The dump of fluffy white stuff shut down 91原创 schools, sent cars into the ditch, and had citizens slipping into the streets, screaming 鈥渢he end is nigh.鈥�
Now, I can鈥檛 seemingly write one of these things without making reference to my Mexican girlfriend or my days of yore spent in Southern Alberta 鈥� but that鈥檚 all I could think about when the snow fell.
My girlfriend has often repeated in all her time spent in Canada, that it surprises her Canadians seemed to get confused 鈥� even panicked 鈥� when the snow arrives.
鈥淒o they know that they live in Canada?鈥� she points out.
I correct her and say that it鈥檚 not such a normal occurrence for the Lower Mainland before launching into my cannon of prairie winter war stories.
Growing up on a farm, I have since fostered a weighty chip on my shoulder that grows every time someone in 91原创 drones on about the lack of snow plows, the horrors of power outages, the chilly temperatures, or the minimal days of missed school.
No snowplow ever came to tend to our gravel roads; not once! I recall driving to class on a few occasions, plowing through drifts that towered higher than my little Sebring.
Of course, I was taught from a young age that snow tires were for the weak鈥� and to be fair, I did make it to school just fine without 鈥榚m.
There were no snow days, despite little me hunkering down around the radio to listen to school closures; it was so cold the buses couldn鈥檛 physically start, but the schools always remained open.
Power outages? Forget about it! The power went out on a calm summer鈥檚 eve, let alone a snow storm; it was a frequent occurrence.
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It got so nippy out one time, when my aunt鈥檚 cat 鈥� who insisted on going outside in -30 weather 鈥� came back inside and jumped up on the counter, its tail didn鈥檛 come with it; the furry extremity had frozen right off the critter completely.
I never once batted an eye about this lifestyle; as a kid, I was completely in my glory.
I had plenty of space to make tunnels, forts, and write the word 鈥渉elp鈥� in giant letters across a field because I thought that seemed like a good idea at the time; boy, did I get in trouble for that one.
There鈥檚 even fond memories of my Dad bundling up to go get the tractor to clear the yard out 鈥� an old tractor that had no cab鈥� poor guy...
In fact, I have a lot of fond memories (now that I don鈥檛 actually reside in that deep freeze anymore) because I was lucky enough to get the authentic Canadian winter experience as a kid.
You know鈥� playing hockey on frozen ponds and tobogganing down hills at recess time; a Tim Horton鈥檚 commercial kind of life.
Though I鈥檝e been readying to angrily shout all of these stories to the 91原创ites slipping and sliding all over the road, I realize growing up with plenty of winter driving practise is not the norm here. People don鈥檛 get the winter wonderland I took for granted.
I never thought I鈥檇 say this, but I lucked out growing up in -30 blizzards that knocked out the power.
Whatever opportunity we get here to make some snow angels should be cherished.
My girlfriend 鈥� who got to build her first snowman last week 鈥� is right.
Sometimes, based on the weather around here, I鈥檓 not sure if I鈥檓 in Canada or not鈥� but, here鈥檚 hoping we get a few more snow storms this season to provide us with snowy hills and cancelled classes.
She argues Cancun beaches, but I say, is there any other country in the world that beats Canada this time of year?
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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