Snow, Rain and Sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first Christmas away from family was a bit sad but there was no way we could have made it back.  This winter has been exceptional not only in Ontario but also in the Maritimes.  We've been quite lucky in that most of the ice storms have been around us here in Liscomb leaving us quite unscathed.  The Halifax area seems to get hit quite badly as well as the whole south/west coast.  I suppose it is the funnel effect coming from the Atlantic Ocean through the Bay of Fundy and across to PEI.  We're certainly lucky though.  In saying this we did have one night with exceptionally high winds.....stronger winds than we have ever experienced....we were thankful that we are in a sheltered bay...I can only imagine what it must have been like on the open ocean.

 

Heating the house has been a challenge especially with the freezing temperatures we've had.  The new furnace we installed back in July turned out to be too small for the house......fortunately Irving, the company we purchased from, worked with us to resolve the issues.....we haven't got their bill yet, scary thought, but they are sharing the cost with us.  The fellow we bought from only lived here in the summers and changed some of the heat ducts into cold air returns...oh great, no wonder we had no heat...that on top of a furnace that was too small for the house.

 

 

Everything takes time down here and patience is something you either have or you will have to learn.....we ordered a wood insert for the open fireplace but it took forever before it was installed.  We ended up having to send him a picture of the roof just to prove there was no snow on it before he would come and install it.



We understood though considering the pitch of our roof and the ice and snow everyone else had.  Considering that only an hour away roofs were covered in 8 to 10 inches of ice and snow it was no wonder he was doubting us.  The steep pitch of our roof and the winds off the ocean were to our advantage or we would still be without our woodstove.  Now that it is installed we get lots of exercise lugging wood from the woodpile into the house....  Speaking of the woodpiles....one of the double piles blew over in one of the windstorms...then we got rain and freezing temperatures so I had to wait for warmer weather just to get it restacked....working on my muscles..LOL, at least that is what I am telling myself.

 

 

The front door had so much cold air coming in around it that we finally duct taped all around the door just to block the wind.  It only took 6 weeks to get our new door from Antigonish.....patience I say, oh yes I am learning patience... LOL...Irvine, our handiman, installed it yesterday.  Naïve little me thought the old door would just be removed and the new one put in it's place....WRONG....the siding came off, the shutters came off, the trim came off, the door came off, the saw came out and part of the door frame came off...YIKES...it took all day but finally the new door was installed, the trim went on, the shutters went on and the siding went on and we have a new front door that is air tight and beautiful...YES, we are making progress!

Christmas Eve was magical.  The snow started falling early in the day and just didn't stop.  We went to the candlelight service at the little church across our valley and when it was over and we left the church we walked out into a winter wonderland.

But if we thought Christmas Eve was beautiful how would we ever describe Christmas Day.....it is said a picture is worth a thousand words.....here are a few thousand....

 

Well the time finally came when I just had to have my hair cut....the terror of it!  I've had the same hairdresser for probably 35 years.  Now I am in Nova Scotia and there is no way I can wait until May to get a haircut so off to Sherbrooke I go and make an appointment.  Got in the next day which is a treat.....what a wonderful surprise when Rhonda (my new hairdresser) had finished and I still looked like me....lol....I have to tell you, I really was terrified....gosh it only cost $20 as well.  Before I left, Rhonda told me the fish man was outside...HUH??  Outside were two fishermen with their catch of haddock in the back of a pickup truck and there was a growing lineup of locals waiting to purchase...so I got straight in the lineup.  I bought 5 pounds of fresh haddock for $30, a bargain from my viewpoint.  When I got home I made fishcakes for the first time and set aside enough haddock for fish and chips that night and froze the rest in 1 pound bags....OMG...the fish and chips were amazing....but then how fresh can you get fish back in Ontario, certainly not like down here.  I found out there is another fisherman who sometimes has halibut for sale...YUP, I put my name on that list.

I've got quite a bit on my bucket list.  This afternoon I am going to my first quilting meeting...yup, I've always wanted to know how to quilt.  I'm sure it will be added to all the other "Jack of all trades - Master of none" list of my accomplishments but who cares, I'm having fun.  Just perhaps I will be able to quilt a "keeper". 

Gosh, did I tell you that I have no idea how I ever had time for work back in Ontario....