Our first full day in the cabin started with pancakes. And snow. It was snowing outside.
P wanted to do kettle bells and J wanted to go for a walk. As a group we had decided we needed to drive to the grocery store to pick up potable water.
So an hour after breakfast, J took a nap as P gave T and me a kettle bell class. P, I find out now, is training to compete in kettle bells. P was kind enough to give me the lightest (adult size), so it was an interesting and tiring upper body workout, but it didn't kill me. No, that came later.
After our hair had dried from our showers, we started packing on so many clothes T and I could barely walk. I used the feet warmer packets that T brought from Texas, but J insisted that I was overdressed and gave me mittens instead of my three glove layers.
We waddled... or sort of walked. J was right... I did eventually get hot and take off the mittens to cool down. It was only about -12C. I appreciated the feet warmers as T gloated in his choice of Sorel snow boots (rated to -100F) for himself. P&J walk a lot faster than I do. And I really noticed being tired for the last half of the walk. Pretty snow covered trees only go so far.
( Snow!! )
We ate lunch and got ready for driving to the grocery store. I stripped off an entire layer of clothing relative to our walk. I wore my standard (for Texas) gloves and barely bothered with a hat. We were just walking to the car. Yes, it was still snowing, but this should be fine. J told me I was vastly overdressed for the car trip. I ignored J and left on my 3 layers. T just wore his hike boots (not the impressive snow boots) and his indoor clothes with a coat.
Oh, we were so, so very underdressed.
It turns out that the still-falling snow in super dry weather is really slippery. We could not get the car out of the driveway. After about the 15th attempt (and 2nd driver) and pushing, we broke out the shovel and rake and strange scooper thing. I ended with the scooper thing after J taught me how to use it. He later said I graded the driveway. It was kind of an exotic experience.
At last we got (pushed) the car out of the driveway. We piled in and started around the lake. Yes, the cabin in the woods is on a lake. At the first hill I discovered that J's technique for conquering the hill involves backing down the hill after the car starts sliding, and trying again. That hill only took about 6 attempts. I was quite relieved when we made it to the main (cleared) road.
The local grocery/hardware store had an entirely empty parking lot. Which was surprising, since we kept seeing other customers inside. It was a classic country store, half groceries, half hardware. As we left with our huge containers of water, we decided the other customers must have all walked. They were the sensible ones.
It was still snowing.
The main road was fine. The first turnoff had JUST been plowed when we turned into it. Very easy. But our road showed no traffic since we had passed. And it seemed like one enormous hill. We could see the top the first time we started sliding. We never made it that far again.
After about 20 attempts, P got out and started shoveling the road. T got out too, but there was only one shovel in the car. I watched him disappear up the hill on foot as we backed down to the turnoff. Again.
Remember, T was underdressed. He was dressed for sitting in a heated car, not walking in the cold snow. Plus he had a cold leaving Texas, which has not appreciated the dry air here. He was not doing well and I was quite worried about him.
After 20 or so more attempts on the hill (J was QUITE good at backing down that hill!), he dropped me at the farthest point and I started walking with the bags of groceries. It was a very long cold walk. Beautuful, though.T would tell you that my snow boots squeak in the snow.
I met T coming the other way. He was dressed properly, in snow boots and hat, dragging the scoop thingy, and carrying the shovel and rake. He gave me the cabin key as we passed. He is my hero. Along with P, who shoveled that entire damn hill by herself.
I was in the cabin putting on warmers and better clothing to head back out when I heard someone come in. It was J. P suggested that he try backing UP the hill. After an insane number of attempts, evidently even crazy suggestions get tried.
T tells me that he was almost at the top of that stupid hill when J shot past him in the car going backwards.
T and P carried the two containers of water back on foot. I had trouble with the grocery bags! They rock.
I really feel like I got the full Canadian Experience. P says we did not see hockey (for which I'm grateful), which Canadians would consider required. J says we may never leave the cabin in the car again this weekend.
Tomorrow? Snow shoeing!
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