I'm a bit late for the posting today, because I was partying with my sister and friends in Goderich. For the past couple of years, Sandy has organized a girls' weekend - spa, shopping, catching up, eating, drinking and goofing around. This year, we cracked open the cards and got down and dirty with some serious hands of that most Canadian of pastimes - euchre. We were all glad that winter decided to do its worst before the weekend started. It came in like a fury on Thursday evening. Howling wind, massive squalls and whiteouts - the whole shebang. Went out to measure the snowfall on Friday morning, and the white stuff was halfway up my well-worn Sorels!
Four and a half inches in total.
Fortunately, Friday morning broke bright and sunny. The farmette actually looks pretty good swathed in a white blanket.
I do my share of bitching and complaining about the cold, the nastiness, the darkness (I had an especially hard time this year with the time change). There's also the fact that I REALLY don't want to drive anywhere - missed my Weight Watchers meeting last week.
But most of the time, winter weather doesn't really bother me that much. I like the cold snap of the air. Everything feels cleaner somehow. The bird feeders get filled, and the juncos come back for the duration. Best of all, we get to cosy up with tasty, nutritious food that's reserved for the cold.
This week, we started eating oatmeal porridge a couple of times a week, and Rob has already made a big pot of scrumptious beef stew. I realize this is not earth-shattering news - and actually these dishes are not as pound-producing as you might think. But sometimes, when things are a bit intense with work (I was nose to the grindstone with all the Trans-Pacific Partnership shenanigans last week), it's nice to just take comfort in the comfortable.
Whether I'm at the farmette with a steamy plate of home-cooked goodness, or playing a couple (or six) rousing rounds of cards with friends, I have to say, I'm pretty lucky to be where I am. Until next week.