A quick post as I had to share our excitement that it has finally snowed here!!
Well, actually, it has snowed here a couple of times before now. To me - a girl who grew up in a village where it hardly ever snowed, only rained…and rained…and rained some more - it was a pretty decent covering of snow. To the locals however, the centimeter or so was nothing.
In England the amount of snow the showers dispensed would be considered to be a decent snowfall (and probably cause everything to grind to a halt), in Andalusia it would definitely be a significant event, and even in Munich it would be considered to be a pretty decent amount. But here, it seemed even when mother nature made another attempt a few days later; depositing a couple of centimeters of flakes on top of the old slush, it was still hardly worth a mention.
At long last, we have had a snowstorm; Montreal-style. It wasn’t a torrid swirl of big flakes for most of the time, but even the small ones come down with such a solid intention of staying, they stick to anything and everything, and soon build up to an impressive amount in the blink of an eye. (Unlike the snow that occurred in my childhood: the flurries that vanished as soon as the flakes hit the ground, before any attempt to build a snowmen or go sledging can be made.) 20-30cm dropping in twenty-four or so hours; it seems that is snow worthy of recognition, and time for the city to get into winter-mode!
At long last, we have had a snowstorm; Montreal-style. It wasn’t a torrid swirl of big flakes for most of the time, but even the small ones come down with such a solid intention of staying, they stick to anything and everything, and soon build up to an impressive amount in the blink of an eye. (Unlike the snow that occurred in my childhood: the flurries that vanished as soon as the flakes hit the ground, before any attempt to build a snowmen or go sledging can be made.) 20-30cm dropping in twenty-four or so hours; it seems that is snow worthy of recognition, and time for the city to get into winter-mode!
It’s incredible how the clearing process works here; there is no doubt about it, they have obviously done it before. I heard that over 1000 workers and 1000 vehicles had been deployed just for snow removal in the Montreal area. That is one big operation! Apparently they don’t just clear the snow, but actually remove it, loading it onto big trucks and transporting it out of town.
Although this morning, I was not impressed by this impressive execution – from about 7:30am there were horns beeping and sirens (similar to fire alarms) going off every few minutes up and down our street. After sticking my finger in my ear and trying to ignore the din, I finally got up. From what I can gather from peering out of the window, it seems the horns were to tell everyone to move their cars from the sides of the streets so that snow removal workforce could clear the mountains of snow that had amassed between the parked cars and the curbs.
Although this morning, I was not impressed by this impressive execution – from about 7:30am there were horns beeping and sirens (similar to fire alarms) going off every few minutes up and down our street. After sticking my finger in my ear and trying to ignore the din, I finally got up. From what I can gather from peering out of the window, it seems the horns were to tell everyone to move their cars from the sides of the streets so that snow removal workforce could clear the mountains of snow that had amassed between the parked cars and the curbs.
It is a bit slippy-slidy both walking and driving, but for now, the novelty of the first snowfall far outshines all that. Now both mine and T's thoughts are towards next Tuesday and the important question: will we have a white Christmas?? Come on snow; keep snowing!
Let it snow. let it snow, let it snow!
By the time Spring arrives, I wonder if our feelings about the white stuff will still be the same…
Let it snow. let it snow, let it snow!
By the time Spring arrives, I wonder if our feelings about the white stuff will still be the same…