Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Winter Wonderland?


Banff Winter Scene II
Originally uploaded by BugMan50.
Since moving to Banff I have learned to fear and respect winter as I never have in my life. My experience of going into the ditch a few weeks ago now has me terrified of driving at night on these roads. I have decided I am not doing any driving if it is dark. On the highway, for a good section, you just get batted around by the winds coming off the foothills. They just shear off and hit you full force. Add the blowing snow and I can tell you it isn't fun.

The day we moved our stuff from Lethbridge it was so cold outside that the side of the highway was like a car grave yard. Cars had just given out because of the cold. They littered the shoulders everywhere. Our Plumber told use he had been running almost 24 hours due to burst pipes and frozen lines. Tow trucks were 3-4 hours behind. Not the sort of situation you want to be in when it is freezing outside.

And the snow! It never stops snowing here. And not the thin, little stuff that just dusts your car. I mean the heaping, huge flakes that sit on the top of everything 3 inches thick. Forget sanding, nothing helps in that kind of snow. Most days it is a miracle we can get our car up the slight slope to our house.

It has become apparent to me that I had no idea what I was in for during the winter here. Most of the time when the weather isn't scaring the shit out of me, I am marveling at the loveliness it creates. That is where I am right now, teetering between unspeakable beauty and barely contained anxiety.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know that misery loves company so I thought I would tell you that Lethbridge has had the worst winter so far in the last 10 years. The snow here is unbelievable it doesn't even look like Lethbridge. The roads are horrible. Plus I wanted to let you and Mark know I MISS MY FRIENDS!!!! Muffy

Heidi Schempp Fournier said...

Awww, thats nice to hear. You know you and Rob are welcome anytime. And, yes, you are right misery DOES love company!