Flowers in the Snow

Last night, around 8:30, we picked up the phone to fine a somewhat disturbed Nikki Dee on the line. It was bedtime, and she wanted someone other than the babysitter to comfort here. As luck would have it, Cuppa was just then getting ready to head over there to pick up something or other to do with Halloween. However, when I explained that to Nikki, she began to wail that she wanted Buppa to come over too.

So, out we went, me just in a my slippers (Crocs actually), into the snow. In my slippers and ... surprise, surprise ... into the snow. Wet snow. Me in slippers (Crocs actually). My feet didn't get too wet while I was scraping the car, but still ... it was snowing, and I was in my slippers (Crocs actually).

As soon as we arrived to placate the impy doodle, I took her to the front door and shower her the snow. Nikki Dee: "Is it Christmas?" Well, isn't that cute?

Between Buppa and Amma, she was sound asleep within about a half hour. And home we went. Through the snow. Me in my slippers (Crocs actually).

And this is what it looked like this morning from the upstairs window.



It looks like Christmas flowers in the snow, but these geraniums be long gone come Christmas. Hopefully, this particular accumulation of snow will also soon be gone, for it's too early for it to stay, y'know: two weeks to a month too early based on the five winters that we've experienced here. Hope so. Winter is long enough as it is.

And they're not actually Crocs, not actually despite all of my actuallys. They're a knockoff called Frogs, actually. Actually Frogs is what I actually and factually mean.

There and Back Again

Cuppa and I surprised ourselves a little bit yesterday. We drove to the cottage to pick up stuff that we couldn't fit in the car after our extended-family vacation in August because the vehicle was too full of people. We went with our options open: return on the same day; stay overnight; or spend the weekend there. In our heads, option two, overnighting, was what we most expected to do. But with the weather being cold and windy, and comfortable beds at home awaiting, we hit the road home as soon as we loaded up Harriet the Chariot.

It was a good day for a drive, however. For most of the way, both coming and going, there was sun which lit up the tamaracks rather gloriously. And despite the fact that all of the other leaves had fallen, the oaks were still adamant about holding onto their bronze beauties. The drive home was especially pretty as the lowering sun cast the just the right angle of light.

On the way there, however, we saw a first — or two first, rather. We drove the extremely rural backroads, and at one point, I exclaimed to Cuppa that there was a fox trotting across the road up ahead. As we drew nearer, we saw that it was larger and darker and concluded that it was a wolf. Lightning struck a second time a little bit later. This time we got a closer look and decided that this was a coyote.

I suppose we could have been wrong both times, and they could have been regular run-of-the-mill dogs, but, given the backwoodsiness of the geography, neither of us really believe that. Both of these sightings are extremely rare; in fact, having never seen either before, it seems almost miraculously serendipitous as well as synchronous to witness both.

This morning, however, nature's other shoe dropped as we awoke to the season's first snowfall. Yes, it snowed overnight: so lightly that it could only be seen on bare rooftops and not the ground. Nevertheless, it was snow. Sigh: it could be a long winter.

Not in Lodi, But Stuck Anyway

Oh my goodness! Yesterday morning, when we opened the garage door to head to the kids' for the day, we were faced with a mountain of snow at the end of the driveway. While it wasn't the quite as high as the mountain shown in these photos, it was mountain enough: a heavy, sticky mountain, may I add. So, we worked on clearing it, semi hurrying in order to not make the kids too late for their jobs, and it wasn't easy for the old folks. By the time we had cleared it and driven across town, I was soaked in sweat and more or less poopdicated for the day, but at least we arrived not too late.

Happily, or so it seemed at the time, there was no mountain in their drive, so we pulled right in, which turned out to have been an error in judgement. You see, on Fridays, Nikki Dee goes to daycare, and with just Zachary to contend with, one of us is free to go home or go out to run errands or whatever. That being the case, Cuppa made ready to leave after I had returned from running her to daycare, but between my return and Cuppa's attempted departure the plows had come by. When she opened that garage door, what she saw is what you see in these two pictures, and, frankly, I think there had already been some melt before I got out to take these photos.



Mercifully, Cuppa wasn't about to permit me try to play superman again, so we both stayed put and waited for SIL to come home and deal with it. Fortunately, he was able to borrow his neighbour's snow blower because we don't want him having a heart attack either. Did I mention that it was extremely wet and heavy snow?

Anyway, that's the story how and why we were stuck where we were yesterday, even though we hadn't taken the Greyhound to get there and we hadn't run out of money and we weren't in Lodi.

It Hath Begun

As Nikki Dee looks out upon the scene, I'm here to tell you that winter has arrived. I shovelled four times in the past two days. It's not like I'm tossing heaps of snow above my head yet — more like I'm pushing and scraping — but I've still had to get out there. When it came this early last year, I didn't expect it to last without a break until sometime in April, but that's what happened as the Ottawa area came within an inch or two of breaking their snowfall record. I and Nikki Dee wonder what's in store this time around.

Of Kids and Brains

Nikki Dee's first semi-cognizant (meaning that she did experience it less consciously last year and will experience it more consciously in years to come) encounter with the snow did not go over all that well. Perhaps you can tell by the look on her face. It probably wasn't so much the snow itself but just one of dem dere days.

Changing the topic a little, the kid has surprised me twice lately. Last week, we were playing one of her songs, and Cuppa did what we often do at the end of a song; she clapped. Well, didn't the kid give her a weird look as if to say, "What the heck are you doing grandma?" And she was right, for the song picked up again for another line or two before the real ending, and then she clapped. It was a titch humbling doncha know?

And just yesterday, I was sitting with her on the couch watching Elmo with her when she began to giggle. She jumped onto the floor with a big smile on her face. Lo and behold, one of her favourite segments came on next, and she was all primed for it. We have quite a few Elmos taped, and from the spot that I had just seen, I couldn't guess what was coming next, but she knew.

I was shocked. These kids are smart let me tell ya. A lot smarter than we usually give them credit for. That's why we adults need to exercise some care in our words and actions.

Of Absentmindedness and Snowblindedness

What a miserable day: windy, rainy and S N O W Y ! ! ! Yes, you read correctly — snowing on October 28! How dare The Weather Network Network?! They should know better, should know that it shouldn't snow for almost another month. Nevertheless, it has predicted that we can expect 10cm (4in) or more of the white stuff overnight — and it's highly doubtful that it will still be mixed with rain as the temperature drops this evening. Sigh.

To make matters worse, on this contemptible day, I managed to rouse my body enough to brave the elements and take a miserable walk through a parking lot for the purpose of stocking up on provender. And I did what I almost invariably do: played the part of the absentminded professor and overlooked something on my list. This time it was the potatoes.

I don't always miss something on the list, but on those rare occasions when I manage to keep my listy wits about me, I find that I have usually neglected to put something on the list in the first place. This usually happens when I list the ingredients for a recipe. That happened today too, but while in the store, I did remember that I had forgotten [sic — remembered that I forgot] to put beef broth on the list. There was something else too, but I've forgotten what it was ... although I remembered that I forgot it at the time. (There should be a prize for following that.)

It's hard being me, and I suppose living with me ... and perhaps in reading this blog. Fortunately, I don't need the potatoes for tonight as we're having linguine, but it will mean another trip to the store before I am darned good and ready. Grrrr.

(I know it's snowlblindness and not snowblindedness; I just liked it that way.)

More Roaring

Unfortunately, the lion continues to roar. Come on cat. It's March 05, time to return to the savanna to rest, lap up some rays, and let us do the same.

Above, out back.
Below, out front

The Good Neighbour

I know, ya gotta wonder how many snow and snow-shovelling related blogs I can come up with. But please bear will because it's winter here: quite a winter after the past few milder years. In case you doubt, by way of contrast I have pictures such as this one from mid-January last year which reveal almost no snow. And since I can't recall seeing an accumulation such as this since I was a boy in Montreal, surely I can be forgiven my present obsession?

Anyway, this really isn't about snow per se; it's about The Good Neighbour who lives across the street. I have mentioned her more than once and already presented you with a picture, but here she is again (below).



I guess you can tell by looking at her beyond-rosy cheeks that it was quite cold that day, but she still came over to blow our driveway out. She doesn't confine herself to performing this good deed to us but goes up and down the street cheerfully helping many. When someone asked her if she was making a lot of money doing this, she replied that she wasn't but that she was making a lot of friends.

What a great and refreshing attitude!

I wish more people had it — Good Neighbour's fantastic attitude. Of course, some do, but can't display it so obviously. For example: it was just a few years ago that I did my bit by frequently shovelling-out our neighbour's place in Sarnia and sometimes two neighbours. But these days, to keep Cuppa's worry-level at minimum, I confine myself to my own driveway. And because of Good Neighbour, I don't always even have to do that. By contrast, after our first big storm, there was another neighbour (and I use the word loosely) who plowed his lot with a plow attached to a riding lawnmower, which must make it easier than blowing, don't you think? But you know what? He just did his own place and went back inside without glancing to the right or left. I wonder how much joy he gets out of life?

While I never expect Good Neighbour to clear my snow and while I can enjoy shovelling my own moderate amounts, I am always appreciative of her good deeds. It's not just that it saves me some labour (although there is that), but it gives me a warm feeling about my fellow humans. And I am becoming rather fond of experiencing warm feelings in the midst of a cold winter.

Psych Job

New Year's Day and it's snowing out — again! I cleared the driveway this morning before heading to the kids' for brunch. When we returned three or four hours later, there was more than there had been earlier. Good Wife assumed that I would rush back outside to clear the drive off again but I haven't, for I am rather hoping that Good Neighbour with the blower will come by. She was out when we drove in, but I don' know if she still is. Whatever the answer, she hasn't done ours — yet — but I live in hope.

After reading previous posts, you would be forgiven for thinking that I love and live to shovel snow. In point of fact I don't or not always anyway, but I can usually condition myself to enjoy the activity. However, I was speaking with Althegal, my younger daughter who has a degree in psychology and is working on her Masters, yesterday and she opined that I was experiencing a phenomenon known as Cognitive Dissonance. It is her opinion that my brain is tricking me (in a sense) into enjoying a repetitive, boring, and unpleasant task. Apparently, there are studies to support this kind of occurrence.

While I concede that she might be correct in her assessment, I am inclined to humbly disagree. I think it's an act of will on my part. I will myself to develop an attitude that will result in me enjoying the chore as much as possible, and I try to perform said task in a way that will increase the likelihood that I will, in fact, enjoy it.

I don't think that's my brain playing tricks on me but visa versa. I know that seems to be impossible — to trick my own brain because, by default, it seems pretty darn paradoxical to claim that I can use my brain to trick my brain. But I say that it's a complex organism up there above my neck and that I I have the ability to choose to use the willpower that I can muster in one part of my grey matter to affect how another part of my brain perceives the task. Maybe I'm really using my conscious brain to affect my unconscious brain, which may, in point of fact, be opposite to the occurrence Cognitive Dissonance, but I guess I should leave those ruminations to the experts.

Regardless! I do rather hope that Good Neighbour will still happen by in the next hour or so because old AC is rather tired on this New Year's Day and would love recline in warmth with a good book. But I rather doubt that will be my lot and that I will quite likely be forced to psych myself up again. And I can do it, by golly.

More Snowy Pics

Yesterday, I posted this photo of the disappearing bbq, taken mid-morning.



Here it is early in the afternoon.



And by mid-afternoon.



In the evening.



The snow is piling up like crazy. I went out shovelling three times.



The last time I went out, I took some night photos.

An ... er ... em ... Boy Toy

You may or may not recall my ... er ... em blog of several weeks past. Much of it had to do with driving out of town for medical exam of the ... er ... em area. That was just over two weeks ago, and today was the follow-up. You know what? Another storm — worse this time — bad enough to cancel the appointment. That's not all good either as I must still face it but have to wait on tenterhooks for more than a month from now this time. That's not exactly a quick fix doctor.

The good part was that I was able to not have to undergo a miserable exam on a miserable day. That's at least one too many miserables. Another good thing was that our neighbour let me use his little, electric snowblower. A boy toy! Yay!