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Tis The Season

Well hi there

I didn't expect to be writing in my journal today...in fact I didn't expect to be doing much of anything...except shovelling. Our ENTIRE province has been blacked out since Saturday (I think), (it's now 5:30pm Monday). I don't recall that ever happening before other than during the Ice Storm of 1998 (which directly affected more people than any other previous weather event in Canadian history) Apparently they declared a state of emergency locally, (probably province wide too I'll bet). There's about 10" of VERY wet (and HEAVY) snow out there. The plows just came around here only a little while ago. No power and below freezing temperatures for days on end can be very nasty. (No heat, lights, water, etc, etc, etc) Fortunately I have a woodstove which gives plenty of heat and even light and I can cook on it too if I have too. My parents though got rid of their (auxillary) woodstove for a pellet stove...which dosen't work without electricity. They spent this morning at a firehall (which has backup generators). (They couldn't get to my place because the roads hadn't been plowed) The firehouse was designed with just such an emergency in mind but this was the very first time it was used like this. They've been open 24 hours a day with rows and rows of cots. People can go there to get warm, for water, to get something to eat, etc. The phones have also been frigged up too.

Normally the first snow of the season doesn't amount to much at all here. I did see some flakes last week but they melted as soon as they touch the ground. We've had several green Christmases and have become used to not seeing much (if any) snow until late December. They were giving severe snowstorm warnings on the news but I, like most people, were discounting them. We went visiting during the start of the storm (scoffing at the few inches of fluffy flakes that had fallen till then) but after the first DVD was over I decided to head back home early coz it looked very nasty outside then. I'm glad I left when I did otherwise I wouldn't have made it back home.

This snow is extremely packy and wet. It's the kind that sticks to a shovel even when the shovel is turned upside down. It's a real pain to get rid of. The poor rosebush, lilac, honeysuckle and cherry trees/shrubs around my property were bent completely over under all the weight. Each one was damaged in some way.

I still intend to help out with tonight's Spree but I may be sitting in the dark again. I'm not sure who else in my area has power either. (I understood it was supposed to be Thursday or Friday before it was restored so we're keeping our fingers crossed here)

It should make for an interesting Spree. Hopefully I'll be able to help without any troubles. We'll see I guess.

I best go watch some TV or flick some lights off and on in case the power goes off again. I want to enjoy the marvel of electricity while I can. It's true what they say...you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

See ya. Stay warm.

PS, I'm thrilled to find out a new series of The Amazing Race is supposed to begin on this Tuesday night. (I had already resigned myself to missing it) I missed 4 of the 10 episodes last season because our dozey local TV station kept changing the times and days they had aired it. I've only caught a few brief glimpses of the new highlights but I'm already not too impressed with some of the teams. I hope they don't ruin The Amazing Race by trying to immitate some of the other reality shows. I don't care for the ruthless or dirty teams but this season there seems to be be all kinds of them.


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