What's outside of your picture window today?

@johnbishop . Hello John, and all the Connect storm watchers. Living on Vancouver Island this November and December has been a challenge. We had more rain in two days in November than what we'd get in the whole month of November, plus more rain almost every single day. We get very high winds here too and yesterday the north part of the island was expected to have from 90 to 120 km winds! We "only" got 50 to 60 km where I live!
We've had two days of power outage this week too. I was in the hospital for four days (again!) when the first
8-hour outage was in progress. I'd been transported back to my seniors' residence via MediVan but when we arrived, the elevators weren't working. (of course). After some deliberation, the two medics decided to carry me up the four flights of stairs to my suite via their MediChair contraption. Oooeeee! Hairy experience! These poor fellows were not young, either. I felt so sorry for them. Good thing I'd been unable to eat much all week. Lol.
Food was scarce in my suite, plus I was not mobile yet. The kitchen sent meal trays up to everyone but with my diet restrictions, (IBS) I only got an egg salad sandwich, HOLD THE BREAD, on one day, and a ham and cheese sandwich the second day, which I'm not to eat. I have chicken dinners and chicken vegetable and/or pea soup in the freezer, but of course no microwave working. Bananas and Peanut butter on rice cakes saved the day(s)!
Yesterday, we had a third Storm Warning this week, with very high winds and rain, rain, rain, but our power stayed on. Yaay!
Many roads and bridges are washed out, many rock slides and mud slides along the highways, ferries to the mainland cancelled, and our only highway to the rest of Canada, the Coquihalla, is seriously washed out and not usable 'til some time in January. There's never a dull moment living here!
The rest of BC has been declared an Emergency too, and I know many of our U.S. neighbours are suffering in the same way. Our thoughts and sympathy sincerely go out to you.
Here at my seniors' residence, we're all in good spirits though, despite everything. It is what it is. This, too, shall pass.
Warmest wishes, Laurie

Laurie @artist01, As much as I don't like heavy wet snow, I like power outages and broken elevators even less. Happy you are doing OK and it sounds like you are in good spirits. Feeling the warm wishes already, supposed to get to the 50s the middle of next week! I stayed busy this morning, even cleared my neighbors driveway across the road. It's easy with my tractor as soon as I get the snow away from the garage and trek to detached garage to get the tractor with the snowblower.

Laurie @artist01, As much as I don't like heavy wet snow, I like power outages and broken elevators even less. Happy you are doing OK and it sounds like you are in good spirits. Feeling the warm wishes already, supposed to get to the 50s the middle of next week! I stayed busy this morning, even cleared my neighbors driveway across the road. It's easy with my tractor as soon as I get the snow away from the garage and trek to detached garage to get the tractor with the snowblower.

I promise to not show this to my husband! He would love to get his hands on something like this, with a mower attachment for grass in the summer! He has already hinted about it several times. "It's a guy thing", wheels on the ground, power tools, latesta and greatest in techy stuff. He has 17 wheels on the ground now, not including mower/ brush hog.
Ginger

It is a guy thing Ginger 😁 I sold the mower deck and got a zero turn Ariens for my back yard and just leave the tractor up above for clearing my driveway. I had to pay the dealer to take it off in the fall and put the blower on and repeat in the spring so a few years paid for the mower. I bought the quick disconnect JD thinking it was easy, it isn't as easy as it sounds.

I promise to not show this to my husband! He would love to get his hands on something like this, with a mower attachment for grass in the summer! He has already hinted about it several times. "It's a guy thing", wheels on the ground, power tools, latesta and greatest in techy stuff. He has 17 wheels on the ground now, not including mower/ brush hog.
Ginger

Oh Ginger , I'm not entirely convinced that it's a guy thing. My daughter and I are pretty well hooked on battery operated power tools. And today I had way too much fun using her new 20" electric snow thrower and teaching her friend's 13 yo to run it. Lots easier than our 30" gas beast, but it wasn't really fond of the drifts! I'm really hoping for a few new toys...

And wondering what the cardiologist will think of the readings from the Holter monitor I'm wearing after I spent 3 hours out in the snow and chasing with 7 kids. Also wondering how my body will feel tomorrow.

Early to bed for me tonight!
Sue

Sue, Sue, a new toy for YOU! -- https://snowjoe.com/products/snow-joe-24v-ss13-24-volt-ion-cordless-snow-shovel-kit-13-inch-w-4-0-ah-battery-and-charger. Actually I have a 10" version and love it but I just ordered this one because it's a tad wider and has a higher lip on chute. Mine is great for the deck and sidewalk and throughs most snow up to 20 feet. If it's deep you have to take it with a couple of layer passes but it's easier than lifting with a regular shovel.

Yes! If I was here all winter, I would get one in a heartbeat. Andi's Snow Joe is the 20" corded model because the battery doesn't quite do the entire driveway. And the layered passes is how I did the driveway yesterday. My shoulders are a little sore from wrangling it yesterday, but nothing compared to how hard it would have been to shovel. A neighbor with a HUGE snowblower came by and removed the packed snow the plow pushed up the driveway. I suggested she figure out who it was, and pay him to do that part...
Have fun with your new toy.
Sue

@sueinmn, @johnbishop, @gingerw, and all...you are amazing! Your cardiologist will probably be quite surprised at the reading. I'm sending you praises for the work accomplished. Wow. You and John and Ginger and Lauri and more...I realize how blessed you are to enjoy this kind of maintenance. I have a big electric leaf blower that we used at my fiance's home before he died. I love using it, it's immediate gratification seeing the cleared areas. And, fun....but, I can barely lift it now. they make smaller versions I could use now for my patio, but not buying it. It would be good for clearing the seeds and leaves from my crepe myrtle tree and small maple past the fence. But, not enough and I can't use it often enough to be worthwhile. But, I think I get the bit of fun and enjoyment 'playing with your latest toy.
Lauri, has your weather/rain/chill/blow settled down some this week? I hope you're ok and able to stay warm. Vancouver Island is beautiful, but my goodness, what tough conditions for you. Thinking of you.
Blessings to all. May you be safe and warm wherever you are. I hope we don't have any Connect folks in Il. or Ky dealing with the huge tornadoes. What a world...elizabeth Oh, John, I think my woodpeckers migrated north...haven't seen but a couple since I was upstairs for several weeks. Think they will come back though. I got some special cakes for them. Also, god mealy worms to see if anyone likes them. Had my first yellow finch yesteray! Greenish yellow...I'm ckg it out online and in my bird books. ess