coast.
We keep our snow shovel leaned up against the front of the house for easy access. And it sure does keep the plows and graders busy! Our street regularly gets cleared after a good snow fall but this past week something different happened.
It was Thursday afternoon when I looked out out window to see some no parking signs plopped onto the snow banks on the side of the road.
I may be new here, but I figured out pretty quick that this would mean some pretty major snow removal was coming our way! It was necessary too. We were parking on a few inches of what was now ice, between banks that were a least 4 feet tall. If this is what it is like only one month into winter, I can’t imagine what it would be like after piling up for a few more months! So we parked the car in the back. I am actually glad we have the street parking instead of the driveway out back. The alley is cramped and a little hard to manoeuvre, especially with the snow.
The first graders came early Friday afternoon.
They did a bunch of passes down the far side of the street, pushing the snow and ice this way and that. They must have done at least 6 passes, moving the ridge of snow from the side of the street, to the middle, then back again. I had to be somewhere then, so I wasn’t around for when they sucked up that ridge that extended down our whole street, but was expecting a nice clean place to park when I got home. Unfortunately, it must have been the end of their work day because our side was not cleared. And since it was then the weekend, our car lived on the other side of the street for a couple days. I’m glad we didn’t have to park out back the whole time!
On Monday morning, I heard the tractors back at work, this time on our side of the street!
And this time I was around to see them actually get rid of the snow! I had seen these guys at work before, on the highway, but it was fun to see them right out my front window. This is what you call heavy duty!
You can see above that the truck is nearly full of snow. They must fill up fast. In the 5 or so minutes before this guy came along, two full trucks drove past. They have a little convoy of empty trucks behind the big blower guy, so when a truck gets full, it just pulls ahead and an empty one pulls up into position. They switched out right in front of my window. I feel privileged.
There were empty trucks going by at least every two or three minutes for about 20 minutes after this. So much snow being removed…I wonder where they end up taking it?
After all that, it sure feels nice to starts from scratch, with a clean, tidy(ish) street.
The other night it snowed a little bit, so in the morning there was about a centimeter or two of snow on my car. I don’t yet have a snow brush, but not to worry. I could just blow it right off! I don’t think there will be too much snowman making in our future here.
This morning I had an appointment to go to, and before leaving I checked the weather. I knew it was quite cold from looking last night to see what Tim had to deal with while walking to the train station. Here is what the Weather Network said around 10 AM today:
Please notice the “feels like” temperature.
Looking out the window, it is very deceiving because the sunshine makes it look so nice! I had texted Tim to see how his walk went, and he said he only got a bit cold when he was stopped and cross walks. And when I went out to scrape the car before leaving, I was pleasantly surprised that what is supposed to feel like -14 actually feels more like a +2.
I was told that cold here feels way different than cold back on the coast, and now I can say it is totally true! Also, if it is any kind of negative temperature on the coast, you can bet your socks that there is a bunch of ice lying around just waiting to slip you up. Not here!
Bring it on, winter!
I thought we just entered Fall. But this morning Tim texted me from his walk to the LRT saying it was snowing. What is it about snow, even a tiny bit of it, that feels so magical?
Does that feeling go away after seeing it so often?
Starting to stick!
I think I am really going to enjoy this big window through the winter.