The Greater Vancouver Area was hit with a lot of snow in December and January and I quickly discovered I’m getting too old for snow!
Snow is pretty when it’s falling, and I suppose it’s OK as long as you don’t have to drive anywhere in it.
Southwestern British Columbia isn’t known for huge snowfalls. In fact, when the 2010 Winter Olympics were held here we had marvellously warm temperature in February and the Olympics officials had to truck in snow.
Snow removal
Right now I’m living about a 30 minute commute to where I work and the snow and icy streets made for some pretty sketchy driving.
I’ve been shovelling so much snow trying to keep the driveway clear so I can get my car out. Fortunately there’s a garage for the car. Unfortunately there’s a long driveway to shovel. Also unfortunately the street where I live has never seen a plow. I drive a Mazda 3. If there’s more snow then the car’s under carriage that equals getting stuck high and dry in the snow.
There just isn’t the snow removal machinery in this part of the world that is used back East. Back in the 90s I remember driving in White Rock behind a city pick up truck with a plow blade in the front and a man standing in the truck’s bed shovelling out sand.
Better than nothing I suppose!
On Christmas Day it just wouldn’t stop snowing. I was in and out of the house shovelling snow and trying to keep warm due to the wind. It was such a discouraging day.
Snow photos
Here’s the first significant snowfall on December 8, 2021 and Shadow is enjoying playing in the back yard.
In our part of the world, it’s snow, rain, thaw, freeze, ice, and repeat. Or if we’re lucky more rain and thawing. Driving is pretty treacherous around here when the slush freezes.
That cycle repeated over the next few days. Here’s the next big snowfall on December 18, 2021.
Then we got a rare white Christmas which meant I spent most of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day shovelling the driveway so I could get out if I had to. Well, I could get out the driveway, but probably get stuck in the deep snow on the road that never sees a plow.
Here are December 24, 2021 photos. I’ve got the driveway partly cleared.
I’m not even going to attempt to shovel the circular part of the driveway. At this point in the afternoon of December 24, the snowfall wasn’t so deep and I could drive up and park in front of the house.
Shadow seems happy with the backyard transformation.
Christmas Day, 2021 was spent shovelling the driveway and going back inside to warm up. And then repeat until it got dark. And it never stopped snowing. That’s a lot of snow for a little old lady to be shovelling!
As you can see, even though I was able to clear the driveway, the road was another story.
December 28 was the first day I was able to get out and see my horse! Cajun seems to be doing fine with all the white stuff.
And then we got hit with more snow. I was late to work on December 30 because I had to spend an hour shovelling the driveway so I could get out.
Still a lot of snow to shovel to reach the street.
Standing on the road looking back up at the snow I’ve shoveled.
New Year, more of the same
On January 6, 2022 we had so much snow I couldn’t even get to work. However, I’d brought a lot of data entry home with me and was able to work at home inbetween taking breaks from shovelling.
This was a tough day because it was so wet and heavy and I was so tired from shovelling, I didn’t even make it to the road.
And just in case you’re wondering about the unplowed road…
I have to hope that other vehicles show up and tamp down the snow. And yes, you’d be surprised how busy this cul-de-sac is. A lot of drivers come down here by mistake.
Here’s the road conditions on January 9. Very icy.
As you can see, our tax dollars hard at work.
NOT!
This really drills in the point that I’m getting too old for snow and I want to live in a warmer climate and that I can’t afford to retire in Canada.
When it comes to white stuff, I’d rather drive through fog than snow! What’s the winter been like where you live?
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on January 30, 2022.
