Snow, snow and more snow! Part one

I knew it was coming. The weather reports (plus every weather-watcher I have on Facebook) have been warning me. But I didn't really care...I mean, I don't mind the snow, especially if I don't have to go out in it...when I had to commute in this kind of snow?! Oh hell no! *Time for a rant* If your commute is a drive, they (they being work people and news people, of course) tell you "don't go out if its too dangerous, stay at home - work from home if you can" and it is the best excuse for people who drive "can't make it in, I can't get down the driveway, can't drive down the road...traffic is at a stand-still" and on it goes. But when you take transit?! In Toronto, it takes a hell of a lot for the transit system to be shutdown. In fact I have never seen is close due to weather. There are delays - oh HELL there are delays, but if you are transit dependent you are still expected to get in to work at all costs. You are expected to get up extra early to allow for all the additional time it will take and very often you will have to walk blocks in the crap weather to get to your nearest subway stations (forget the buses - seriously, they are unreliable at the best of times!). So glad that is over...sorry for the rant, felt like a good time to vent about my years of transit riding during storms*.

 The streets and sidewalks are mostly empty, except for fellow snow-shovel-ers and snow-blower-ers...and I think I have spotted the mail man!

 The now keeps piling up on the garage roof.

 View through the back door (window)...

...because I couldn't get the door open!

Today I only have to go out to shovel the sidewalk, walkway and driveway. This is the most snow I have seen for a number of years, and since I have lived in apartments for the past 9-10ish years, I haven't had to do any shoveling. So I started shoveling away, and after getting the front porch, pathway and sidewalk done, I was left with the real hard bit - the driveway! There really isn't any room on either side of the drive to pile up the snow - on one side is the house, and with a leaky foundation I do not need to pile on something that will eventually melt and flood us! On the other side is a narrow strip of ground-cover (not that it has been seen for months!) and the neighbors fence...well ground-cover and fence it is! Thankfully the across-the-road neighbor came over with his snow blower to give me a hand - the machine must be twice my age, but it did the trick!

I am now back inside, dripping with melting snow and trying to find a suitable place to hang my snow covered coat/mitts/scarf. I am also trying to warm up knowing that since the snow has not stopped, not even slowed down, that I will certainly be back out there before the day is done.

Fun fact: Jeremiah has never really seen this much snow. He talks a big game about knowing how bad it can get and that he will be fine - everything will always be fine. But really, how does he know?! He has never been snowed into his home, missed days of work or school for snow! And he never takes my winter/snow advice...after all, I have only been living in Canada my whole life! But there is this one thing gets me every time...he leaves his boots outside the front door, why? Don't ask me, there is room in the house. They get damp and cold and personally, I would be afraid of something living in them. I always warn him against doing it, but again, he will not take my advice. So this morning, the first thing I notice when I go outside to clear the snow? Boots full of snow - good luck drying those out! Do you think he will take my advice from now on?

*PS transit smells bad at the best of times, but seriously?! Try taking the TTC in weather like this! Trains and buses are PACKED to the roof with morning smelly, snowy-wet people in winter coats - gag!