It is still snowing in London. The newspaper says we've gotten 120 cm since it started on Sunday afternoon, with about 20 cm more to come. When I look out my window I see no signs of it stopping anytime soon. I never really understood the meaning of the term "snow squalls" before I moved here. Apparently, the warm water in Lake Huron evaporates into the cold northern air and brings major dumps of snow. It is a very slow moving storm, so it just sticks around in one small area, slows down for a while, goes back out over the lake, and then brings more snow. In fact, it is only a very small area that is getting this amount of snow. Several of the people who work in Chris's office but live in outlying areas have seen only trace amounts of snow. Apparently, northwest and southwest London are getting the worst walloping. We are in southwest London. The city has nearly come to a halt. Our new mayor, who was supposed to have his inaugural ball last night, just announced that he will not be calling a state of emergency. However, London City Transit will not be running after 3 o'clock this afternoon. I haven't seen or heard a snow plow on our street yet, but there was evidence that one went by on the other side of our street yesterday. We must be a very low priority area — quite a contrast to living on Crocket Street! The snow drift piling up on the window beside my desk has nearly hit the halfway point. I have to boost myself up on my seat to see the houses across the street. It is a winter wonderland.
The kids love it! They are sure they won't have to go to school this week at all. I keep warning them that school is almost never cancelled in London, so they better be prepared to go tomorrow. A Grade 8 boy quoted in the newspaper said he could remember one other time that school was cancelled for snow. That is something my kids will have to get used to! Last year in Fredericton school was only cancelled once (the day our moving truck came), but that was a very mild winter and very out of the ordinary. My kids are accustomed to missing at least 4 - 6 days a year for snow.
Chris hates winter. He hates clearing the driveway, even with his snowblower, because of all the work involved in clearing off the vehicles and moving them into the street before he can really start blowing the snow away. Our new house has a two car garage, something that was on the top of our "must have" list when we were house-hunting. Actually, this house has a three car garage, if you count the area deep enough to actually park two cars. Unfortunately, since we moved here, our garage has been a shed. When we first moved in we were able to get the van in on one side. Then we brought a bunch of stuff out of the basement when we thought we had hired someone to finish it. No more van in the garage. There are boxes in it, wood for the basement, the cabinet that I just finished varnishing. No cars. It's been a "no car garage". Sunday night, Chris and I spent two hours reorganizing the garage so that Monday morning we would be able to get both cars in it. I am happy to say, we were successful! Today we are all home. School is cancelled and Chris is working from home, and the snow is piling up in the driveway. But there isn't a flake of snow on our cars. They are cozy and warm in the garage.
I am a Maritimer who is very accustomed to big snowstorms, but this is a lot even for me! I love it, though. It means my whole family is cozy and happy and together. I am enjoying my Christmas tree and a good book. The kids have been tobogganing with their friends down the street on the huge piles of dirt behind our subdivision. They come in occasionally for lunch or cookies and hot chocolate, but they always have big smiles on their faces. And Chris is happy because our two car garage means the driveway will be easy to blow out. This is a fun storm.
"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...."
