Whatever next?

job done

The snow monster outside our door

Friday's snowfall was deeper than the snowblower!

Poppies painted in acrylic

I think Canadians need something to celebrate at least every couple of weeks through the winter! Valentines day was huge in the elementary schools, every pupil buys cards and sometimes candy for each pupil in their class and the teachers, they have partys too. There are cards available to send to just about anyone on Valentines day. So Harriet got 25 cards this year!!!! David and I actually went out for lunch on Valentines day but only because I won a $20 gift voucher from a local radio station for my birthday!

Last week schools celebrated the 100th day, what's that you ask well it's the 100th day of the school year and with snow days it's a surprise when it will land each year. Harvey school have had more days off than most with the floods and more snow being so remote so their 100th day fell 3 days after the rest! Kids traditionally take in 100 of something like jelly beans, toy cars, cents etc. Next week is March break which is a 1 week holiday. But until then the kids will have to cope with yet another snow day today.

We keep been told that spring is round the corner but last Friday we had our biggest snowfall yet with 45cm falling in about 12 hours and we are all home now watching another forecasted 15cm+ falling.

Winter jobs

Suz & Josh clearing the roof

Yoho from our window painted in watercolour

Yoho sunset drawn in pastels

This is Engelbert the goat I drew using pastels, hopefully we'll have some like him soon!

My very warm woolly socks that I made this week.

Although life in winter is lovely with woodstoves, skiing, skidooing, sledging, snowman building, lots of eating etc there are loads of jobs that need doing. Wood collecting, cutting, storing and keeping the fire roaring is a big priority which is fine except when the indoor pile runs low in the middle of a storm! Also the shear amount of snow that falls means lots of shovelling and snow blowing to keep drives, paths and parking spaces free. House roofs get very heavy under feet of snow, views are split on the need for clearing them but after a couple of house roofs in New Brunswick collapsed and the local mall had some roof trouble we decided to clear ours this week. Also with the chance of a couple of warmer days I didn't want any melting into our bedroom!

The kids had another day off on Friday with freezing rain again, it was rather like skating in the car trying to drive down the road.

Market was frustrating yesterday. I was moved to a big stall in a great spot the only down side being it is usually a special blend coffee stall. Literally hundreds of people asked us for a cup of coffee and when I said we don't sell it you'd have thought the world had ended! Think I need to add caffine to my cupcakes.

With long cold nights and no DIY or lesson planning to do anymore I've taken up knitting and painting again. So far I've made 3 hats, 1 scarf, a pair of socks and I'm on my 4th picture. This week I've got a meeting about starting my new job which I'm really looking forward to. David is still building his shed but is being hampered by the weather.

This is the time of year for tax returns too. Everyone has to submit one including Isaac and Josh because they worked in the summer. If they are simple you can do them yourself if not you have to get an accountant to file them for you.

Harriet is in the school play 'Sleeping Beauty'which involves lots of late nights after school. She's a duke and a deer.

Harriet is 11!!!!!

Harriet's birthday cake made by Isaac

Harriet and her friends

Half a dozen red rose cupcakes

The celebration just go on and on. I got lots of great presents including a crock pot, hat, money, a game and lots of galaxy chocolate! A big thank you to everyone. A friend from church also got my birthday announced on the radio and I won a $20 voucher for a local resturant when my name was pulled out of a hat.

Harriet was 11 on Thursday and she got an alarm clock, slipper boots, cool wellies, lots of fluffy socks, hat, cuddly toys and money. She had 2 friends round this afternoon after market and she chose roast beef and yorkshire puddings for tea. Isaac made her a cake too.

The market was ok today, I was in an annexe off to the side which is quiet, hopefully I'll get moved again soon.

A few weeks ago I had an interview for another job which I start in March. It's additional to the 2 jobs I have already. I will be working for a local charity doing a project with a young man with autism for 3 afternoons per week until the summer. It should be quite exciting and abit of a challenge.

Life begins at 40!

Skiing in UNB woodlot

Yoho sunset

ooops

silly Josh

Harriet hugging a goat!

McCains factory

the historic covered bridge

Bess isn't too well and sleeps most of the time now

Harriet made me cupcakes for my birthday.

My 40th birthday celebrations have started this weekend with a party. I invited friends to cheer me up as I embark on the downhill part of my life. When we woke on Sunday another foot of snow had been dumped on Yoho and was still falling, church had to be cancelled as the truck used for moving the gear to the hall was stuck at the back of a carpark which hadn't been plowed as it was the weekend. I was beginning to google what of the food I'd made could be frozen when the sun came out and it was a beautiful afternoon. 34 guests came and we had fun games finding out if the 39's and under or the 40's+ were superior, of course the 40's++++ won! A friend from church when introduced to Richard asked him who was the older sibling!!!!!!!! I can't work out if I look 30 or him 40! I got some lovely presents at the party including a tin of mushy peas ... yummmy just need real fish 'n' chips and I'm set. I'll open all the cards and parcels that have arrived on my official birthday. Harriet is sooooo excited waiting for her birthday on Thursday, some of her friends are visiting at the weekend.

Last weekend I took a day off from the market as it was so slow and we went to visit a goat farm. It was in a beautiful position near Florenceville and the goats were so cute. It certainly gave us lots of good ideas. On the way to visit it we passed the McCains factory HQ and an historic covered bridge. We borrowed cross country skis again and attempted to do the shortest route in the UNB woodlot. The woodlot is about 13km of primed ski paths which are free for the public to use. We did a little 2.5km circular route which was just long enough to build up a bit of a sweat and practice our techniques. Next time we'll try a longer route and go earlier in the day so we don't finish in the dark. The paths are so beautiful though just like Narnia, it wouldn't have surprised me if the snow queen had pulled up on her sledge and offered me turkish delight!

David decided to try offroading in his new truck last week, he went into a ditch. Thankfully truck and David were fine but he needed help pulling it out so went to fetch the boys who were home on another snow day to help dig. A friendly neighbour towed him in the end.

Last week was also 6 months since we arrived in Canada. Time just flies by so fast. Life is very different from this time last year but really good. We are not fed up with the snow yet, we love it! It's not too cold for us, houses are warm inside and you dress up warm for outside. We were only saying yesterday we haven't seen rain since December... that is definately a big plus. Also snow days are so peaceful except if they come with the wind. The days inbetween snow days are blue skies, crisp, bright sunshine, real outdoors days making snowshoeing, skiing, igloo building, sledging so much fun. We have lots more daylight too, the sun rises around 7am and sets after 6pm at the moment. It got to +1 degrees yesterday and we were too hot!!!!

Groundhog day!!!!

What a crazy day! 2nd Feb is Canada's groundhog day. Our local groundhog lives in Oromocto and is called Oromocto Ollie. I'm sure you've all seen the film but incase you have no idea what I'm talking about here's what today is all about. Loads of people gather round some poor groundhogs winter burrow and wait for it to come out. If it sees its shadow it gets scared and runs back in predicting 6 more weeks of winter, if it has no shadow and comes out to play then spring is just around the corner!!! Good news folks Oromocto Ollie along with many other famous groundhogs all predicted spring around the corner! I for one am cynical about the whole psychic powers of this oversized squirrel like creature especially as it's currently the middle of another snow storm and everything's whiteout. Thankfully we love the snow and think we can manage a few more weeks before spring. I must admit thinking of the snowdrops and crocuses probably starting to poke out in the UK and still finding it difficult to imagine not seeing flowers growing again till April/May.