The Goings

Snow here is generally short lived.  As in, we don't have it all Winter long.... we rarely have it for more than a few days, sometimes a week... maybe two.  Certainly the plow piles in parking lots stick around for a while but unlike other parts of the world (and this Country) our snow doesn't really tend to stick.

Yesterday we all woke up to far more snow than most of us were expecting (even with a snowfall warning - it exceeded those amounts).  As I mentioned, transportation was shut down (as were a lot of places as workers couldn't get there.)  Yesterday evening I was looking at the highway web cams and the highways still were pretty snowy.  So not a lot of traffic to smush down the snow and not much/any sun yesterday to do any melting.

I did go outside for a bit yesterday and the snow was above my snow boots.  Like... coming up inside them!

I made a snow angel, I took some pictures, I threw a not very well packed snowball.  It was pretty.  And not a lot of driving.  Even some skiers (no really...)

Today is the day I often think about as the "tricky day".  It's the day AFTER things were shut down and places now expect streets to be plowed and transit to be running and therefore employees to get to work.  Whereas all I think is "it hasn't warmed up, it hasn't rained, it's the same as yesterday or maybe even worse."

Again, I'm fine.  Have food, no need to travel/drive.

Looks like it's going to be Saturday before rain for sure hits, which should clear things up in time for those who want to visit folks on Sunday for Christmas.  I'm sure a lot of holiday travel has been made more challenging due to this chunk of snow.

Oh and we're now in an "arctic outflow" warning.  Which means "bitterly" (their words not mine!) cold and serious windchill.  Like with the windchill it will apparently feel like -20 today.  Um... that's... cold.

Pipes will burst and you could get frostbite kind of cold.

We've had cold before sure... I went for a walk in it last time and it was a neat experience.  And I think it was last year our building's one outdoor tap burst.  I'm not sure anyone dealt with that this year so we shall see what happens.

I am so incredibly grateful to be able to stay inside if I want.  In a home, with electricity that I can use to heat hot water to make tea or fill my hot water bottle(s).  So while I might have been grumpy and whiny yesterday I am so thankful that I have income and am wealthy enough to have a place to stay and sleep and food and just all the things many of my fellow humans do not have.

It's the first day of Winter today.  It is Solstice.  Days now start to lengthen.  Winter is here.  

I've kind of forgotten that this weekend is Christmas (I somehow thought it was next week....) but my advent calendar is making me feel sad as it's quite empty looking now so I'm not sure why I got confused.  I'll blame the poor sleeps I've had due to not being able to find the right temperature at night!  Just call me Cinderella would you?

So Happy Winter (my Northern friends, and a happy Summer to you Southerners)!