It was our turn.

We’ve managed to dodge the weather bullet so far this winter, but that bit of good luck came to an end last night. 

I just looked at the weather in Vienna.  I probably shouldn’t do that.  It’s sunny and plus nine.  A few weeks back it was warmer here in Canada than there,  so watching the weather in far away places serves no real purpose except to give me some sort of “weather wander lust”. 

 

Daughter Number One and her cousin just stopped by on their way to do some cross country skiing.  It is possible to see the positive in the face of a bit of snow.  Back in the dark ages,  when Travelling Companion and I took the kids out into the snow for such an endeavour,  I always found that I’d just get cold and miserable,  which was mostly due to the fact that we had so little money that having decent equipment was out of the question.  It’s nice to see the kids were able to get over it, but I’m afraid those past experiences have clouded my view of “winter sports”. 

I can live with it.

The only winter sport activity that I truly enjoyed,  was the odd time that I had the use of a snow machine,  but the chances of buying his and hers snow machines is pretty damned slim.  Plus,  there’s all that noise. 

Sooner go snowshoeing.  But then I’m sure I’d get cold.  See?  There’s no answer.  I’ll just blissfully pass the time in my nice heated shop. 

 

This morning the air was filled with the sound of snow throwers around the neighbourhood.

 

Unfortunately, our old Ariens that has faithfully done its duty over the years,  has now been put out to pasture.   When I took it in for service and such a couple years back,  the Snow thrower Repair Dude cautioned me that I was spending a little more on the old thing than what it was worth,  and that there were going to be “issues”  that would eventually be too expensive to sort out.  He fixed her up as best he could to last one more season,  and that was that.

So we’re back to the shovel program.  

 

In the ebb and flow of winter severity that we seem to have around here,  there will no doubt be a nice used machine available out there in the next year or so.  It always happens.  We’ll have a mild winter,  someone needs some cash and they start eyeing the contents of their shed or garage.  That’s how I ended up with the old Ariens.   Best two hundred bucks I ever spent.

 

One of my little errands this morning,  right after taking back the chairs I had rented for Christmas Eve,  was to nip over to what,  for me anyway,  is a relatively new place that specializes in all things coffee.  It just so happened that I took a photo when I went there a couple days before Christmas.  

The view this morning was slightly different.  No cutting between the cars this time.

 

See,  this seems more like the Canada that everyone imagines.   No polar bears wandering down the streets of Burlington though.  You’d have to go to Churchill Manitoba for that experience. 

 

And now for your one and only winter snow shovelling tip:  If the snow is sticking like mad to the face of the shovel,  just clean off the snow and spray on some WD-40.   Works like a charm, and so much less frustrating.

 

I’m going to say this again, and in view of the conditions,  I really mean it. 

Keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for stopping in.

 

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