BLIZZARD BLISS
I went to bed last night listening to the roaring prairie
wind blasting its way through our shelterbelt trees and throwing loose snow
against the side of the house with all its might. It made me snuggle further under the covers
and smile. I love nights like this.
Now, before you call up the nice people with straight
jackets and have me hauled away, hear me out.
Don’t question my sanity just for a silly little thing like enjoying a
good, old-fashioned blizzard every once in a while. I’m prairie, born and raised. We’re kind of an extreme life form.
First of all, please note that my embracing of the storm was
done from the inside of my house. A
house with central heating and excellent insulation. Furthermore, I was tucked into my toasty warm
bed and under a down-filled duvet. And,
most important of all, I knew that everyone I loved was home, safe, and warm,
as well. I didn’t need to worry about a
single person or thing. I could relax
and listen to the wind howl its one, long song, feeling its power pushing
against the walls but trusting that my shelter was up to the task of protecting
me and those I care about. The louder
the wind, the cozier I feel.
This morning dawned
with bright blue skies, dazzling fresh white snow and the wind still blowing,
it kind of looks like a Christmas card picture out there – very pretty, but
nasty cold. We were at the southern edge
of the storm so we got a major part of our precipitation in freezing rain
throughout the day yesterday. Although
the videos of kids skating on city streets and other people throwing curling
rocks down stretches of pebbled highway are fun for the novelty of it all, the
potential for concussions and broken hips are important factors to consider
before a person ventures outside. So far
today I’ve made it across the yard once, sticking to where the snow is deep so
that if I do slip on the ice underneath there will be that fresh powder to
cushion my fall. You gotta think ahead,
you know.
At the moment we haven’t tried to leave the yard yet. The man says he figures the 4X4 with the
studded tires could probably make it but he also is planning on spending the
next few hours clearing the driveway out.
There’s lots of light, fluffy snow to push around but the lack of
traction underneath might make the job a little more challenging than
usual. This is not my problem; it’s a man
thing. I stay in the house and make
soup; that’s my job.
As much as I enjoy the fierceness of prairie weather; the
wondering of ‘how bad will it get?’, the photographing the aftermath, a
blizzard also likes to rearrange schedules.
School buses don’t run, hockey practises and games are juggled to new
times, Christmas concerts are cancelled.
Hair appointments are rescheduled (thank the Lord, and halleluiah! No one wants to go through the holidays
looking like a haystack). It looks like
the two Australians’ flight will be landing in Regina this afternoon as has been
planned for weeks. Sure glad their
reservations weren’t for yesterday. I’m
pretty sure they would rather witness the Northern Lights than participate in a
blizzard although both have a bragging rights quality to them, don’t they?
The next week is going to be full of company and food and
visiting and family gatherings and a hockey game or two. I have several lists of jobs to do and groceries
to buy on the go. Most of my baking is
done, all of my cards and letters are sent, by tonight the guest beds will all
be made up. Once I’m completely ready
Mother Nature can send another storm our way.
As long as everyone is safe and inside I really do love a good blizzard.
