Torrential Rains....Snow Storms......Power Failures...

So why haven't I posted anything since my last email? I've been waiting for a moment to figure out how to download a photo from Geo's camera onto my computer and then blog. Where is Sharon when I need her expertise!!?? or Laura...or Geo?? or Gregg..or...??? Well, I'm also writing report cards. ARGGHHH. It is going well :) It's always a pain. This time the pain is a little smaller. But let me later tell you of my pain.... in my shoulder!!

Now, on my route home lovingly described in my last blog entry, I was unaware of a fantastic rainbow that I was riding close to or through (even) if you look from the perspective of our home!! Of course, this picture is still captured on a little plastic piece of memory card in the above noted camera. But as soon as I release it, I'll post it.

Since that day...almost the very next day.....we had a deep freeze and a snow storm! Wow! The world turned white! For pictures, check out the Da Koch Blog Laura has beautiful pictures taken with a totally usable, user friendly, and effective camera. (She probably studied the directions and knows how to download.)

It's now Thursday evening. My report card info is stewing in my "Marks Book" waiting for me to enter the data....but wait! I still have things to say!!!.... The snow has changed from dry powder to sticky, excellent snowball-making snow. So, now, I have to finish my story that includes the sore shoulder.....

This morning I headed out of the house to get in the car and head off to work. First job....clean the newly fallen snow off the front windshield and rear window. Oh my :), the snow had changed and it stuck together into a perfect snowball. I had to throw it somewhere. George, who often comes out to say goodbye, had decided to continue reading the paper. Ah Haaa! I aimed the snowball over the rail so it would hit the window right next to where he was sitting! I aimed the second snowball towards the same place.....and the third....the fourth... Problem: none of these snowballs would clear the railing and make it to the window! The fifth....the sixth... Finally, I chucked it extra hard and it made it! It hit the window...ever so gently, of course!! I threw the next one and it hit the board outside the window!!! The third one brought Geo out onto the deck with his own snowball! ARGGG! Out of the way!! I threw one more snow ball and felt a bit of a pain in my neck. Rats! I pulled a muscle! But, oh joy, I DID get a snowball over the rail. Yes!!!
George's first snowball hit my leg and doused it with powdery snow! Hey, wasn't I supposed to be off to work? I'm off! And I think I chickened out of a good snowball fight that was just starting! I must say George won. His first and only snowball scored. 100% My 8th, 9th, 10th just made it to the window. When Geo came out my snowball didn't even make it to the railing!! Arggghhh! I'm going to have to practise!!

But hey. I'm off tor write those report cards. Here's to procrastinating!!! Yippee!!!
(signing off)

today...no rain on me! ahh ha ha haaaa!

Greetings, fellow readers. (I, also, read blogs and love to check the ones I know, daily.) Well, I have to tell you that ...I ROAD (rode) MY BIKE TODAY BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS!!! HA HA HAAAA!

How can this happen, you may ask?

Yesterday's story: I declined to ride yesterday because of the morning, predawn rain. I drove through the hurtling drops of H2O in the morning to work. Then, as noon arrived, I looked out the window and saw a beautiful dry day with patches of blue sky on the horizon. I was tortured! I should have ventured out on my bike this morning! Alas!! Well, I soldiered bravely on through the early afternoon...... When I looked out at 3:45 in the afternoon (the time I start thinking of leaving), the rain was hurtling down from the heavens at a furious pace! I was relieved from my midday regret. I didn't ride!! Ah haa! I'll use my wipers and my windshield, my heater and my stereo in my car!! Haaa-aaaa!

Today I woke to see dry roads and the still quiet of a dry morning. I suited up and rode my bike. I saw the sunrise as I headed east. It was a lovely morning ride with quiet prayer as I glided through the quiet dawn of the neighbourhoods. By 10:30 am, I looked out to see rain again pelting down bouncing off the roads. Hail started bouncing down and up and down again, as only hail can do. Oh well, I'll change into dry clothes when I get home....40 minutes away. Then, JOY!! at 4:00 pm, the skys were again dramatic but dry. A wind was gusting from the south blowing a large dark raincloud away from my homeward route. Yippee!! a sunset, stormy clouds clipping north, dry roads and a peaceful early evening ride home.

The Joy of the Umbrella

Today...another day of "heavy rains and strong winds" was forecast for Vancouver. I chose to drive the car to work today instead of riding my bike! (yes! yes)! I must say I have upgraded my raingear thanks to a couple of family members and am more ready than ever to brave the squalls!!


Before I even left the house, I saw the downpour of rain. ARGGGHHH!

But wait!

Somewhere in the back of my memory, before biking, I used a thing called an "umbrella"!?! So turning from the sheets of cascading rain, I raced upstairs to grab the nearest noted item!!!!

Aaahhhh! It's wonderful how such a portable, temporary shelter can seem so grand to the soul and delight the dry, warmly clad personage. Mmmmmm ... to walk through the rain and yet not get wet.....this is good.

Rainfall Record!!!!!

When I woke up this morning, I started to wonder why I rode in the rain yesterday......Do I want to ride when it's raining?......What was I trying to prove?....Wasn't I overdoing it yesterday, since I arrived at work totally drenched?

I walked into the kitchen still asking myself these questions, when I saw the morning paper talking about the rain the day before. "It's a Rainfall Record" Amazing!

Crazy!!!!! I think I'll enjoy my ride tomorrow. :) It will, most likely, be drier.

Torrential Rains

So...I wrote about the day that the wind seemed to be trying to blow me backwards! Well, this morning the forecast was for heavy rain and windy. Wow!!! Let me tell you about "heavy rain" Vancouver style.

But first:
I've seen heavy rain pelting down in Quebec City. It was extremely heavy, the gutters filled, it rained very hard for about ..... 20 minutes. Then the sun came out....the gutters emptied....the street steamed and, it seemed within minutes, the sidewalk became dry and summer carried on.

Today...."heavy rain" in Vancouver was........ rain, continually pelting down. The drains, clogged with leaves, grew giant puddles or lakes spreading out from curbs, surrounding the clogged drains.

At one such intersection, cars swished through these lakes, but, to my joy, the rooster tail splash that shot 6 feet into the air dropped short before soaking me. Joy! I laughed out loud. The cars missed me!! Hah!! Another car came squishing by. Hah!!! Missed again!! I was safe!

At last, the light changed and it was my turn to cross the street in safety. I saw my route between the two lakes in the intersection. All was clear. I peddled off. I found I had to go through the edge of one of the lakes but, do not fear! It was not too deep. I continued on. From my front tire, a mini rooster tale splashed up...about 10 inches. With my inexpensive splash guard, I soldiered on... My splash guard seemed to divide this rooster tail into two parts! One landed directly on my left "not so waterproof" boot.....the other landed directly on my right "not so waterproof" boot! Arggghhh!

This mini deluge of boot water continued to collect as I continued to school (9 Km away). By the time I reached school, I had my own minilakes! My own!! Two minilakes, one in each boot. It's evening now. The lakes are not receding as quickly as in Quebec City. They are receding, Vancouver style.....sloooowwwwwwwllllly.

Crazy drivers

I often get emails sent to me by my distant cousin, Gary. "Distant" because we are 11th (or so)cousins; and because he lives in Australia! This email I am including warms the ?heart!? At the very least, it's amusing to read on a cold, wet Vancouver evening.






With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you....crazy? or maybe too competitive??