Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Christmas in the snow
It is a strange feeling to be wishing for snow at Christmas time only to get rain. This is how it has been for the past number of years in Victoria. I am not complaining about rain in winter; I always said, "I would rather shovel rain than snow." The truth is I never took out the shovel in Victoria. Even on the "snow days" when I was sent home from work early.
The weather reports had called for a snow storm for a couple of days so it was not a surprise. I left for my co-op job at the Ministry of Forests a few minutes early as the snow had started and I knew people would be driving slowly. Once I got out onto the main roads I found that people were literally crawling down the road. There was about a quarter inch of snow on the road and instead of the usual two lanes going in both directions the traffic had created one lane each way so there was no getting by. So the twenty minute drive to work took about 45. I did arrive safe and sound and found that many people did not come in because of "all the snow". I worked with my head down for a couple of hours stopping periodically to greet a co-worker who was so scared of all the snow accumulating on the roads. By 11 AM there was an inch and a half on the roads and that was it. With another half inch expected by the end of the day, we were sent home.
Now we are in Edmonton and there has been snow on the ground for a month. And, let me tell you there is more than a couple of inches. I am not sure how much snow it would take to be sent home from work early here. I have woken up to 6 inches on the roads and I just knew that I would have to go in to work. Not that I am complaining, the traffic only goes about 10 Km per hour with that much snow on the road so it is very safe.
Now as Christmas approaches I find myself with snow all around and I still want a fresh blanket for Christmas morning. A light dusting that will clean things up and make it bright. I just wish it would melt clean away by boxing day and warm to at least 15 degrees for the rest of the winter.
Merry Christmas I hope yours is white.
By Chad
The weather reports had called for a snow storm for a couple of days so it was not a surprise. I left for my co-op job at the Ministry of Forests a few minutes early as the snow had started and I knew people would be driving slowly. Once I got out onto the main roads I found that people were literally crawling down the road. There was about a quarter inch of snow on the road and instead of the usual two lanes going in both directions the traffic had created one lane each way so there was no getting by. So the twenty minute drive to work took about 45. I did arrive safe and sound and found that many people did not come in because of "all the snow". I worked with my head down for a couple of hours stopping periodically to greet a co-worker who was so scared of all the snow accumulating on the roads. By 11 AM there was an inch and a half on the roads and that was it. With another half inch expected by the end of the day, we were sent home.
Now we are in Edmonton and there has been snow on the ground for a month. And, let me tell you there is more than a couple of inches. I am not sure how much snow it would take to be sent home from work early here. I have woken up to 6 inches on the roads and I just knew that I would have to go in to work. Not that I am complaining, the traffic only goes about 10 Km per hour with that much snow on the road so it is very safe.
Now as Christmas approaches I find myself with snow all around and I still want a fresh blanket for Christmas morning. A light dusting that will clean things up and make it bright. I just wish it would melt clean away by boxing day and warm to at least 15 degrees for the rest of the winter.
Merry Christmas I hope yours is white.
By Chad
