snow clearance

Yesterday I took it upon myself to clear the driveway. It was a little after 9.30 and I had slobbed about enough in my PJs so by that time all the other driveways were being cleared by my more diligent neighbours.
Paul was at work so of course it was down to me. Like a true Canuck I went out there in my PJs (plus coat,boots, hat and gloves)
I swear the driveway lengthened itself whilst I was in full workout (like Concorde used to when in flight) and I had done about a 3rd of it when I realized that this snow is heavy and getting heavier and I am a wimp.
I noticed the neighbour across from me swiftly clearing his driveway with his sparkling expensive looking snowblower and thought ruefully that he was:
a) lucky and
b) unlikely to come and clear mine with it as he was the one who had shelled out some serious cash and why should I benefit from that.

I was deep in these thoughts and sweat when I realized that he was making his way over whilst offering his and the snowblowers assistance. I of course accepted, gratefully and he made quick work of the remainder of it and I was free to come back in and chill out with more coffee.

We then had some friends come up to play in our snow as they had less down closer to Halifax and were amazed that the plow hadnt yet been through (at 2pm). It then lo and behold came round looking huge with its double plow and threw loads of snow back onto the driveway - double gggrrrrr

Naturally it was cleared up - with the shovel but not by me as I was on the Chai Tea by then.

I have been reading and re-reading my NY resolutions and I know that some of them are to counter some regret. I guess and am hoping that the regrets side of things will disipate over time and with effort on my part.

The morning after and New Years resolutions

Theres a lot of snow out there, there will be more but right now theres enough to make me think I should clear the driveway before its deeper and hence more backbreaking than it is already.

I think I have a NY Resolution list for 2013:

•  Succeed in my new job, and I mean really be outstanding as a leader, an accountant and a professional. This Group is my "forever company".
• Continue with my weight loss and get rid of the 15 pounds, become leaner and fitter by joining the local gym and making use of the great yoga classes there.
• Try Zumba again to dance my way to fitness (as the ad says!)
• Save for the Keys vacation in October
• Get my head back into my home and my future that was so important before I had my MLC. Its still as important.
• Learn more about my own weaknesses and how to remain positive in dealing with them.
• Meet aging head on and with style. Its not an issue, its only a number, I am not in the world of green cardigans yet and wont be for many many years.
• Sort out the garden this Spring.
• Spend more days at the beach with and without my family. Try to have a beach trip every weekend.
• Eat out more, we CAN afford it.
• Spend more time in Halifax enjoying it. Make the most of the facilities there and find new ones.
• Stay at the Atlantica at least twice in the year.

There - I knew I could do it!

weather bomb

Snow is a coming, we have a weather bomb on its way, due to hit around midnight but
its calm out there currently, clear sky with a big old moon and minus 4C. Its hard to imagine a big huge storm coming this way with wind and storm surge and blizzards.

We have food, a cleanish house (I hoovered up all the dog hair today as I couldn’t bear to be faced with all that in a potential power outage), heat that doesn’t require any electricity and propane in the BBQ ( I think), if we run out of propane then we have a little perfectly fine charcoal bbq that we use with the hot (I want to say coals but we have wood) from the fire.

So we can be warm, we can eat, the dog hair has gone, we can play, if the power goes out we will lose the TV and worst – Facebook. How will I cope?

Talking of which - Facebook is going crazy with official weather updates and more amusing ones, we have an actual Blizzard warning for our area, all my Blizzard knowledge has been gained from reading Little House on the Prarie books:

Maritime Weather Center

‎
[click on the picture above to see it and read the comments]

***corrected information

ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN FOR NOVA SCOTIA, A LES SUETES WIND WARNING IS ISSUED FOR:

Inverness County - Mabou and north
...
ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN FOR NOVA SCOTIA, A WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR:

Richmond County
Sydney Metro and Cape Breton County

ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS UPGRADED A SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN FOR NOVA SCOTIA, A BLIZZARD WARNING IS ISSUED FOR:
Annapolis County
Colchester County North
Colchester County - Cobequid Bay
Colchester County - Truro and south
Cumberland County North and Cobequid Pass
Cumberland County - Minas Shore
Hants County
Kings County

ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN FOR NOVA SCOTIA, A STORM SURGE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR:

Antigonish County
Inverness County - Mabou and north
Inverness County - south of Mabou

ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS UPGRADED A SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN FOR NOVA SCOTIA, A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED FOR:

Antigonish County
Annapolis County
Digby County
Guysborough County
Halifax Metro and Halifax County West
Halifax County - east of Porters Lake
Inverness County - Mabou and north
Inverness County - south of Mabou
Kings County
Lunenburg County
Pictou County
Queens County
Shelburne County
Yarmouth County
Victoria County


 

some things that come to mind

I am hoping that as we get closer to the all important NY Eve that I will get some kind of divine intervention and inspiration for New Years Resolutions will hit me in a big way. To me, there is nothing like January 1st for a clean-out in all kinds of ways.
Bad habits are binned, diets started, gyms joined and we start the year in a optimistic fashion for maintaining all new ideals.
However, so far, this year I am not feeling it. I guess I still have some days to go - make that 3, to sort out this issue and hopefully the end result will be a "list"

While I await this big event, I want to make a note here of all the things that I have come to realize just recently. I have been in a bit of funk for a number of weeks now, but I am coming out the other side and the following came to me yesterday actually:

1. I now know where to shop. This may sound a little odd but suddenly I am comfortable and at home with my shopping options. I now have no desire, whatsoever to return to my UK haunts even though they do deliver. Out with Next and M&S and Monsoon and in with Banana Republic, Le Chateau, Gap, Reitmans (GREAT pants and cute shoes), Le Vie en Rose and Old Navy (Almost all of these are at my favourite - Dartmouth Crossing!)

2. Still on the shopping theme - I am no longer awestruck by the Starbucks at Chapters or the size of it, its there and I love it. I know where to go for my foody goods and which Superstore I need to frequent to track down the family favourite Pesto and Mango salsa (Not Elmsdale sadly!)

2. I am feeling a little of a need to distance myself from some of the British culture - the disdain when someone makes an innocent or maybe not even innocent error. The comments behind their backs, especially strangers backs if they screw up. The unpleasant silence in places such as the steam room in the health club where no one dares to chat to each other in case you are met with a blank stare.

3. Whilst I am happy with my British accent, I want to be more Canadian, ie. Polite. There is a directness that comes from being British that is sometimes considered rude here, I dont want to be seen that way. Being direct at the right time and when I need to is fine but only then.

4. Weather. I am now no longer awestruck by massive swings in temperature. I no longer freak out if I dont have an emergency kit in my car and I am now amazed that I was so amazed. The weather is what it is here - sucky in Spring, hot and humid (and gorgeous) in the summer, hot and warm in the Fall, cold and cold and cold in the Winter, maybe I am becoming more of a Canuck.

5. I realize now that we are pretty rural out here, its still a subdivision and not the complete boonies but all the good things that I like to enjoy are about 30-40 mins drive - nightlife, sushi, decent indoor swimming pools, the water, restaurants where people dont wear baseball hats. This place does however have many of my friends in it and THE best babysitter ever (like ever!)
We figured that if we want to drink and drink in Halifax we will book a room at the Atlantica and really go for it.

So, all in all, this place is becoming home. I still wish frequently that I hadnt waited until now to get here, but I guess theres nothing that can be done about that fact.

weather warning in effect

So Ruby and I flew down there this morning, the day actually started with a phone call from Ruby at 8.30am along the lines of "hey, have you seen we are going to get hit by a shitload of weather today, do you still want to go?" We decided that we should get there asap to get in and out ahead of the weather front.
Banana Republic was rammed, nothing like the crazy Next sales of the UK, more like Next on a busy Saturday but very busy for that store. I didnt manage to find what I was looking for, but got a couple of basic essentials. I LOVE that my basic essentials come from this store now.
Over the last 10 years the only BR items in my wardrobe would be from my increasingly sporadic trips to the US and highly prized.

So we went next to Second Cup and had a mint chocolate latte which was very chocolatey and not at all minty. It was nice to sit and chat but when the flakes started to fall we hightailed it out of there.

We managed to stay ahead of the weather all the way home and I even stopped for ingredients for todays roast dinner which is now cooking and making the house smell divine.
The snow started to really come down as we got home and has been now for 5 hours. Paul has cleared the driveway twice now ( a blue job) and I have been reading my new Kathy Reichs novel all afternoon.
The weather front is warning of snow (tick), freezing rain and 100km winds. So far no sign of the wind, that can stay away, at least until dinner is cooked!

Post Boxing Day sale and weather acoming

Today I am going to go to the Banana Republic Sale. Theres an outlet down the road in a sweet little outdoors shopping mall called Dartmouth Crossing. Its nice because it has a number of outlets and restaurants and big old stores like Home Depot and Walmart too in a tasteful setting that at this time of year is decorated in fabulous Christmas lights. Its a handy 25 minute drive from here and I love it.

So outlets work for me as they are somewhat less expensive than the standard store and have clothes that are just as nice, if there are any last seasons, I dont actually care.
I have a certain taste for clothes thats not hugely swayed by fashion trends. I know how I want to look for work and rest and I look for whats out there to compliment that.

We also have a big old storm front coming in today, with 100km/hr winds, snow and ice pellets. I feel the need to get down there and back before that really hits us today. But at least we have something fun coming frankly. Its been a bit boring, no real weather fronts, no real snow, no real ice.

So, I have cancelled my WW now although it doesnt run out until Feb 8th so I have some leeway. I will go into the gym maybe today to sign up, I am feeling a little vulnerable, almost like without this I will suddenly balloon back up to my old weight.
I need to get into the gym mode asap so that doesnt happen.

I can feel some strong NY resolutions coming on too.
My oldest child is playing with her Breyer horses in front of me, shes eight and beautiful. Her personality is beautiful too. Her whole life is ahead of her and she has no real idea of the gravity of that.
I almost look forward to the first time she comes home with purple hair. I hope she will be strong in her wants in life. Lately I am more and more aware of the delicate, difficult traits of a human being.

a reflection on 2012

This is the time of year where I need to reflect on the year thats just leaving us and make some plans for the next one. Currently I am not in the groove for the second part but reflecting on this year should be easy enough:

I had a great but wrong job this year - it was great in the respect of fabulous office location for working and lunchtime and I LOVED it.
Wonderful office - peaceful, private, lovely view and daylight.
Some awesome colleagues - you know who you are and I still value you as friends
Some not some wonderful ones - isnt that just life though.
A chance to travel to some amazing places and eat out ALOT. I stayed in some beautiful hotel rooms and some not so. I met some lovely hotel workers and swam in some not so great pools. I had my fill of hotel bathrooms (my guilty pleasure) and fell asleep to the sound of far off traffic, airplanes and airconditioning.
I had the chance to do a calamari survery in Montreal and have to say The Elixor near Dorval won on all counts for meals and ambience.
I had an amazing manager who I will always respect for her way of addressing people and getting information from them,. She was also incredibly supportive.

BUT it was the wrong time for my young children and I was never at home, so maybe one day later in life that kind of intense travel will be for me again.

I then had the chance to start a new job, one where I am at home each night, dont get to travel and eat out so much, but DO get to make decisions again. Its been a tough transfer back to that world for me, more so as I miss the old role, but time will be the healer there and I am already more excited for this job. I like making decisions again too. I am still in the same Company too, just another division. My heart is in this Group of Companies now, so thats great.

I lost a stack of weight and now can fit in most of my old clothes again. I have cried over this! I still have some weight to go - about 15 pounds and want to tone more and run further but I am fitter and lighter than I have been for years! Its an overwhelming feeling.

We got all the planned projects this year completed and done. So wood pile, fencing and bathroom. The bathroom was the biggest thing and its relaxing to be in there.

Next year, so far I know that I need to continue the weight loss/fitness programme, get better and better at my job and learn to have the same emotional commitment to this Division (time will do this). Our trip is now for next Fall, so some saving is required.
Theres no projects for our home planned, except a bit of painting in the guest suite. So I guess there is a bit of a plan afterall.
Oh and social life - thats coming back now! Hurrah!!!!!