Snowmagedon!!!!

And I am not exaggerating! Not even a little! We have had so much snow this year, the city is "running out of places to put it" and are considering shutting down one side to some of our side streets so they can use it for snow. Like really?????

Let me give you a little example of the 2012/2013 Canadian winter thus far

Average snowfall for us (October to January) is 65.5 centimeters or 25.8 inches
Our actual snowfall this year, from Oct 1 to Jan 28, 2013 was 114.4 centimeters or 45 inches!

And it continues! By February 5  we had all ready exceeded our normal February snowfall!!!!

The past few days, temperature wise have been ok but before that, we were looking at -48 Celsius (-54.4 F), -51 Celsius (-59.8 F)...that is including the windchill...

We have had no snowdays...I have not missed work due to the snow..apparently Canada all provinces, except for BC (I hear they have snow days), don't believe in them...I have been late for work...sitting in snowbanks waiting to be pulled out because shovelling and pushing have failed to get me out...but no snow days...deep in my Canadian heart, I kind of wish we did have a snow day here and there...but then common sense takes over and I realize we would be shut down for 1/3 of the year so maybe not...so, I will take the snow and make proverbialy lemonade...in the shape of snow forts and sliding and frolicking in the mountains of snow.

I hope whatever part of the world you are from, you are feeling happy, loved, content and joyful no matter the state around you.

Well, the weather outside is ________

You finish the sentence.

I know the Christmas song states it as "fightful" and... depending on your perspective, one could say it is so right now but...

Here in northern Canada, January usually brings us -40 degrees Celsius with winds that cut to your bone marrow and whip snow like teeny little ninja stars; where children brave the elements just for five minutes of fresh air by wearing about 8 layers of clothes and their scarves pulled up to their bottom lashes and their toques (snow hats) pulled down to their top (creating prime conditions for frosted lashes).  Bug calls this look being made into a ninja.

Well, this winter we have had, perhaps 2 days of weather that made you snuggle down and shrink into your scarf.  The rest of the days have been -10 C (14 F) or warmer and that was great for a time, albeit an unsettling visual as we are desperately lacking quantities of snow...

Now that it is January it is incredibly unsettling, while I still enjoy the warmth and not feeling like my appendages will shatter or fall off as I contend with the elements. Today, for example, was +1 C (33.8 F)... with rain, more like British Columbia weather (think Vancouver). Tonight, the rain has turned to a thinly veiled sheet of glare ice covered in slush and rain puddles. I drove 34 km/hr (which is roughly 62 mph) on my way home. If I dared to go even that 1 km/h more, I fishtaled, swerved, and slithered on the ice like an eel through water... (gross visual)

I have never lived a winter like this one, at least not in my remembrance. Some of our cute little old-man farmer patients tell me 1989 was similar...another told me 1967 in BC was the same.

It's unsettling. You may think I am insane but...the cold serves a purpose.  Viruses die. We get enough snow to sustain moisture the following farming season. Viruses die...did I mention viruses die...

Anywho, I am not all "freaked out and stockpiling canned goods and buying generators" unsettled but it just seems weird