BOOM

All through the night the wind was horrendous. I really thought a tree would fall on the house or a window would blow out. It was so cold we had the heating set to 21* (though I did have to turn it down at some point because I was too warm). As if the cold and wind wasn't enough we then had many Frost Quakes from about 5am onwards. Really big huge bangs that actually shook the house. Moo woke up and came down to see what it was. Luckily the kids didn't wake up. I can't believe how loud they were. It is officially called a Cryoseism and is to do with the frozen ground. It's a horrible noise, hope we don't get too many more. Mrs Rumbleskins sent me a link to the Guardian which said "And in Canada, they're experiencing something called frostquakes, which is what happens when nature throws everything at you and then decides to invent something even more terrifying". Actually Mrs Rumbleskins really sent me the link because Mr Rumbleskins wants us to try the experiments in the report. We tried both of the experiments but neither worked (though my hair did freeze!)

So this morning we had ice on the inside of the windows (we have lovely wooden sash windows but the cold air does get through). We had icicles hanging from everywhere and beautiful icy patterns on the outside the windows. The temperature gauge read -21* and the windchill was -35*.

Huffle went off to work okay but sent me a message to say it was very cold. The boys forgot to wake me up but thankfully the bus was running so we didn't need to rush too much. I made the boys wrap up well and didn't let them stand outside for the bus today. Moo stood on the landing watching for the bus. Even opening the door and watching them get on the bus let an icy chill into the house.

Moo and I had breakfast and waited for the cooker man to turn up. He rang last night and said he would be here between 10am and 12. Moo sat and jigsawed and did the washing and drying and I finished my sock and skyped Grandma and Grandad. At t 11:45 the cooker man rang and said he couldn't start his van this morning and was running behind. He thought he would be no longer than an hour. When they arrived I realised the gate was frozen, as were the big gates so they had to come through the front door and trample their snow covered boots through the living room. They manouvered it well and we now have a shiny new cooker.

Moo and I went out as soon as we cleared the snowprints up. We had lunch in a Portugese bakery and then went on to a Sports shop where they sold used and new skis, snowboards, skates, hockey everything, golf stuff. Moo got herself a pair of Ski boots and me a pair of ice skates which we had sharpened. We popped into Value Village and bought a quiche dish, a couple of scarves and a purse. We got home with two minutes to spare nefore the boys got back.

Moo clearing my windscreen

They had not been allowd out all day because it was too cold. Small went off to play at his friends house who lives at the back of us (they have a frozen pond where they skate - I might have to have a go now I have skates). Moo and I made a Broccoli and Blue Cheese soup for dinner while Smallest played on the computer.

I walked across the back to pick up Small (OMG it was so cold). We all had dinner, the littles watched TV while the biggies played table tennis.

 

A photo from theTelegraph of a man from Michigan today (after he had been snowblowing).

 

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Back to the grindstone

We didn't lose any power in the evening or during the night.

It took Huffle a while to get out of the drive this morning because of the ice on the windscreen and the snow that had fallen. All school buses in our region were cancelled but the school was still open, so we prepared to walk and pick up Smallest's friend on the way. As the road looked clear, I went out in my PJ's and snow boots and cleared the car and warmed up the windscreen. I ended up taking the boys (and Smallest's friend) to school in the car and when I got back Moo had got my toast and coffee ready (she can stay!).

Breakfast over, we went out to clear the drive. It was very tough. Ice on top of snow on top of ice. We did all we could and filled the bird feeders and chipped away at the ice until we could get the gate open.

We decided to go out to Port Perry which was easier said than done. We cleared the windscreen but the wipers were frozen and got stuck half way on the windscreen. Then a lorry went past and sprayed the car so we couldn't see out. We pulled over and we freed the wipers and tried to clean the windscreen with snow (which was really just ice). Another lorry went past and we stopped again and cleared it and then made our way to the petrol station. While I eventually freed the petrol cap cover from the ice, Moo got all the ice off the wipers. We carried on to Port Perry using two small gaps in the windscreen without any further incidents.

Once there we found a coffee shop, met up with NoCustard and had a nice warming drink in front of the fire. We left her and poddled around a few shops, stopping to talk to MrsM.

Lake Scugog.

It was very cold and we stopped shortly after for soup and bagel overlooking the frozen lake.

We went for a walk down to the lake but it had started snowing hard and was cold so we took a few photos and came back to the car. We stopped briefly at the supermarket and came home. We had fifteen minutes to get warm before we we went out again to fetch the boys from school. This time we walked. Just as I was nearing the school I got a phone call from Smallest's friend's Mum asking if I could pick up her son as her car was frozen.

On the way home it was like herding sheep - very slow and they kept rolling in the snow and jumping and picking up ice. We eventually dropped off Smallest's friend and got home by telling the boys they could have hot chocolate with marshmallows in. The one who got home first got two marshmallows. I thought Moo was going to be the first but Small made it past her, just!

We made dinner and the boys read their Lego magazines. Huffle came home early and we all had dinner. He came home with presents from people in the office. A selection of cheeses, a bottle of Port and a bottle of wine. Lovely. The boys went off to Cubs/Beavers - tonight they talked about the 1812 war and did some activities.

The cooker man rang and he is coming tomorrow to exchange our bag of nails one for a brand spanking new one. If this one doesn't work............. NO, it will, it will be fabulous.

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Freezing Rain on the way

We had some snow overnight and the temperatures were between 0* and -6*. It snowed on and off all day but got progressively thicker and started to settle. We had warnings of another Ice Storm so after everyone had showers we filled the bath, did the washing and prepared the candles.

We also went out for a lovely dinner to our local town and then on to a few shops to pick up supplies.

Today there has been computer playing, helicopter flying, knitting, jigsawing, hole sealing and reading.

The boys throwing snowballs at me through the window!

We ended the day with a game of American Monopoly using the new 'fast dice' which made the game very interesting (and not just because I won) and Grandma's presents of the new Monopoly pieces.

All the boys are back to school and work tomorrow. Will the bus be operating? Will Huffle need to dig his car out? Will we have power?

 

 

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It was just a burp!

The temperature was much better today with a -3*. The sun shone and it looked like a Spring day until we got outside and we realised it was colder than we thought. Today Stoke (Huffle's team) played Leicester City (my team, should be Huffle's team, our home town). We were hoping to watch it on the TV or listen to it on the radio but we couldn't get either. I knew a friend from home was at the game so I asked for an update. Unfortuntalely we lost BOOOOOOO!

Moo and I made a picnic, filled two rucksacks and everyone got their snowboarding clothes on and we drove 15 minutes up the road to a ski resort. An hour later after Moo had tried on fifteen different ski boots and we asked a lady how to put our lift passes on, how to chose the right boots, we were on the magic carpet and up the nursery slopes.

The boys did wonderfully, Smallest had no fear and got excellent tuition from Huffle. Moo made skiing look very easy.

Moo, Smallest and I just went up and came down and went up and came down without too many incidents. Though the Magic Carpet kept stopping abruptly and once made Moo almost fall over.

Small later had achey legs and bottom!

We stopped for our picnic lunch which we had to eat outside on a table whose benches were under snow! It was a beautiful day and Huffle was desperate to stay till the lights went on as we have never boarded in the dark before, however Smallest had other ideas. He got tired and ended up sitting at the top of the slope on a bench eating a chocolate coin, got tummy ache, felt sick and ended up standing at the bottom of the slope while we all took it in turns sitting or standing with him.

Huffle got to board in the dark and was very happy. I learnt that I can board better in the dark as I can't see how steep the slopes are so can't get scared!

We had a brilliant day despite Smallest feeling ill and we managed to stay until it got dark and we got some lit-up snow boarding in. Fabulous.

I have to say how fortunate we are to be this close to the slopes. They may not be the tallest mountains but they suit us for now.

Smallest ended up feeling perfectly well - "it was a just a burp!"

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Frost Quake

Todays temperature started at -25* with a windchill of -35* and just to prove it was properly cold I stuck my newly washed wet hair out of the door and it froze!

As well as the strange weather, we are also experiencing some Frost Quakes. It sounds like a tree has fallen on the roof or in our case, like a Moo has fallen out of bed.

Moo and I left all the boys at home this morning and went off to knitting. Last night I started Moo off on a Sock Monkey Hat for Smallest so she had something to do. First of all my car wouldn't start and then when it did, we couldn't get through the thick ice on the windscreen. It was a layer of thick ice, fallen ice bits from the tree above and then a thick layer of snow on top of all that. We got rid of the snow and started to chip away at the fallen ice bits but it was just too thick. It was incredibly cold too and our nose hairs froze (that is a very strange sensation). We decided to take Huffle's Hunk of Junk car instead but had to fill it up with petrol. I told the petrol man (he fills it for you in the Hamlet) I didn't know where the switch was to open the tank, we looked and searched and then wondered if it just opened manually - silly me, it did. Full of petrol and with the heat on full blast, we drove to knitting.

Today there were six of us. I carried on with my thrum socks which are lovely and will be very very warm when finished. Moo knit, undid, knit and undid her hat. When we left we went to look at floor samples again as the man who was fitting our Lino didn't think it was a good idea and suggested a Wood laminate instead. We picked up some samples and headed home, but not before we got stuck in the snow and did some wheel spinning.

The boys had had a fun morning of board games, gym time, a long walk around the house and some computer time. Once Moo and I were home we all had some lunch, played table tennis and made quiche for dinner and Choclate Banana Bread just because we had over ripe bananas.

We all played ticket to Ride and Smallest played properly this time - he did very well.

After dinner Huffle, Small and I went out to watch The Hobbit (again). This time we managed to see the whole film. It was cold in there and I had to wear Small's hat throughout the film and Huffle lost his his chocolate and water and didn't find it until the lights came back up.

It was a brilliant film.

 

 

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Frozen inside and out

Today's temperature was -20 with a windchill of -30. Wow that was cold. After breakfast we went out to the cinema to see Frozen. It was the same cinema we went to see The Hobbit at so we were hopeful we wouldn't get evacuated this time. When we saw the trailer of this some time ago, the boys both wanted to see it as it seemed like it was all about a snowman and a reindeer who have fun on the ice. However it wasn't anything like that at all. It was a musical cartoon and I could hear Huffle groaning from where I sat two people away from him. He hates all musicals and this was quite a girly one really. The snowman was very funny and should have been in it more. He was voiced by Josh Gad who I really like and you could tell it was him instantly. Anyway Moo and I liked it, Smallest liked it all except for the kiss at the end and Small liked it apart from the songs (though I'm guessing that's because Huffle said it). Of course, in the cinema we had the usual yawping of kids and a lady who sat in front of Huffle sang, clapped her hands and generally jiggled her head. They are funny here, or is it us, too restrained?

 

 

 

 

 

When we came out it was even colder. We popped to the supermarket and got provisions for a warming soup this evening. We did a really quick shop, drove home, put everything away and had lunch.

While the boys played upstairs with their lego, Huffle, Moo and I played the old version of Ticket to Ride which Moo won easily. Then we all finished our game of UPSET from yesterday. I won. Hurrah!

A couple of games of Stack 'em Up followed by some more lego building and arguing and then we had our lovely warming soup. I made Italian Mixed Bean Soup for the grown-ups, Spinach and Tomato for Small and Creamy Tomato for Smallest.

Another game of Ticket to Ride and a couple of Tetris, some jigsaw and the boys went to bed and we played cards.

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Pinch Punch - 2014

We didn't make it to midnight last night. We played cards and Take Two, drank tea and half a glass of wine, had a drunken chat with Aunty A and ended up in bed at 11pm. Can't party as well as we used to! Huffle and I watched Mad Men in bed and were just drifting off to sleep (a little before 12 when fireworks started and Otto started shouting Yay and Woo.

2014 - goodness me, where did that year go to?

We had a lovely lazy indoor day today. The temperature started at -12* and everyone was tired and achey from yesterday. The morning consisted of reading, emailing, making photo stories for Moo and a bit of table tennis. The boys played on the Wii and then had it banned for a week due to foul play! Moo, Huffle and I played Ticket to Ride Europe. Huffle won.

After lunch we had a games compendium. We set up about seven games in different rooms and played each other at the different places including starting a new jigsaw. We played Mastermind, Jenga, Stack 'em Up, Connect Four, Downfall, Draughts. When we had played lots of these we all played UPSET. We were playing to 10,000 points and Moo reached 9900 and I got an UPSET and sent everyones score back to nought (except Huffle who had stolen a card from Moo giving him immunity). At this point we stopped and watched the end of Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters.

The boys had their tea in front of Sponge Bob.

I haven't taken any photos today so I put together a montage of 2013 instead:-

Wishing you happiness and health in 2014 x

 

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