Almost as Canadian as discussing the constitution
Well, things are crazy here tonight. Things have actually been crazy since the night/morning I left for home; multiple levels of craziness.
First, because it appears to be a national pastime, I should discuss the weather.
Leaving Ottawa last Saturday morning it was below zero, windy, and snowing. I watched the news today and it was reportedly seven -- centigrade, for those who ask--. So, it's seven degrees in Ottawa, and I'm missing out on the relatively balmy weather.
Now, it being winter, snow wouldn't be too unexpected for the season. But, I'm visiting my parents on the West Coast, known for it's balmy temperatures and seemingly endless rain. This year the weather gods, whoever they may be, must have gone on a good bender. Because nothing but a hungover god could play with weather like this.
In November a freak storm left most of southcoastal BC without power and under a boil water advisory for days. Having leanred the news at 8 a.m. while brushing up on current events for class, I was slightly paniced. My home town was the hardest hit.
By the time I flew in however, the weather seemed to be back tomorrow, despite a couple feet of snow a week or so earlier -- yes, we measure temperatures by centigrade, metric, and rain in milimetres. But we speak of snow and people in feet. We also use pounds and kilograms interchangeably depending on what we're speaking of. It's a mixed up country somtimes --. The snow had mostly melted away, as snow is wont to do in this climate, and it was raining pleasantly. Now, I grew up on the coast, so endless drizzle has the ability to make me feel at home wherever I may be.
There was even the characteristic cloudy light that casts everything green with a hint of blue. It's a light I miss without realising it, and a difference in view that fades within a couple days. But it, like the rain, makes me feel immediately that I've returned to some haven and can be at peace.
The peace is short-lived. I do have nephews, they are three, and since coming home I've been an authority figure, a jungle gym, a horse, an obstacle course, a target and a Spanish Conquistadore. I enjoy the last the most. I also get to read all the really good books from my childhood. But no, not peaceful except in a comforting, homely kind of way. I've already finished two knitting projects.
What hasn't been peaceful is the weather this week. After high winds on Monday we -- my parents, my brother's family, and a couple friends who couldn't get over the bridge to their lakeside home -- spent an evening sitting around the fire with every candle in the house burning, waiting for the power to come back and debating what else we had that could be cooked over a fire -- the outage having hit just before dinner --. Two hours later we were one of the first areas to get power back. SOme areas won't have it back until Sunday. Many of those areas rely on electricity for pumps, nd pumps for running water.
The damaged was doubled, I'm told, because all the trees were weakened by the last storm. The hypothesis makes sense to me.
And today it snowed. That's not unusual for Canada, but quite unusual for a region known for it's balmy winters. And very unusual when bloody Ottawa is at seven. I can't believe I left.
Wow, well, a very rambling route to get to the important weather. But, I gues I ahvne't been writing enough of anything lately, because my fingers are getting itchy and I've been talking to the cat..and the dog, and myself, and bob.
I think I should leave it at that, and save the rest for another post, lest people begin to think I'm even wordy than I tend to be.
First, because it appears to be a national pastime, I should discuss the weather.
Leaving Ottawa last Saturday morning it was below zero, windy, and snowing. I watched the news today and it was reportedly seven -- centigrade, for those who ask--. So, it's seven degrees in Ottawa, and I'm missing out on the relatively balmy weather.
Now, it being winter, snow wouldn't be too unexpected for the season. But, I'm visiting my parents on the West Coast, known for it's balmy temperatures and seemingly endless rain. This year the weather gods, whoever they may be, must have gone on a good bender. Because nothing but a hungover god could play with weather like this.
In November a freak storm left most of southcoastal BC without power and under a boil water advisory for days. Having leanred the news at 8 a.m. while brushing up on current events for class, I was slightly paniced. My home town was the hardest hit.
By the time I flew in however, the weather seemed to be back tomorrow, despite a couple feet of snow a week or so earlier -- yes, we measure temperatures by centigrade, metric, and rain in milimetres. But we speak of snow and people in feet. We also use pounds and kilograms interchangeably depending on what we're speaking of. It's a mixed up country somtimes --. The snow had mostly melted away, as snow is wont to do in this climate, and it was raining pleasantly. Now, I grew up on the coast, so endless drizzle has the ability to make me feel at home wherever I may be.
There was even the characteristic cloudy light that casts everything green with a hint of blue. It's a light I miss without realising it, and a difference in view that fades within a couple days. But it, like the rain, makes me feel immediately that I've returned to some haven and can be at peace.
The peace is short-lived. I do have nephews, they are three, and since coming home I've been an authority figure, a jungle gym, a horse, an obstacle course, a target and a Spanish Conquistadore. I enjoy the last the most. I also get to read all the really good books from my childhood. But no, not peaceful except in a comforting, homely kind of way. I've already finished two knitting projects.
What hasn't been peaceful is the weather this week. After high winds on Monday we -- my parents, my brother's family, and a couple friends who couldn't get over the bridge to their lakeside home -- spent an evening sitting around the fire with every candle in the house burning, waiting for the power to come back and debating what else we had that could be cooked over a fire -- the outage having hit just before dinner --. Two hours later we were one of the first areas to get power back. SOme areas won't have it back until Sunday. Many of those areas rely on electricity for pumps, nd pumps for running water.
The damaged was doubled, I'm told, because all the trees were weakened by the last storm. The hypothesis makes sense to me.
And today it snowed. That's not unusual for Canada, but quite unusual for a region known for it's balmy winters. And very unusual when bloody Ottawa is at seven. I can't believe I left.
Wow, well, a very rambling route to get to the important weather. But, I gues I ahvne't been writing enough of anything lately, because my fingers are getting itchy and I've been talking to the cat..and the dog, and myself, and bob.
I think I should leave it at that, and save the rest for another post, lest people begin to think I'm even wordy than I tend to be.