The first weeks of January have brought us some truly spectacularly cold weather combined with whistling winds, next level snow drifts and some lessons in survival (and how we would likely perish if we had to live for any period of time outdoors in this kind of weather). In general, I think we have all gone soft, but this past week and a bit, I will forgive us this shortcoming. It was just darn cold.
Since about the end of October I have been driving the kids to the bus stop in the morning. First it was because the bears hadn’t gone to bed yet and there was a grizzly rumored to be roaming nearby. Then it just got too dark and I didn’t want them walking to the bus stop that early (in case said Grizzly was not yet abed). And then it got cold…see the note above about us all having gone soft. With the -40-ish temperatures, it’s just not wise to be out for very long, so I have been trying to also pick up at the bus stop to save them the 20 mins or so it takes to walk home. They are packing good gloves, buffs, goggles, snow pants and toques with their gear everyday in case things go sideways. Which it always does, and did one day when I attempted to fetch them in the worst of the weather. A rotten combination of -35 and wind made for poor visibility and dangerous cold. Jeff had also taken the very capable Armada that day since he is now heading into Sparwood 2-3 times a week for work and anticipated the worsening weather. I had the Ford, which is a reasonable swap when you’re not planning to go very far, but is not that good in the snow. So, I chipped the ice off, warmed it up, and started down the road to meet the girls when the truck came to an very abrupt halt. Like I’d hit something. Visibility being what it was, I couldn’t really see the road but knew I was at least on it. The wind had blown snow into the middle to the tune of about 18 inches creating an impasse. 4-wheel drive and all manner of start and stop would not make it budge. I was stuck in a white truck in the middle of the road a snowstorm. I called Jeff if only to inform him of the potential that he may need to dig the Ford out of the snow when he came home from work. There was not much else to be done though. There was no shovel in the truck, and my boots were not cutting it as a means to dig me out. We had hounded the girls to be prepared for the worst, and neglected to prepare ourselves. (first lesson) At least I was wearing a toque, my warmest coat, and boots. I had forgotten my good gloves. (second lesson).
The girls had been dropped by the bus and I could see them starting to walk home, realizing I was far away and not moving. I called Mary and told her they were going to have to hustle to where I was stuck and we would either get un-stuck together or have to abandon the truck and walk back.
Luck was on our side that day though. A couple of minutes, maybe not even, passed and a pickup turned down our dirt road. It stopped, picked up the girls and came to a stop in front of the Ford. There is no stranger danger here (I did have a moment’s pause, my lower mainland caution still kicks in, but quickly gave way to relief). Neighbors pick up other peoples kids and give them rides home. One of our neighbors, we have maybe three on our road, had a chain and proceeded to un-stick me/drag me out of the drift. He then ran his truck up and down the road a couple of times to create a path through the other drifts to make sure I could get turned around and back to the house. It was bitterly cold and it took some significant effort to get us going. It was a kindness beyond measure. I will be eternally grateful for our good fortune and for the kindness of strangers. We also now have gear and shovels in the back of the vehicles. Lessons learned.
At the house, the snow has drifted high enough to make exit by the back door almost impossible. There is frost and ice on the screen doors that has sealed them shut periodically, until one of us forces them open. Winter on an open plain is different than winter on the hill. Max is particularly afraid of the storms, and the whistling wind sends him to hide. This week, his panic room of choice was our bathroom. On this day, the wind was fierce and was blowing everything around. The patio furniture relocated itself from one end of the deck to the other, being saved from destruction by the railing, and our StarLink router kept getting blown off its perch making it nearly impossible to keep an internet connection for work going. That’s him staring at me from the doorway while I tried to work and not laugh at him. One interesting side-bar is that Max’s instinct when the fire alarm goes off is to get out of the house. Something about the beeping sends him to the first exit.
Mom is doing well, and despite being a bit house-bound by the cold and snow, is in good spirits. There’s nothing to inspire trips out when getting from the house to the car means 8-layers and a spotter. The house is a bit chilly too, with ice on the inside of the windows, so she’s keeping to the well-heated four walls of her bedroom. We had to commandeer her space heater for the basement bedrooms (which don’t have baseboard heaters ?!) but we test drove the baseboard in her room and discovered it works just fine. Her room is at least 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the house, so she ventures out for tea/coffee/food/company, but soon retreats to the warmth again and the comfort of her easy chair. I don’t blame her…we all “visit” her room occasionally to enjoy the tropics. I am trying to keep her car from being buried and a clear path should the weather turn and an opportunity to escape the house appears. So far that hasn’t happened. I think we’ll have to give her a new name and declare her a groundhog. We won’t see her outside the house until Spring!
In not weather related news…Lizzie kicked off her volleyball season with her new team in Cranbrook, attending a sports psychology lecture, a team meeting with her new coaches, and a session with a kinesiologist to talk about strength and endurance training, and a bit about general health and nutrition. A far cry from the kickoffs in Fernie and it gave us high hopes for a season of learning while we are away from our home base. Her team also has a more rigorous training schedule with 6 hours a week scheduled and a 3-day start up camp that is coming in the next week. It all comes with a price tag in both time and cashola though and I see some fundraising in our future! Lizzie, initially quite nervous about the switch in teams, has found her feet. With a week of training behind us now, her team is coming together and there are friendships forming.
Basketball has been a little less exciting with two tournaments being cancelled for the weather and challenges with the temperatures and snow making travel a bit sketchy between here and Fernie (and everywhere!). Lizzie has yet to play a tournament, but Mary’s Grade 7 team is doing well. They are playing this weekend, participating in at the Bantam level (Gr 8s). Coming home from volleyball practice with Liz, we were able to catch the last half of her second game of the day to see a tired Mary who had played most of the first game, and would play all 4 quarters of the second. Her team lost, but her effort earned her an MVP for the game. Another game today and maybe playoffs. She’s going to be TIRED tonight.
Jeff and Mary also got a trip in to Fernie to do some skiing before the really cold weather set in. The mountain was as expected, with a bit of fresh snow to make it worth their while. Lizzie and I are probably out for most the season with volleyball dominating her (and my) time. We didn’t get passes this year since we are farther away and busy with so many other things (uh…like building a house), but Jeff, Mary and Margaret might get a few days in still. There’s a pass they can get that is for 10 days of skiing on any of the RCR mountains. That might be the choice for this year so they can visit Kimberley as well. Being that we are nearing the end of January though, I would be shocked if they made 10 days before the end of the season.
When the weather is foul and you’re trying not to leave the house, you find other things to do. I have been missing time in the kitchen with all the extra-curricular activities, and decided that since we were running the oven in an attempt to supplement the lack of warmth coming from the baseboards, I would make good use of that oven temp and do some baking. First round of cinnamon buns and cheater Babka came out beautifully. I added some whole wheat bread and sourdough to the list keeping the house smelling like a bakery and kids/adults smiling.
I took advantage of the downtime and started a new puzzle, setting up a table next to one of the heaters. There are advantages to cold weather that is too cold to be outside.
We’re all staying warm despite the cold and with the temperature rising just today to -10 it feels like its warm enough to do something! Lizzie and I are headed to watch the College of the Rockies Avalanche Volleyball Club play a couple of games and to a team-building event for her team today. Mary is off to day 2 of her Basketball Tournament, and we’ll reconvene sometime this evening. A trip to see the progress on the house is tomorrow’s agenda. I’ll be snapping some pics to update everyone on that side of things. Stay tuned!