Tuesday 21 January 2014

The end of the Thaw and FMS Photo A Day Week 3


The mid-winter thaw is well and truly over and we are back to the unbelievably cold weather. -27 degrees today with a wind chill of -34. It just is a ridiculously silly kind of cold. On arrival at The Youngest's school this morning, I unwound my scarf to discover the outside of it was covered in ice.
Like I said. Ridiculous. And yet, there I am everyday, walking two kids to and from school, rugging up and rugging down several times a day. Ridiculous.

It has become obvious, that the scarf was not invented as a stylish neckwear fashion item. Someone living in Canada, way back when, worked out that if you have a really long piece of material - preferably woollen, and wrap it twenty times around your noggin, you have some chance of still having a nose and maybe also some lips by the time you get home.
It's the kind of cold where after just a couple of minutes, you have prickles running up and down your legs, your eyelashes freeze together, your nose runs non stop, you feel like you are breathing in icicles.

And yet - it is very invigorating and there is no way you leave the house feeling like you haven't woken up yet! Fortunately, the girls are well kitted out and have finally (in the case of The Youngest) accepted the current clothing situation. It's still shite trying to get into all the outerwear every morning, but slowly, ever so slowly, we are getting the hang of it.

I love this photo of The Eldest. She is my little pink ninja! Rugged up and warm, she is enjoying walking home with me in the snow. As I lamented to her how cold it was, and how I couldn't feel my face, she turned to me and smiled (well I think she smiled under that neck warmer) and said 'But, Mum. This is Canada. It just is this way.' Ah so true, little one. So true.

And so, on to this week's set of photo's.




15/365: Black and White
This photos was not taken this week. I took this photo in December on our trip through New York State.
After leaving New York City, we decided to drive through Sleepy Hollow.
It was late morning when we arrived. It was the perfect day - foggy, misty, quiet. There was hardly any traffic and we saw no people.
This statue was on the main road and pretty much sums it all up - the headless horsemen and his jack-o-lantern head.








16/365: Sun
I couldn't choose between 3 pictures for this one - so three pictures you shall have.


You can't tell in this photo, but it was starting to snow. We had just walked up to a friends place, and although the sun was trying to shine through, the snow won.











 This photo was taken on the Rideau Canal. It has reopened after the thaw, and The Youngest was desperate to go ice skating. She only lasted 5 minutes, but even though she couldn't manage any shuffles, she did get to the point of being able to stand up and balance.
I decided to put her back in the Chariot and skate for 5 minutes while she ate her lunch. But then she fell asleep in her little cocoon, under the weather shield and blankets. Despite how cold it was, I skated on for half an hour, before having to go home and recover feeling to all parts of my body.

Cold as I was, I was struck, as I always am, but just how beautiful this frozen canal is.






On the way home from school each day, the sun is in the process of starting to set, such are the short days of winter. Even though the days are starting to get longer, you can see how close to sunset this is at 3:45pm.














17/365: Tiny

A tiny piece of colour in amongst the snow.













18/365: Happy Place

For The Youngest, one of her happy places is playgroup with her two little buddies, Master L and Master N.

It is also one of my happiest places - coffee and chat with my girls.





19/365: Breakfast
Coffee. No breakfast is complete without one.
We have had to learn to settle for Nespresso, which in the scheme of things, we are lucky to have. Anyone who knows us well, knows that we are really really missing coffee from home.
It is hard to understand the Canadian obsession with Tim Horton's coffee (and I apologise profusely if I offend) because although it is not quite as bad as 'squirrel wee' as it has been described by a fellow Australian, it is not far off the mark.

Oh, for a Bertoni's coffee right now.

*sigh*.







20/365: To do list

Uni. Uni. Uni.

This is a constant to do list in my head. I can't quite fathom how incredibly difficult it is for me to
a) get any study done with  two children at home with me
b) get any study done with one child at home with me
c) get any study done with no children at home with me
d) get any study done.

Really, I just like reading the books.




21/365: Blue

I found this one a challenge, until I was walking down our main street and noticed these lights above one of the stores. I have never noticed them before, but here they are. 4 blue lights.

Funny how having a daily prompt, encourages you to see things you would never really see.













And that folks, is it in a nutshell from me.
I hope all in Oz are coping ok with the heat, and all you Northern Hemisphere residents are keeping warm in the cold.

J x

Tuesday 14 January 2014

FMS Photo A Day Week 2

So here are the snappy happies from FMS Photo a Day week 2.


8/365: Lucky Number:
These are NOT my lucky numbers. I don't know that they are anybody's lucky numbers. This photo was taken back in December, before our current heat wave (above zero people!) that is causing a midwinter thaw and the feeling that we should all be out in our t-shirts grabbing a tan.



9/365: Natural:
This photo was taken on Christmas eve. We opened the blinds in The Youngest's room, only to discover the most beautiful set of enormous icicles hanging from the roof. Unfortunately, our midwinter thaw has reduced them to nothingness.



10/365: Manmade:
This beautiful Christmas bauble is hand painted, and was bought for my by Hubby a few years ago, when he was on a work trip to Canada, not knowing that the future held the opportunity to live here for two years.



11/365: Looking Down:
I had to add 4 photos for this one! These photos are from our December trip to Lake Placid. These are the Olympic ski jumps. It is unbelieveable how high these jumps are, and how far the skiers fly through the air. Looking down the jump makes the ground seem a lot closer than it really is.






12/365: Colourful
These Babuska dolls are painted in an alley a block from our house. A lovely splash of colour in a world of white and grey.



13/365: Makes me smile
Yes, we do own furniture - and quite comfortable furniture at that. But apparently, not nearly as appealing as watching the ipad in a box.



14/365: 3 Things
I saw these three roses on the outside window sill of a local florist. So lovely to see flowers in the middle of winter.

Jen x

Thursday 9 January 2014

The Wonder of the Blue Day

This week started off with the temperature rising above 0 degrees C - which sounds, in theory quite lovely. Above 0 translates into feeling like there is no need for jackets, or hats, or scarves - lets get out there in our t-shirts kinda weather.

Except for the following. It is a law of nature that frozen water unfreezes when encountering above 0 degrees temperatures. And then when the temperature plummets again just a few hours later, the unfrozen frozen water does what nature dictates and freezes again. Only this time, not as lovely crunchy white snow, but as ice. Horrible, treacherous, dangerous ice.

So, here all of us parents were, incredible excited that the 6th of January had finally made it's way around and school was back in session. Only to awaken on the morning of the 6th to discover the world covered in ice. The sidewalks glistened, beckoning the brave and unfortunate to come try out their walking skills - only to have them slip, slide and wipe out with every step.

Fortunately, due to a consistently failing car battery and a need to get it replaced, I had our car which meant after taking hubby to work (slowly and very very carefully), I was able to not only take my child to school with minimal sidewalk skating, but also help a friend get her child to school and then get us to playgroup.
[We love our wonderfully warm homes, but after such incredible cold days and being stuck inside, we were desperate to get out of the house and take our kids to school].

The temperatures for the rest of this week have stayed reasonably ok - hovering around the -15 degree mark - which I know sounds really cold, and it is, but you can still get out and do stuff! Like ice skate!

We bought ice skates for me and the girls on Monday, so this week saw me back on the ice for the first time in years. I was so excited. We live about 250 steps from the Rideau Canal (yes I counted!), which becomes the worlds largest ice skating rink during winter. It opened up for skating last week and is just a gloriously beautiful place to go.

I went on Tuesday by myself, and had such a wonderful time, that today, my two dear friends Dina and Emma came with me, while our toddlers and big girls were all at school. It was a beautiful blue day, no wind. We skated from 5th Ave entrance down to Dow's lake, had a coffee and a cinnamon and sugar beaver tail and skated back. There is something so incredibly magical about gliding on the ice for 5km's, on such a beautiful day, with such wonderful friends. So great to be outside soaking up the magic that winter can offer when it gets it's act together.



Today was a memory that I shall treasure forever (and a memory I hope to repeat numerous times over the coming weeks).

Jen x



Tuesday 7 January 2014

FMS Photo A Day Week 1

One of my new year resolutions (not that I really make them) is to make a concerted effort to participate  in the FMS Photo a Day challenge. This is a challenge to take a photo every day for a month, based on the prompt for the day.

Apparently it takes 21 days to make something a habit, so here we are with the 1st 7 photos. Let's see how we go staying on track! Hopefully another way of me sharing our day to day life here in Ottawa.

Here we go!

1/365: Lunch



Being at home for lunch everyday means I make my lunch every day.
I love home made rice paper rolls.













2/365: Begins with G

Growing up.

I look at my girls, and cannot believe how fast time is flying by. Who knew this was the age they would both want to start doing 'homework' after school.












3/365: My town

Is cold and oh so beautiful after a snowfall.

















4/365: Words to live by


I wish this for you as much as I wish this for me and my family.

There has been so much more joy and laughter in my living since meeting my Husband and having my children.

They bring a wealth of joy and laughter to my life.








5/365: Found


A photo taken when we first moved into our new neighbouhood.

We have been blessed by the wonderful friends we 'found' at the playground.












6/365: Happens everyday


Every school day involves loading the girls into the Chariot and walking them along the sidewalk, past the banks of snow, to get to school and home again.














7/365: Upside Down



A white christmas was very upside down for this antipodean family and we loved it.











Jen x

Thursday 2 January 2014

Blue Days

If you are in the Southern Hemisphere right now, I want you do something for me. Right now, I want you to go outside, sit in the sun. Close your eyes and soak in the gorgeous feeling of sunlight and vitamin D soaking into your skin. Soak it up and then send it my way.

I really miss the warmth of the sun. The sun shines here at lot. It is bright and glare-y when it shines, and the sky is a beautiful blue and when you look out the window and see that beautiful blue sky and the sun shining you ache to be outside. It is an incredibly strong compulsion. I must go outside.

Except you don't. Because to go outside involves making sure you have at least 3 long sleeve layers - one of which must be a warm warm jumper. You need to wrap a very long scarf strategically around your neck, in such as way as to enable quick coverage of your mouth and nose. You need a took (beanie) and good gloves or mitts. You need to make sure you have thermal leg wear, or at least tights under your jeans. Warm socks. Then it's time for the -40 degree rated jacket and boots. By the time you have done all of this, you are sweating from heat, as this must all be accomplished while still inside your lovely insulated warm house.

Oh I forgot the part about having gone through all of these steps with each child, one of which frequently removes each piece of outerwear as quickly as it goes on, usually with a very loud 'I don like this'.

So three hours after having decided to go outside, you finally step out into that beautiful blue day, only to be blown away by how freaking cold it is. You see, the beautiful blue days are the really really cold days. The -27 but feels like -38 degree days. To this Australian who loves blue days and the feel of the sun on my skin, it is deception at its worst. It is the ultimate betrayal.


Your eyes start watering, and your eyelashes start freezing. Your nose runs excepts you don't know it, because you lost your face as soon as you left the house. It is cold unlike anything, anything I have ever felt in my life. It is cold beyond all ridiculousness.

And as much as we want to make the most of the outdoorsy stuff available when it snows, it is not enjoyable when it is that cold. For anyone.

So we are hibernating, living vicariously through the summer adventures of friends on Facebook.

And hoping for a bit of warmth. On Sunday is will only (only) be minus 5.  Bring it on!

J x