Snowbound

Why aren't there more photos of my handsome grandsons? They are camera shy. I got this one
with Oliver trying to hide from the camera, hunkered over an iphone per usual

Allie can't avoid me so easily

Grandpa

Tummy time on Daddy

We were gone from sunrise to sunset yesterday watching Allie.  Going to her home, we were
 treated with a beautiful sunrise but had no time to take photos as we were running late. Had a bit more
 time going home but this photo fails to capture the bright red sky

She is a pretty girl

Today there is a small window of reasonable weather so I will go for a run but it has been impossible for the last few days. I even spent an hour the other day finding all my skis and supplies only to find out that the bindings have deteriorated in the 8 years or so since I last skied. I had them for 35 years so I guess I had gotten good use out of them. When we had winter more regularly, I'd ski almost every day but as the years went on, I'd become more and more cautious. And then chemo messed up my balance even more. Also I was essentially one armed for 2 years, one year due to the broken arm and its following frozen shoulder, then the next year, frozen shoulder on the other side due to surgery? nerve damage? Skiing was going to be impossible. 

So I shoveled instead. And for good measure, I did my neighbor's sidewalks too. If I were a good person, I'd do it every day that their adult sons aren't around as they are dealing with quickly running out of options stage 4 cancer. Until the last 2 weeks, she was regularly giving me updates. I imagine things are getting worse. What to do? Well at least keep things snow free..but of course I should do more.

Julie has been working from home on and off for the past 2 weeks but yesterday she had to show up at the office. Josh is back at work and daycare starts next week. Not a good day for travel. For starters, my car thermometer read minus ten and I know it reads at least 2 degrees high. Salt does not work in such cold. On the freeways which had been salted down, the ice water froze causing numerous accidents. Julie's app showed every one all red which meant side roads for her. We took the side roads to her place. That adage that the freeway is the shortest line between 2 points does not apply here especially as I noticed from the overpass, it was at a standstill. But even in ideal conditions, it is 10 miles longer. The roads we went on had not been salted except at some intersections (which were now glare ice). Our path was tire tracks surrounded by snow all around. The rising bright sun was beautiful reflecting off the new snow.

We got a late start due to an uninsulated pipe leading to our kitchen sink was frozen. Some how while thawing it with a hair dryer, Steve dislodged part of a different pipe leading to a massive flood and him rushing to cut off the main water supply. Quite the mess but miracles of miracles, he was able to fix it so we have water. And as crappy as the weather has been, it will get even worse in the next 2 days with even colder temps and a foot of new snow on top of what we already have. I do hate winter. At least my Y classes start up again next week. Also a new yoga instructor for BC yoga. Maybe I will like this one. The other one made me feel dizzy and bad about myself. Yeah I know, only I can make me feel bad about myself.

Allie is a delight in the morning: all coos and smiles. She becomes increasingly crabbier as the day progresses. Fortunately after about a long 30 minutes of crabbiness, we were relieved of our duties.

In the middle of day, Steve went out for the local avogolamo  soup I love so much. And today, the big snow does not start until midnight so there is some time to go out.

Our back yard and patio are covered with strange footsteps. One set looking disconcertingly like human ones go right up to our living room window. Is someone casing the house?. Looking closer, they are quite small for humans' and I see hoof marks. On the patio I believe a raccoon has been slithering back and forth along with a deer.