Chinese New Year

L's school declared a snow day today. We have about another hour and a half more shovelling left to do this morning, we got about 30 cms. Well, the sun's out right now and everything looks beautiful. I see my newspaper lying out in the driveway but I'd have to get my coat and boots on to retrieve it.

Happy Chinese New Year (the year of the Rat) to those who celebrate, it's officially today! They are having unseasonably cold weather in China which is causing a lot of human tragedy.

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Winter wonderland

We woke up to 3 to 4 cms of heavy wet snow this morning. K's off to Quebec, the driving for me wasn't too bad, I guess leaving that early in the morning has its advantages, like less traffic. He text messaged me to say 'Whatsup?' and that he was bored on the bus. It's really beautiful outside, all those trees with icy branches. L's school just cancelled all activities past 4.30pm as more snow is on the way tonight and every day until Monday. I made it to my step class today although after 40 minutes of shovelling I probably didn't need to. Still, I felt good after, but my blood pressure was up. It must be that Chinese takeout food we've been eating for a few days. It's sooo good, but I think it's because of those little bacon bits I see in the noodle dishes and the sticky rice.

L and I shovelled tonight for an hour and a half. The snow was lighter, but there was lots of it and it's still coming down. It wasn't that cold and a few of the neighbours were out. It's ironic that we have a large snowblower in the garage that I don't know how to use, that we hardly ever use. Anyway, I felt great afterward, the picture of health. We'll have to do more in the morning especially after the snow plough comes through.

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Winter storm watch

Well, we're under a winter storm watch for tomorrow, the day K is supposed to be heading out to Quebec on a school field trip. It's also a full garbage day of course. Every week we have a green bin (compost like) pickup and a blue bin pickup (for papers and plastics). Then every 2nd week we get a garbage pickup (2 or 3 bag limit) in addition to the others. Watch it all blow around. M just went off on his business trip.

Looks like K bombed out on the last science test. I've decided he must be my main purpose in life, it's good to have purpose. I have this hope that he'll make it to university that is dimming.
I remember in preschool he didn't seem to be learning to read like a lot of the others, so I got some phonics books and started teaching him myself. The wonder is that he did learn to read!

Well, I'm looking for L's asthma readings to summarize for her doctor's appointment tomorrow evening (yes, the day of the pending storm).

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Finding great stuff

I did my blood test early this morning, so let's hope it's all good. The lab was really busy. The technician was a little short with me when I reminded her for the second time to make sure she had enough of a specimen and that it had to be iced.

L finally got a haircut today and we all got our passport pictures taken. You have a choice of colour or black and white and the salesman said he did his own in black and white as he found it to be a more true likeness in all kinds of lighting. We also found L a great new winter coat on sale, like 60%off!! I had thought it was just 10% off. The thing is you never find stuff when you're really looking for it, you just kind of have to happen in on things sometimes.

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Year of the rat

Well, I've been off the blood pressure medicine for a week in preparation for a blood test the specialist ordered. Now I just have to remember to fast after 8pm and head over to the lab first thing in the morning. They usually open quite early and are usually crowded so it will be good to get that over with. This is the blood test that has to be put on ice right after. I decided to go to the lab right under the specialist's office, maybe they will do a better job with her tests and the results can just go right up to her.

K is at least half packed for his big Quebec trip. The hardest part is making the list, then it's just a matter of deciding which bags to use and throwing the stuff in. That reminds me I forgot to add snacks to the list. I heard the Quebec Carnaval ice festival opening was delayed by a day due to bad weather.

I made it to church yesterday, it was a lovely walk, a 'mild' day. They are asking people who don't go to church weekly not to receive Communion bread before confession. The priest is also asking you to consume the bread in his presence and not to walk away with it as he is concerned it about what people do with it after. Also Catholics who have not been married in the church are being asked not to receive Communion bread unless they have had a dispensation from the priest. All these rules. Instead of the homily, he explained the mass as he went through it, why the bells are rung, what our responses mean, etc.

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Homework day

Today has turned into homework day. Seems K has Math and English tests on Tuesday and a History essay also due on Tuesday. One of his friends casually mentioned it at the bowling party. K decided not to stress me with this info. I had decided to stay at the bowling party and not drive around so much in that weather. Our street's been plowed and everything seems back to normal as we know how to deal with our snow! Although we had a power outage in the middle of the night for a bit.

K leaves for Quebec Wednesday morning until Sunday so we've started to get him packed up for that. I'm looking forward to his time away (less responsibility) although I suppose I'll miss him (I suppose).

L has a prom this Friday, and she has a great dress all ready to wear. I'm feeling tired today, hope to make it to church this evening. I think Lent season is starting next week.

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The snowstorm did come

Well, we postponed L's haircut to Monday, shovelled 3 times today so far. K and I did make it to his friend's birthday party, I didn't get stuck in the snow until I got to the parking lot of the bowling alley. Luckily I had packed a small shovel so it helped along with a kind stranger who pushed me a little bit. As far as I know M and L are at the Raptor's game. I'm tired and still have a few things left to do before the night is over including some more laundry. My arms hurt from shovelling, the first batch was so heavy and wet, no fun today. Luckily M did a lot of it. It seems like more effort to pull the snowblower out from behind the car and get it going.

I ended up eating a lot of junk food at the bowling alley as I was hungry. Pizza, wings and Ice cream cake. We gave K's friend a Mastermind (Educational Toy Store) gift card. I noticed they gave Mastermind loot bags, so I think they may like K's gift!

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