Snow overload

It was a quiet, busy week. I know that is conflicting but it is true. The snow started around 9 a.m. on Wednesday and did not let up until late the next day.

This was the radar about noon on Tuesday. The storm extended west as far as Edmonton, Alberta and east to Winnipeg, Manitoba. I'm pretty certain I've shared this saying before...Manitoba sucks and Alberta blows. An Alberta Clipper is a fast moving low-pressure storm that forms east of the Rocky Mountains. It usually follows Chinook winds that bring warm temperatures. We had above freezing temps overnight on Monday into Tuesday but that didn't last long.

As a result, my daughter and I decided to pick up some extra groceries, fresh fruit, bread, and dairy to ensure we wouldn't need to go out for the next few days. While we were expecting a reprieve from the snow on Thursday, there was more in the forecast for Friday. (Have I made a note yet, that I really, really dislike winter?)

By noon, the school had announced the cancellation of the Christmas concert. In anticipation of the cancellation, the principal had arranged for the children to attend the nearby church and the program was video-ed (they don't tape things anymore do they?). A link was sent out to the families to view at their pleasure.

D picked Eli up at school, as he wasn't feeling well. He spent the afternoon on the couch, and D and I shovelled three times between noon and 5 p.m. The weather app suggested there was about 19 cms. or 7.5 inches. We cleared about 10 inches, but some of that had blown in. The snow did not finish falling or blowing until well after midnight. (Here's the radar at 6 p.m. - the storm was moving, but not fast enough for me!)    

By 5:30 a.m., when my daughter and I went out to shovel, there was 50 cms/20 inches on the ground. The wind had blown it around, such that there were places at least knee-deep or more to get through. We managed to clear the walkways around the house but left the parking pad in back until it was light out. 

I won't bore you with the details, but my daughter spent over 3 hour shovelling, while I was out there for two. She was out there when the grader went through the back alley and he dipped a little way into our yard to help clear it. Nice guy! We wanted it done as more snow was in the forecast for Friday. Oh yippee!

The forecast suggested 10-15 cms (4-6 inches ). Mother Nature laughed and sent another 26 cms (10 inches). D shovelled before she left to take Eli to school.  I shovelled again while she was at the school for a meeting and again later in the afternoon.  The second shovel was precipitated by the sight of our elderly ( ie. older than me) neighbours out clearing their sidewalks. 

That should be it for snow the remainder of December. We've got a couple of miserable cold to get through and then temps will be seasonal. I'll be honest, as much as I'm enjoying my time with Eli and his mom, I'm counting down the days until I return to Yuma and the sun.

The fence behind me is 5 feet tall. The majority of the pile is from clearing the parking pad over the past few days!

The weekend will be quiet due to the cold weather. D has finished her baking though I may bake a small batch of shortbread, and there is curling to watch. 

Have a great weekend everyone!