Snowed In!

   It has snowed all day and the wind has blown it into huge drifts. My driveway was covered up to at least 20 cms. so I have been marooned here until I can dig through it sufficiently to get my car out. Judy made it here to pick up James and, I presume, made it home to Markham. The main roads are well trampled with constant traffic and most have been cleared at least once. Our side street, however, is still a bit of a mess as the plough won't be round until later tonight. Of course that will mean a huge windrow across the bottom of my driveway as well as the snow that has fallen.

   I was out twice to shovel but each time the wind just filled in what I had cleared. Now I will leave it until tomorrow and tackle it when I am fresh and rested. I have had several calls to fill in for teachers tomorrow but have declined them all - no way to get there until I can dig myself out. I am just as happy to stay home with a good book in my nice warm house!

A Good Book

   I started a new library book today and I think I will really get into it. It is "Just One Evil Act" by Elizabeth George. It's an Inspector Lynley crime mystery, following up on his last adventure which I read last year.

   I had several errands to run this morning, mostly successful. First I headed to the hardware store to change my order for the basement floor. I had ordered laminate flooring but, because of the drain, I was advised by the installer to go with a vinyl product. Once that was done I headed to the store that sold me my gas fire - the remote wasn't working ( it could turn on but not off - quite scary!) and I was hoping all I needed was a replacement. No such luck - I will need a whole new ignition system plus the cost of the technician to install it. Very annoying! Lastly I hit Walmart for more bird seed bells and some dish detergent. Mission accomplished and the little sparrows will be happy tomorrow.

   No problems with the weather today but another big dump of snow is forecast for tonight and into tomorrow morning, so driving might be a bit tricky until it is over. Then back to the shovelling detail! It seems to have been never ending this winter.

A Heavy Snowfall

Birds at the feeder

   We had the biggest snowfall of the winter (so far!) on Saturday and I have been working away at my driveway since then. I did two shovellings on Saturday while the snow was still coming down, and then started in earnest on it on Sunday. There's still an area between the sidewalk and the road that isn't cleared, but I have driven over it so often it is getting packed down and may be there until Spring! 
  Today James had fun playing on the snowbanks created by all the shovelling. It was a glorious day today with some warmth in the sun and we stayed out for over an hour.




Climbing Mount Snowbank

At the summit

 

  

Chinese Dumplings

   Terrible weather yesterday - drove out to Markham in a blizzard to look after the grandkids and had a tricky drive home around midnight. But all's well that ends well and I was glad to sleep in my own bed!

Chicken and cabbage filling

    While at the Athertons I had the kids help me make Chinese dumplings to celebrate Chinese New Year. The kids were great helpers, even James (for a while) but not so keen on the finished product, although Elliot ate a few. I cooked the filling beforehand - didn't want the kids working with raw ground chicken - so we just had to fill the won tons. Then they were fried slightly and steamed. Unfortunately I let the pan dry out so they stuck quite badly. However, adding a little more water loosened most of them.

   Today I woke up to a winter wonderland, everything coated with snow. I spent the day shovelling the driveway in installments and finally finished the upper half by 4:30. The snow was very wet and heavy so I had a good workout.

A wonton with filling

 


Ready for cooking

Ready to eat with plum sauce