CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing December 2016

I saw that  forecast, TD, and thought about you and Mrs. TD and everyone else of course.

Keep warm and don't drive anywhere if you do not need to.

We survived the ice storm but the road in front of our house is still like an ice rink. I did manage get the driveway cleaned off.

Family has all left, except for Mom. Now the house is too quiet with just three old folk hobbling around and no kiddies running, laughing and screaming.

We may go out with our son and his family to view a Christmas light show this evening.

https://giftoflights.com/locations/ottawa-on/

Overmight we had about eight to ten inches of snow and this moringI cleared a single shovel-width to enable me to reach the snow.  Then I covered that path with sifted peat; I hope it works.

Snow still falling, that fine stuff that drifts down forever. Any visitors by car will have to park on the roadside which for the moment is clear.  I missed the snow plow so I had to clear through the snow berm.  luckily it is new snow so was not lumps of compressed ice and snow which is much better than past years.  We all reckon we have a snowplowman who knows his job and is considerate of the residents.

I am staying today and getting my last letter of the year written, then my concience will be clear and the onus is on everyone else to write to me.

Glad it didn't hit as hard, and also glad it didn't dip into Ohio!

No longer having my dog Jazz to warn me that someone is around, I had a nap this afternoon and woke to find that my driveway had been completely cleared. 

How nice is that?  I am almost sure who did it, as when I cleared the single pathway down to the road, he spoke to me and I told him that today I felt a bit too tired to complete the job today and that any visitors by car would have to park in the road.
I had intended to clear a bit more after my siesta but he beat me to it.

I have visitors coming tomorrow, and I knew that I should not have procrastinated as any snow that I had not cleared by morning, could freeze during the night and I  would have to work harder.  So this is a welcome gift to me.

Awwww... Don't you just love neighbors like that??

Enjoy your visit.

KJ ... you have thoughtful and helpful neighbours. But you are a terrific neighbour to them as well!

Here in Ottawa we have an Alberta Clipper weather system passing through which will bring us another 5 to 10 centimetres of snow. Alberta Clipper weather systems are fast moving and originate in the lee of the Canadian Rockies. They bring high winds, cold temps and snow across Canada and the northern US.

We're getting that weather system here in New England, too, TD.  

http://www.intellicast.com/National/Radar/Current.aspx?location=default&animate=true

But the Cape should hopefully only get rain, along with some crazy winds.

cc

Received another seed catalogue in the mail today. This one is from Stokes Seeds. Back in the day and before we got married, Mrs TD worked for Stokes Seeds in St.Catharines, Ontario.

On the weather front, another Alberta Clipper is expected to pass through on Saturday and will dump another 15 centimetres (6 inches) of snow on my SFG.

Forecast for our little area is snow this afternoon and snow all night so it looks as though I will be able to do a bit of snow shoeing on our local roads before they get cleared.

It is something I have done for many years, as a way to get away from all the football shown on TV on New Year's Day. But so often there has been little enough snow around on this day so I have had to forego this little pleasure of mine.

It was a way for me to let my DH enjoy his day while I got on with doing other things.
One of the comprises that allow us men and women to cohabit successfully.  

A bit like TD forgoing having a worm bin as his DW does not like the idea of it.  

My boots, snowshoes and clothing are at the ready. Only 15 minutes to clear a pathway down to the road then I will be off.  My Jazz used to come with me but he only plodded along in my tracks as the snow was too deep for him.

I am really lookingforward to 2017 an a new year of SFGing.

You are incredible KJ. You are inspiring me to get some snowshoes.  

Mrs TD and I used to do a bit of easy cross country skiing. Even got lost in the woods one time but only for a few minutes. At the same time I fell down and could not get back up because the snow was too deep. I had to "swim" on top of the snow until I could find a place to get my poles down and lift myself up. I'm sure the more experienced skiers would have had a big laugh at me floundering around in the snow. I know Mrs TD did and she does not let me forget that incident. 

Kelejan wrote:My Jazz used to come with me but he only plodded along in my tracks as the snow was too deep for him.

Reminds me of a Youtube video I saw of a cat in a harness pulling a lady on cross-country skis. Yes, I said "cat." Had to go find that one again, but it wouldn't paste right, here.

I am not laughing at you, TD, as I have been through the same experience. Cross-country sking is fine on the flat or on gentle inclines.  It is turning the corners or stopping that I was not so good at. That was when I discovered that snow shoeing was much better suited to me as I was in control, more or less. Also much easier to stop and enjoy the view.

MInd you, when by myself I only go around the block a couple of times, once to trail blaze (doesn't that sound grand?) and the second to go round again in my own tracks which is lovely as those track match mine exactly.  By that time I will have had an hours good workout and perhaps been invited in by a neighbour for refreshment.

I never seem to be able to go out again so I am not able to build up stamina for that particular activity.  Generally the roads get cleared the next day or even by that afternoon, and the city crew are on the ball .  In case anyone may be concerned about me, I only do this within sight of the residents.

It is sad that in Vancouver, two men, uncle and nephew I think, went out a few days ago and were lost and not yet been found.  It was sad following it day by day as then you realise that can be little hope for their survival as even the Rescue people had to call off the recuse because of danger to themselves.  These two men had gone off course so were responsible for their own mistakes as there are plenty of signs that say do not leave the marked course.  I bet they did not even have one of these survival blankets that could save you life by reflecting back 90% of your body heat.  I bought a dozen of them this year, and given a couple each to friends who were travelling this Christmas. Even if I was travelling by Greyhound, I would take my own with me, just in case. I feel for the family waiting.

countrynaturals wrote:

Kelejan wrote:My Jazz used to come with me but he only plodded along in my tracks as the snow was too deep for him.

Reminds me of a Youtube video I saw of a cat in a harness pulling a lady on cross-country skis. Yes, I said "cat." Had to go find that one again, but it wouldn't paste right, here.

That seems incredible to me, CC.  I would not trust a cat to pull me in skis, or anything else. 

Sort of SFG stuff.  I spent an hour clearing out the fridge, and found all these little bits of veggies etc that had certainly gone past expiry day and were not even good enough to make soup with.  I had gone overboard with buying the stuff before Christmas and was not able to use it and had missed my usual Thursday cleanup of the fridge.

I find the trouble  with Christmas my frugal nature with foodstuff gets upended and the waste of it bothers me somewhat.  Most of this stuff has gone on to the compost heap so it is not entirely wasted.  It is the fact that I paid for this at the grocery store.  I did use my own canned bean, beetroot,  tomato sauce and peaches etc., so that saved my feelings a bit, It was the fresh stuff that one pays a lot for at this time of year.  I found the lettuce packs went urgh!! very quickly and nastily.

AtlantaMarie wrote:Awwww...  Don't you just love neighbors like that??  

Enjoy your visit.

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