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What's with all the snow?

Honestly, I thought that when I left Northern Ontario and headed west to Barrhead, I would see less snow than I was used to. Alas, that is not the case.

Honestly, I thought that when I left Northern Ontario and headed west to Barrhead, I would see less snow than I was used to. Alas, that is not the case.

I’ve been told that Barrhead indeed gets its fair share of snow, but that the amount we have received over the past two months is still quite an anomaly. I’m comforted by that notion, but I want it to be over with already.

Don’t get me wrong, I know full well that the more snow we get, the better it is for snowmobiling, skiing and other outdoor activities. It’s just that I’m not much of a lover of winter.

Perhaps I just need to get out and do more, but when the mercury drops to -30 C, it kind of makes me not want to leave the confines of my nice, warm house. The past two weekends must have been lucrative for the movie-rental stores in town. It was perfect weather for renting a few flicks, brewing a cup of hot chocolate, climbing under a blanket, and getting lost in another world for a few hours.

That’s what my family did last weekend, although it was mostly filled with Scooby Doo movies. I’m fine with that, though, as long as it didn’t involve getting cold and wet.

I did venture out toward Westlock on Saturday, and I have to say the roads were absolutely brutal. It’s no fault of the county snowplows, because I saw one clearing snow on my way back to Barrhead.

To reiterate, the roads were horrible. I’m not a fast driver to begin with, and I usually have no problems driving the speed limit. After all, I come from Northern Ontario where the speed limit is 80 km/h, so driving 100 in a 100-km/h zone in Alberta is very easy for me. But, I didn’t even drive the speed limit on Saturday.

I’m used to snowy conditions. Every year in Timmins, we had eight-foot snowbanks in our front yard, and they were removed several times over the duration of winter. I would have to say that I don’t have a real issue with snow, other than having to shovel foot upon foot of snow isn’t my idea of a good time. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past two weekends. It seriously puts a damper in my movie-watching time.

My real issue is the cold. Alberta cold is different than Ontario cold, though. It’s more bearable here, in my opinion, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Apparently, the weather is going to warm up over the next week. That’s something I can handle much better, although it will mean slushy roads. I would much rather slushy roads than -30 C weather any day. It’s supposed to warm up into the pluses, too, although I will believe it when I see it.

The warmer weather will be better for anyone looking to partake in the wonders of winter, and I use those terms loosely. Anyone who has put off skiing or skating on the outdoor rink at the Agrena can now go ahead with those plans.

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