My Big-Girl-Snow-Pants

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200 words, adapt, Alberta, Calgary, Canada, changing seasons, cold, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dress in layers, Life's like that, snow, winter

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.

Carl Reiner

Well it’s finally here.

I won’t be bringing a book, or note pad to go sit on a bench in the park to read or write while sipping a Grande half-sweet white chocolate mocha any day soon. And it will be months before I’ll be jumping on my bike to ride Calgary’s pathways.

There’s no more denying it.

There’s no more deciding not to wear socks, or not to dress in layers, or wear a warm coat. Winter is here and there’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to put on my big-girl-snow-pants, lean into the north wind, grit my teeth and plow through it. I don’t have a choice.

Yeah, yeah, I know some of you are excited about winter. You’ve been looking forward to sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, igloo building, icicle licking and whatever else you do in winter.

As for me… should you need me, I’ll be indoors, wrapped in a cozy blanket on my favourite chair, sipping hot chocolate and watching reruns of Island Life.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

How do you feel about winter?

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Bostonians accept their fate as Canadians

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Alberta, Boston, Calgary, Canada, chinook winds, climate, Hump Day Chronicles, living in the moment, snow, snow blizzard, Tompkins Park, weird weather, winter

Aww we love you Bostonians! ❤

I cannot believe the weather Boston has been having!

It seems they just finish cleaning up snow when another snow storm hits.

Here in Canada, Manitoba has seen temperatures as low as -36c/-33f.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are dealing with snow banks that are 2 meters/7.5 ft. high.

Montreal has seen the longest stretch of cold weather in 80 years.

But we’re not seeing anything like that here in Calgary.

It’s as if we’re in a protective bubble. On the weekend it did snow, but the snow melted on Monday as temperatures rose to 13c/56f – unbelievably unseasonal!

Please forgive me. Don’t be mad.

I’m not trying to be insensitive – honest!

This is not the norm for Calgary. And if Bostonians have accepted their fate as Canadians, then Calgarians are embracing their fate as Californians.

5th Street SW, Calgary AB

Just look at that blue sky! Can you see the sun’s reflection on the high-rise in the distance? There’s got to be some snow somewhere, right? So I continued on in search of snow.

Mission Crossing, Calgary AB February 2015

And there it is, I found snow. These two snow banks in front of Mission crossing have got to be almost 2 ft. high!

17th Ave, Calgary AB

A coat? Nahhhh. 17th Ave, Calgary AB

Drinking coffee outside. Calgary AB February 2015

 

These musicians gladly consented to having their picture taken. Tompkins Park, Calgary AB Feb 2015

I know it doesn’t seem fair. We’ve been quite fortunate this winter.

But don’t you worry, March is typically our heaviest snowfall month; that ought to make the skiers and snowboarders happy.

And to tell the truth, I’m ready for some snow!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

 Maybe you should be considering a trip to Calgary for a break from winter?

Waiting…

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afraid, believe, Calgary, Diana Schwenk, dreams, excuse, faith, fear of failure, inner-voice, living in the moment, snow, spirit, Spring, too old, waiting, walk, weak, winter

The other day one of my friends sent the following tweet:

“Spring, you are such a tease. Let me know when you’re ready to commit and we’ll talk.”

Seriously, spring is a tease!

The boughs of this tree are weighed down with snow

Last week it was 19c that’s about 67f in American!

Her tweet made me laugh – mostly at myself and my own frustration with a winter that seems to be lasting longer than ever.

Waiting for Spring

I have been waiting for spring since February!

The truth is, winter isn’t lasting longer than any other year and I feel this way every year.

Get a grip Diana, after all you live in Canada – why are you surprised?

Well enough is enough.

I need to get out there – with or without spring!

So on Monday in -10c weather

8th Street SW, Mount Royal area

I dressed in layers

put on a hat

grabbed my way-too-expensive down-filled coat and with camera in hand set out for a walk.

Once out there I realized it wasn’t so bad after all.

The sun was shining brightly, causing me to squint and my legs were happy to be moving.

What else I’m waiting for?

Not a fan of waiting at the best of times, my frustration with winter got me to thinking about what else I might be waiting for and why?

If you’ve ever been in a place where you were doing exactly what you knew you should be doing

It used to be said that Calgary has 2 seasons: construction and winter. Lately the two just seem to blend into each other…

and something happened that closed that chapter in your life, you may be able to relate to what I’m about to tell you next.

For the last 2 1/2 years I’ve been waiting out a different kind of winter

waiting for inspiration

waiting for that next opportunity to present itself

waiting for a different kind of spring.

Could it be that it’s time to just stop waiting?

Could it be that I simply need to act and just go do what I am meant to do?

~

But here’s the thing.

I’m afraid.

The Calgary Tower on the right was the tallest building when it was built in the late 60’s. It makes me chuckle to think now that when one is on the observation deck, one can also look up at offices as well as looking down at the folks below.

I have self-doubt.

I could fail and make a fool of myself.

Maybe I’m too old to start something new.

These are not easy things for me to admit.

Even thinking these thoughts (never mind writing them here) makes me feel weak.

Yet I am often encouraging others to take hold of their dreams

to trust their inner-voice

believe in themselves and act accordingly.

It’s time for me to swallow my fears and take my own advice.

I thought items were knocking around in my pocket so I stopped. The knocking continued and I looked up to see a woodpecker and snapped this photo. But I can’t see it in the photo, can you?

Enough is enough.

I need to dress in the layers of my years of experience and believe that they have merit.

I need to adorn my head with all the knowledge I’ve gleaned and believe that it is useful.

I need to cover myself with all the skills I’ve picked up and the value I can bring to my community.

And just walk out that door and do it.

I bet I will find it’s not that bad out there

and when I take that first step in faith

my heart and spirit will just be happy to be soaring again.

I hadn’t been walking (a favourite pastime of mine) because I’ve been waiting for spring.

But on Monday I stopped waiting, dressed for the challenge, went out and enjoyed a long walk.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Is there something you haven’t been doing because [insert reason]?