Another Leap Day arrived. The physics behind the need for such a day involves correcting for the Gregorian calendar. This extra day every four years helps to keep seasons happening when we expect them on our calendar. So, another invention of humans to control the passage of time.
An Irish folk tradition held that women were allowed to propose to men on this day. As a child, I remember asking why Li'l Abner was running away from Daisy Mae on this day. Even then it seemed odd to me that women could ask once every four years and that men seemed to run away from the idea. Even more, couldn't they just say 'no' -- was proposing a binding contract with no choice? Why would someone want to marry someone who wanted to run away? I'll admit that with age things are only a bit clearer, but the gender roles have relaxed a bit. <smile>
A musician from my childhood died 12 years ago today. I chose to share a song that as a child sounded more like what I expected. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy!
It's Nice to be with You -- The Monkees (sung by Davy Jones)
The zipper on my winter coat is not outlasting the coat. In a failed effort to hold it all together, the metal teeth are separating from the cloth part of the zipper. Now this is for a parka that ends just above the knee, so it is a long zipper -- not one easily found in the dry goods part of the department store on Main. I have a lead on a potential seamstress who replaces such zippers. We'll see if she is still in business.
When explaining this to someone today, I said that the zipper was having difficulty holding it all together -- not unlike me. We laughed as I said, "there's the blog today." They come to me in odd moments. I liked the metaphorical nature of the zipper. Most is still working and it isn't visible to others that there is a separated part not working. Again, much as I feel these days. I'm working on both me and the zipper. <smile>.
The chorus of a song seemed to fit my pondering about hanging onto things -- my feelings or zipper teeth. <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy!
Sunny day -- crispy cold, too. I went for a long walk dancing around the icy areas. It felt cold, but was a pleasant activity. I also finished the laundry and did housecleaning chores, cleared snow and some icy patches in the driveway and cleaned off the car. I spread a bit of salt product to help melt the slippery areas. So the day was definitely filled with physical activity.
Technology was not on my side as I had difficulty signing up for text notifications on parcel delivery. A call to the help desk was escalated to second level techs. I will hear from them within 4 working days. The parcel will be here by then <sigh>. However, at least we can get notifications set up for the next one.
A song line came to mind while fighting with the non-functional online software. It made me smile a bit while dealing with the frustrations. Keep safe. Enjoy!
I began the day with a meeting and shopping errand. As the day moved on, I couldn't help but worry about the weather -- again <sigh> The forecast has been changing with a rainfall warning now sitting at 40-55 mm (1.5 -2 in) over a short warmer period. Major melting is expected so flooding is likely in some areas. Other parts of province may get prolonged periods of freezing rain instead of basic wet rain. A mess all around. <sigh> I tried to move some snow on the patio for a path to the edge. The drainage grate in the ditch between this building and the one on the next street is buried under snow like everything else in the region. The meteorologists and emergency measures groups have suggested these grates be cleared to maximize removal of run off. Not sure when that might happen here. <sigh> The kicker is that after all this rain and melting there will be a rapid freeze. The whole thing will last about 24 hours.
Worrying about the future seems to be exacerbated by broadcast and social media messaging -- today around the potential for some weather disaster. This made me think of a song about finding a way to move forward with all the unknowns in life. Keep safe. Enjoy!
It as been a grey and rainy day. Some sunshine can help raise my spirits. The snow banks on the patio are slowly shrinking with the warmer temperature and rain. Things aren't disappearing as the 'worst case scenario' fear-mongers had suggested. There may be some pooling and ponding and likely some flooding. This may occur into next week as temperatures climb will above freezing again. Today the quickly dropping temperatures may result in icy conditions making walking and driving a challenge. Over a 5 hour period, temperatures dropped 11 degrees Celsius, so a bit of a flash freeze. It will get much colder into the overnight. While this appears like a spring weather pattern, winter weather will continue.
Spring and autumn are transitional seasons. Temperatures and precipitation types run the full range during these times. Spring is not summer as many people seem to expect. It will be a few months of mixed weather, gradually moving from winter-like conditions to summer-like weather. This time of year sees more winter patterns diminish until less winter gives way to more summery days. Transitions generally slow, but some are more sudden. Adjusting to changes in daily life take time. Moving to a new abode creates stress. Moving to a new city adds more stress. Each involves losing a sense of routine and level of comfort. These can be replaced, but it takes time. Experts suggest that it takes living in a new place through all four seasons to make if feel more like your home. I've move many times in my adult life and find that it takes years to settle in and feel a level of comfort. I am currently in this process. I've lived here for autumn and parts of winter and last summer. I get frustrated when I can't find something that I knew exactly where it would be in the former dwelling. I keep reminding myself that it will take time. There are still things that need to be unpacked or repacked for storage. Once that is complete, things might be easier to find -- I hope. <sigh>
Lines from a song came to mind as I was thinking through the change processes today. They came from the first and third verses. I chose a version by the singer-songwriter later in life -- it seems to add something to the introspective aspect of the lyrics. The fact that the artist is from my home province helped somewhat today, too. Kepp safe. Enjoy!
Clouds filled the sky today with snow falling by early afternoon. A rainfall warning is in place for the weekend. With frozen ground and huge snow banks, rain may pond and snow melt may increase. In short, flooding may be an problem. The rain is to be followed quickly by a hard freeze. More weather distress is not desirable. <sigh> I was out in the snow for an appointment and some errands downtown today. When I walked to the mailbox, I had a good chat with a neighbour. That is when I realized how wet the large snowflakes were. I kept brushing them off my coat, which caused my gloves to get very wet. In turn, this made my hands very cold. I'm not sure I've mentioned it before <grin>, but I am really so over this season, which never has been my favourite.
At lunch with colleagues today, I mentioned how time can fly by and yet seem to drag -- simultaneously. This led to an interesting exchange about the non-linear nature of time. A colleague noted that time is a human construct and there really is just the now. I will ponder that one for a while and hope to continue the conversation at a later point. <smile>
A song title came to mind today that fit well with my ponderings. It is from the psychedelic genre. It has a relaxed feeling to it. I love the line "I really want to know" -- explains much of how I've approached the journey thus far. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy!
We had very bright sun for most of the day. Freezing temperatures began the day -- -21C (-6F) and rose to -6 C (21F) by early afternoon. Very little wind was present, so it felt warmer today. After an online meeting, I spent the rest of the afternoon getting groceries.
Grocery prices still sting. Overall, prices were to have slowed the rate of increase on many items and reduced overall costs in December. It must be a small decrease -- well based on my anecdotal evidence <smile>. I still find produce fairly high, but dairy has been dropping -- often in sales as well as regular prices. Animal protein products seem to have stayed the same for a while now. I keep waiting for these to drop from $20/lb for what have been the the inexpensive products. <sigh>
Lines from a few songs came to mind today. I chose this one to share here today because it made me smile. It has been covered by several artists, but I share the one that made the biggest impression on me many years ago. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Bright sunshine lasted throughout the day. The air temperature was cold and with the wind had a very biting wind chill value. I headed out for an afternoon meeting and ran errands at the mall afterwards. I still need to head out for a bigger grocery run sometime this week. It should warm up by the end of the week, at least.
I am doing more than I did over the weekend as the migraine dissipates. The fatigue is still major, but I can stay awake most of the day. Getting some small errands completed today felt positive. I fell asleep after supper, but that is to be expected. The physical toll that such headaches visit on the body takes away some of the regular energy and functioning. I have to remind myself to ease back into the routine -- it appears that I did have one after all <grin>. It will take a few days to work past this physical insult to the body. It is not unlike recovering from a cold or flu. It will take a week or so to get back into the usual rhythms.
A strange song from a Broadway show seemed to fit the thoughts I had about disruptions to daily rhythms. It has a few familiar faces in the video. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The Rhythm of Life -- Sammy Davis, Jr and cast of Sweet Charity (1969)
Today I finished laundry and moved the snow around the car and then tackled a small path out the patio door. Way too much snow there still. Shoveling is very challenging since the snow is a meter deep (or more) in places. This requires one to fill the shovel several times for each foot of clearing. It also means that lifting the snow becomes more onerous since the piles were so high at the start -- some areas are now over shoulder height leaving me to lift the snow head high or more. Given one arm doesn't lift well above the waist -- due to the pins and plate around the elbow -- the work to move the snow 'up' gets less doable. There will be physical pain from using muscles in different ways than usual -- and using different muscles than usual. That will work itself out over a short period of time. I need to continue with stretches and maybe take a nice soak in the tub <smile> and accept that the shoveling isn't quite over yet.
I often like to listen to music while I move snow around. The varying beats help me change my pace and rest regularly. The title of this song came to mind when thinking of heading out to shovel. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy!
We had another sunny day today. It was cold feeling, but sunny. The pain diminished today -- not gone but not as intense as the past two days. I managed to do a couple of household chores but still had to rest a lot. The fatigue continues to overwhelms the system. That will dissipate with time, too.
Having a migraine feels like a betrayal by the body. The cause isn't from anything I do. I share a song with some lyrics that fit the way this all feels. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Today brought more head pain. The migraine fatigue took over. I listened to a couple of movies, but kept falling asleep. It took three tries to get through one movie. <smile> There was sunshine today with lots of blue sky. I found the kitchen -- with a north window and lit from the east facing patio window -- much too bright for comfort. Wanting sunglasses and a ball cap while indoors, told me that even a short walk outside was out of the the question today.
Two days of major pain is not common with the migraines I get. I'm hoping tomorrow will improve somewhat. These things far outstay their welcome and usually hang around for a minimum of three days -- average is closer to five days. Most of this involves severe fatigue and word-finding capacity. Working from a screen become intolerable, too. Hence, late blogs and message responses.
The song title today fits with my main activity today. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy!
I woke this morning with a migraine. It has been a while since the last one. The pain brought tears early in the day. I rested and slept most of the day. I did go to check mail an found the pile of snow from the street plows was higher than yesterday. That makes this another week with no mail delivery or ability to pick u. I was told to make a couple of phone calls. I called Canada Post to report that their community mailbox was inaccessible due to snow piles from street plows -- again. They will have it cleared by their local contractors by Tuesday (Monday is a holiday). Then I called the county office to see if the plow drivers could push snow elsewhere to make it easier for the other contractors to clear a path to the box. They were going to send a couple of the drivers over to see what might be possible for next snowfalls. These drivers are still busy clearing roads from the storms earlier in the week and the mega-storm last week, so I felt odd asking them to do something else. At least both parties involved have been notified and are on the case. <smile>
While resting today, I listened to an interview with a favourite singer-songwriter who recently released the first recorded original song in 17 years. The video was made with AI and is quite effective for a song looking back while thinking of the future. I think of the lyrics as a description of re-finding the lost interests and passions in life. Keep safe. Enjoy!
I am so over the snow. More arrived and drifted around the car and the front and back doors. Some filled in the places I cleared yesterday <scowl>. With the cold the snow remained light and granular. The winds blew it around in whirl winds outside the windows. The wind also makes the cold much more uncomfortable. Businesses and schools closed again today due to the cleanup needed and the poor visibility with blowing snow. I walked around the block and was sufficiently cold by the time I got back to the house. While the wind has made some artistic drifts, the fact that they will need to be moved frustrates me. I am not a winter person, in case you haven't noticed <smile>
The song today speaks to my feelings about winter. Keep safe. Enjoy!
More snow out the window today <sigh> Winds blew it around and sculpted it into drifts on roofs and around cars. I felt so defeated having to re-shovel areas that I'd cleared already from the last storm -- like only yesterday. . Granted they were small areas, but it is still frustrating to do it all over again. The existing snow banks now have a new layer of snow on top of the frozen slushy stuff. The patio is impassable again.
Offices closed today to allow cleanup. Campus closes for a half day again, too. I spent a while canceling and rebooking appointments and meetings for tomorrow. It looks like more snow is headed this way in a second system from the west and potential onshore flurries from winds of the departing nor'easter. So, I'm not planning to go anywhere. I did walk to the mailbox, only to find that the street plows had access blocked -- again. So, the mailman couldn't even get in to put things in the group box. Maybe tomorrow, but I'd not put money on that. Other boxes are dug out but this one is always blocked for a longer time. <sigh> I've been expecting a couple of documents and some personal things in the mail, so would like to get to the box to check for the items. <sigh> Of course this means the letter carrier has to get the box first.
Today was Valentine's day. I had a fun evening with a dear friend. We cooked a great curry for dinner accompanied by a favourite wine. That commensality reduced the sting of the ongoing yucky weather.
The song chosen for today came to mind as I was standing in front of a pile of snow taller than me when out for my walk today. It gave me a smile. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The day was mainly cloudy with a few sunny breaks in the afternoon. I headed out to do the many errands that got left behind after the huge snow storm a week ago. Roads are clear but there are still areas where the piles at the side of the road are too high to allow clear view of oncoming traffic when entering a roadway. I got to both grocery stores, a bakery, pet food store, and hardware store. There were still a few items that either weren't available or had a price above what I'm willing to pay. I managed to acquire most items, though. I even got some mail as the snow pile was cleared so that the postman could get into the community mail box. Some needed items arrived while others were marketing leaflets that went straight to the recycle bin. <smile> The shopping and mail made things feel as if they are returning to a more usual rhythm.
Today is Lundi Gras -- a New Orleans day where krews present mardi gras kings and queens -- much like tomorrow, only smaller. I generally serve Lundi beans (red beans and rice traditionally made on Monday wash days). This year, I just didn't get a batch made. I hope to get something different made for tomorrow; it will depend on timing and the dreaded list of 'have to do' tasks.
The selection today addresses the feeling of normalcy after the disruption of the major storm. The upbeat tune and lyrics are from a Canadian band that was at its height over two decades ago. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Well, its back to the waiting game again. The next nor'easter is expected to arrive this evening -- in a couple of hours. The snow should continue for about 48 hours -- from Tuesday evening to Thursday evening. The storm should move on in the middle of that, while the backside winds will create further snow in the form of onshore flurries and squalls. Predictions currently sit at about 15-25 cm (6-10 in) when it is over Thursday -- depending on the area of the province and the final track of the storm. Now that seems like nothing after the 100+ cm that fell last week. It will create issues since much snow remains after last week. Huge piles still present.
On the up side, today is Mardi Gras. I am working on a vegetable dish developed in New Orleans. Spinach Madeleine is a Cajun take on spinach mixed with celery, onions, bell peppers (trinity), milk to make a sauce and spicy cheddar or brick. It is baked with a crumb topping. Delish! That will go with whatever else becomes dinner tonight. <smile>
I chose a song that ran through my head for most of the day. It has a distinct zydeco sound. Laissez le bons temps rouler!! Keep safe. Enjoy!
Down at the Twist and Shout -- Mary Chapin Carpenter
Bright sunshine shone through the windows this morning. Clouds returned by early afternoon again. I cleared a shovel width path off the patio. The snow is heavy and wet, so that 10 foot path was all I chose to do today. Laundry was also on the list. Living the dream <grin>.
I've been very tired again lately. Stress and extra physical activity with shoveling and such likely have a great deal to do with this. My overnight sleep seems disrupted by external sounds. Even early morning this week brings the sound of hammers as the next floor of the apartment building is being framed. Now the forecast includes winter storm watch with likelihood of 20-30 cm snow -- on top of the house sized piles we have around the neighbourhood. There is also a strong chance that flurries and sea effect snow squalls will bring further snow once the nor'easter has moved past. This news brings stress again and will require more moving snow from point A to point B. So, no rest in store it seems.
A dear friend reminded me of this song a while back. It brings some calm and helps me breathe. Hope it can do the same for you. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The day began with bright sunshine but by early afternoon clouds arrived. Temperatures were above freezing and will be for a couple of days. A winter storm advisory has been posted for the middle of the coming week. Exact information isn't available yet, but there will be something and it is being called a nor'easter. The track the storm takes will dictate what actually happens. If it stays to the south of us out to sea, there will be far less impact than if tracks further north. At present the forecast is for Tuesday and Wednesday. I have three appointments that require me to leave the house on Thursday, so I'm hoping for very little additional snow or ice.
Today is lunar new year. It is the Year of the Dragon. New moon was yesterday, which was Friday, so not a full match to the song chosen for today. Keep safe. Enjoy!
I did a guest lecture on professional history today for a professional practice course on campus. It is always exciting to hear from undergraduate students as to why they think understanding history is important. Today, one said it gave her new role models. That made me smile.
The day was bright and sunny with mild melting -- turning snow to slush along walkways. Major freezing overnight will turn much of that to ice. The next few days will be above freezing, though, so banks will reduce a bit in size before the next snow arrives. <sigh> It is February after all. I hope to move a swath of snow off the patio so there is an alternate exit. It will be heavy work, but it won't be clearing the full 30 feet width. <smile> -- just a path for the 10 feet from the patio door across the area.
This date includes some music history. Carole King turns 82 today and it was 60 years ago that the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. It was their first appearance in the US -- the early days of the British Invasion. I have fond memories from both of these events. Tapestry is still one of my favourite albums. I played it so often, it shows signs of wear. <smile> I loved that she played the piano -- the instrument I played. For the Sullivan Show, we were eating Sunday dinner in the kitchen and the TV was on in the living room -- not a usual thing. When the Beatles were announced, Dad told me I could go and watch -- another unusual event. The next day at school the school playground was wild with kids singing "She Loves You" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". That appearance and the five songs performed made a major impact on a generation.
The selections for today come from that favourite album and the television appearance. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Leaving the subdivision today, I realized that the snow had created rat mazes for vehicles similar to those I've experienced as a pedestrian. It was tight passing with many people pulling over to let one vehicle by -- still some road hogs that feel the need to be entitled, though <sigh> Cleanup will likely be measured in weeks not days.The Main Street in town had snow banks removed overnight yesterday. That process needs to happen elsewhere given the inability to see oncoming traffic when entering a roadway (and my area enters onto a highway).
Looking at the snow today, some visible changes in height of piles and drifts was evident due to the sunshine and temperatures just above freezing. That offers some hope. When talking about the historic snowfall, it became clear that the snow will eventually leave. There will be some new snow arriving, too. Spring will see the end of the snowfall and diminishing of huge snow piles. In many ways this seems similar to the pitfalls of life. Adaptation to major life changes takes time. It feels difficult and insurmountable, yet things diminish with time -- just like the snow banks. Work is involved in adapting to changes in life, too. It also requires input from a community of people. So, when looking at the towering snow, while I felt claustrophobic, I could see some of them losing their height. That helped me to think and see grief and loss differently.
I chose to share a song recorded in Regina SK (in May while it snowed outside <smile>). I found it relaxing and the lyrics interesting. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The Shovel Shuffle -- A Canadian Snow Song -- Marie-Veronique Bourque ft. Craig Salkeld, fred Foerster, & Chris Wallace
I moved what was left of the drift in the middle of the driveway after the plow-snow blower moved most of it this morning. I then went for a walk. The roads are cleared to about a single lane. If one were to meet an oncoming vehicle, someone would have to back up and maybe get into an open driveway. When walking it was touch and go as I scurried to a driveway each time a car needed the road. At the end of the street connecting my street and the one behind us to the great beyond, the next road hadn't been cleared to the pavement like ours were. Not sure why, but it wasn't very walkable as there were great patches of packed snow from a plow blade. These were extremely slippery. So, I just turned around and headed back the way I came. The stop signs are buried to the bottom of the actual sign, as are street name signs. These were in piles of snow left by the street plows. Other large piles at the sides of the roads are from the plows but have been expanded by the snow blower that mostly cleared the huge drifts in the driveways. The piles will need to be moved away, but that will take a while. Given that the roads within the subdivision are not great, I don't plan to drive anywhere any time soon. When necessary to leave, I will call a taxi and hope some are out and operational. Otherwise, appointments may need to be virtual. The feeling of isolation is palpable.
The walk was so surreal. It brought the sound of a song to mind -- one from the psychedelic era. I love the lyrics -- so poetic, metaphorical and surreal. Keep safe. Enjoy!
This morning the plow- snow blower worked to open up the driveway and provide access to the street. This moved the snow drifts behind my car and left the one in the middle of the two car driveway. I shoveled for two hours to clear the main drift on one side of the car. Then I worked to move snow and ice from around the car and clear the packed snow under the car and in the wheel wells. Two women came by to make sure the front door was cleared of snow. I had done that on my way out today <smile>. The work with gardeners and yard care in the summer and clear the doorways in the winter. We had a good chat and then each got back to moving the unending piles of snow.
There is a sense that things will eventually allow us usual access to grocery stores, health care and seeing friends. I'm not sure I'd call it full on hope at this point, but we may be moving in the right direction. One small step at a time.
In other news, I heard on the morning news that singer-songwriter Toby Keith died today. His had a deep, identifiable voice. His songs ranged from rousing drinking songs to love songs. Over his career, he had 20 number one hits and over 40 songs in the top ten. One of my favourites has been used in this blog in the past, but I will share it again today. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The worst of the storm appears to have left. There is still wind and there may be a bit more snow, but the cleanup will have to being now. The street plows have been unable to get down many streets and roads due to the depth of the snow. These are big two ton trucks with a major plow blade attached. Not a smaller truck. So, the heavy equipment will need to move through to clear a path for the plows. Once the roads are cleared, loaders, backhoes and dump trucks will need to move the snow away. The snow banks left by a plow will be shoulder high and likely higher. These are not unlike rat mazes with people going down the sidewalks looking for a way out to cross a road. Drivers cannot see oncoming traffic when entering or exiting a street. So, it has to be moved. Clear first and then move. This will take days. In our subdivision, streets have not been cleared. Once that is done, larger equipment than usual will clear the driveways. This likely means removing the snow as the lawn areas are already covered with 4-5 feet of snow. We have been warned that this process will not be done in a day, but will take days to do. Our street is at the end of the road, so we will likely be last for this process. I guess that means they will have worked out the kinks and be experts at this new process. <smile>
I went out today, just as I have the past three days, to shovel out the heat pump. Today in the shoulder deep snow, it made a 5-6 foot long trench to get to the machine. It wasn't under a drift, but there was a major drift to get through to get to the thing. With no place to put the snow other than on top of the drift, there is now a 6 foot pile outside the patio door. A regional meteorologist pulled together figures for the eastern part of the province. Snowfall amounts locally were over 100 cm in the 39-55 inch area. (Please forgive my use of SI mixed with Imperial measures here -- my head just won't do conversions today.) I plan to dig a shovel wide trench to the edge of the patio in the next few days. Just so there is an exit and space should we need one. Again there's no where to put the snow other than beside the trench on top of the drifts. The temperature went above freezing today and will be in the region for most of this week. That makes the snow heavy and wet. At the base it feels glued to the cement where slush has begun to form. When the temperatures drop again, these will be impressive glacier piles and will be with us well into the spring.
While outside trying to take photos and shovel a bit, I could hear backup beeping of some snow moving equipment. That sound brought hope. We will get out eventually. Someone with a bigger vehicle needs to pull together a grocery delivery service to those who have not been dug out yet. That could help with some of the confinement feelings. A song came to mind today when thinking of digging out. It made me laugh -- and relax a bit. <smile> Stay safe. Enjoy!
Day three of the "prolonged snowfall event" involved an all out blizzard with major winds and horizontal snow. Drifts began early in the day and only grew with time, snow and wind. The house next door had a drift on the south side that nearly reached the top of the kitchen window by sunset (things continued to blow after that but it wasn't easy to see changes). The high piano window just under the eaves was half covered by sunset, too. The north side of my place is just across from that, but was clear to the ground. I had drifts on the patio that grew to about the handle of the patio door. My only outing was to shovel a trench to the heat pump to clear the drains, intake and exhaust. That was a challenge as the snow was densely packed and I was shoveling into the wind. Into the evening, the wind gusts sounded like a train and caused major vibration in the house. My neighbour shoveled by my front door so the porch was clear. No major drifts on the porch, but those around the car were impressive. The north side had a passable space, but the back and south side have drifts to the roof -- about 5 feet high. That is the area that the management company will deal with.
The claustrophobia felt worse today. I pulled curtains so I didn't have to look outside and be reminded that the snow was slowly burying everything in sight. It is not doable to get out to the street on the day this all stops. It will take some time. There isn't anywhere to put the snow with major ground cover depths. I've not seen anything like this since White Juan, the nor'easter that shut down the province three months after hurricane Juan. This one is leaving far more snow. We passed that mark yesterday. Record setting snowfall isn't something that I had on my list of things to do. <smile> As I type the drifts out the patio door are still growing. Time to shut the light off so I can't see more out that window.
Lyrics of the selection today carry some of the anxiety that I've been dealing with -- the waiting and not knowing what will happen. The tempo feels a bit frenetic while the vocals and music are almost calming. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Huge white objects appeared outside the windows this morning -- Giant snow drifts everywhere. The driveway is hip to waist deep. It was ankle deep when I got home last evening. I moved snow from around the heat pump intakes and exhaust, but just left the knee deep snow that covered the patio. No where to put it anyway. <sigh> When looking out the kitchen window, the neighbouring home has a drift up to the lower window sill. On my side the ground is still visible. Wind directions create odd air movement patterns with the spaces between buildings. It is all physics. I know a few physicists that could likely help with that. Some day, I'll have to make a point of asking. <smile>
When I woke today, I felt we were halfway through the storm, when we just past a third. This one will be close to 72 hours due to an omega blocking pattern where a high pressure system in the north pushes and blocks the two lows southwest and southeast of the high. So storms stall and hang around much too long. The worst is yet to come with the blizzard beginning early tomorrow morning and lasting through the day. Snowfall amounts for that one are forecast to be greater than what we've already had. This goes way past anything that I've encountered in a single storm.
I also had a feeling of claustrophobia when seeing nothing but white outside and the huge drifts encroaching on the house. Also added into the anxiety is the high risk of power outages given the heavy wet nature of the snow. Tree branches are prone to break during such situations. After Monday, I should be able to clear what I need to and either drive downtown or go for a walk in the neighbourhood. It doesn't take long for me to get cabin fever <smile>. Winter is far from my favourite time of year. These weather events accentuate my inability to walk around campus and downtown when the driveway is blocked with snow. Snow blocks one's ability to get anywhere -- even out the front door. <smile>
So, as I wait for the blizzard and stare at what the last storm left us, a few lines from a song seem to fit my feelings. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Well, the week is ending with an expectation for a major snowfall event or events. There appears to be a break in the action late Saturday but things ramp up again by Sunday. By 'ramp up' it appears that things will be even worse the second time around with major winds pushing this into a blizzard category. Overall confidence in the amount of snowfall is strong, the where exactly this will happen has a lower confidence level. So, when things stop after three to four days of snow, there will be about 40 to 70 cm (16 to 30 in) -- totally scary numbers. This evening I brushed snow from the car. The forecast had been for 5 cm (2 in). The car held 15-20 cm (6-8 in). Oddly fences had about 10 cm (4 in). Serial shoveling is in my future, just to keep a pathway nearly open. Snow removal will happen twice over the next few days. Driveways will be opened as the street plows pass through, but the rest of the snow in the driveway will be moved Saturday and Monday -- as the current plan goes.
A friend and I went to a Gordon Lightfoot tribute concert this evening. It was a fund-raiser for the local community theatre. I enjoyed hearing the wonderful local talent as singers and musicians. They presented many great songs -- hits and deep cuts. One song fit the day and evening as the snow fell softly with no wind. Visibility wasn't obscured greatly as I watch out my windows today and this evening. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The morning began with wonderful sunshine. By noon, most of the sky was covered in clouds. This was to be a cloudy afternoon with sunny breaks, but there were no breaks. <sigh> My mood altered as the greyness settled in again. I ran a couple of errands and had a meeting, but as the afternoon wore on, I felt less enthusiastic about the outing. When I got home, I had a great visit with a friend. We started having a weekly check-in during the isolation of COVID and have continued. Some days we meet in person, but during the winter going for a walk together is less enticing and more plain 'icing'. I found my mood improved as we chatted today.
An order made Sunday evening arrived on the doorstep this afternoon. It always says that the order will take 10 working days, but they didn't get it until Monday, and that and Tuesday were not great travel days. Today is Thursday, so it only took four work days. That is cool and very good service. I had picked up a number of things yesterday to help get through the next week as we ran out of one ordered item this morning. So, now I have an extra stash of stuff. <smile> So two predictions were different than expected today -- the lack of sunny breaks and the early arrival of an online order. That made me think of the ups and downs of life. Firstly it is unpredictable. We make plans that may or may not turn out as planned. Some turn out better than expected, while others done quite measure up to expectations. Managing those expectations can be challenging. Some degree of hope and forward planning may help us move through life rather than stagnating.
The title line of a song ran through my mind today. It seemed to fit well with the pondering of ups and downs along the journey. Keep safe. Enjoy!
This was a busy day. I ran several errands at the mall and grocery stores. There was bright sun that made seeing through the splashed windows tricky. I need to clean the side windows so I can see better tomorrow when I'm out again in what is promised to be a mix of sun and clouds. I look forward to enjoying the weather for tomorrow as I did today. The forecasters suggest that we will get snow for the following four days with larger amount again coming over the weekend.
February often comes with a number of winter storms. I wouldn't mind the snow so much if it arrived in smaller packages. Five to seven cm (two to three inches) is more than enough to move -- even if it happened daily. I would prefer that to the 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) at a time, especially if it is blown into drifts. These are often so densely packed that a shovel won't push or lift without the snow being 'cut' into blocks to move. I still have to move the snow off the patio from the last storm before the next load arrives. <smile> Maybe tomorrow.
We are now in the middle of the winter season. January can be a long dark month. We can now see that the sun is around for a longer day. It feels very good to notice that the it is still bright outside later into the afternoon or early evening. That gives me hope even when February tends to bring some stellar storms. We'll see what transpires both for the coming few days of snowfall and for the remainder of winter.
The song chosen to share today fits with the human need to know what the future holds. With all the high level math and computing abilities, forecasts can't be perfect. Keep safe. Enjoy!
