A VERY windy lunchtime walk today, via my old haunt, the museum. 9C.
Ah yes, the wind…
Tag Archives: Oliver
Whirlwind
And it was. An absolute whirlwind.
In late August, Tom and I decided to move in together, by which I mean, selling his house and buying another, and exiting both of our homes. Sounds simple, but it was very complicated, and the severe amount of adulting required sapped me of all energy to write in my blogs, or really do much of anything else but plan, pack, and stress. We bought a beautiful townhouse just west of Glenora in Grovenor, and we’ve been here since November 15. Actually, November 17. We got possession on the 15th, and although our move in date was November 16, we rescheduled to the following day because we got the first dump of winter on the 16th — 20 cm of snow, blowing winds and frigid temperatures. And no shovel.
In spite of my efforts to downsize, I still have a lot of stuff and it took a long time to pack, and unpack, especially the books. At times, often in fact, it feels oppressive. I don’t move easily or happily but the end result of this move is one of the positive things in an otherwise shitty 2021. I paused looking for employment from September to December because this move was a full-time job. Perhaps that’s a cop-out but it’s been incredibly difficult to hold different and sometimes opposing thoughts in my brain these last few months. I’m not a good multi-tasker, and I was lucky to be able to focus on one thing (with many tangled facets). Tom was able to walk most days, but I was just too busy. All of the things I love to do have fallen off the priority list. I hope I find them again.
The other thing preventing me from walking is the weather. Soon after the massive snow fall on November 16, we had several freezing rain episodes. The roads and sidewalks were absolutely treacherous, iced to a mirror sheen. We haven’t taken off our spikes at all this winter. Since then, however, it’s been cold. Almost a month of record-breaking cold.
CTV weather guy Josh Classen: “10 of the past 12 days in Edmonton had highs below -15. Eight of those days had highs below -20! The last deep freeze THIS cold for THIS long was 1996-97. If you factor in the forecast – we’ll top that. Sunday (Jan 9) should make it 13 of 17 straight days where we don’t get above -20.”
Our view of the neighbourhood is very pretty, especially when it’s sunny, but other than Sunday, January 2, no walks.
Starting Monday of next week, it’s supposed to warm up to 0C. Can’t wait.
And…I start a new job on January 17th! Back at the U of A as a communications associate, focused on writing, but with three new faculties. Still remote for the foreseeable future.
Awash in Colour
Late afternoon walk in and around Oliver, the museum, and Glenora. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
16C, 8,500 steps.
Do I Have Heat Stroke?
With Tom keeping super early hours because of the Olympics, no walks with him this week, but I’m still getting out as much as possible. Today was a little crazy. I should have gone earlier, but to be truthful—and reckless, I left at 11:30 AM in the 26C degree heat. The tan I had developed over many afternoon walks had faded over our span of early morning walks and I wanted to bump it up a bit. To be clear, as a redhead my tan isn’t much and it’s mostly freckles, but a little colour is always nice. (I do wear sunscreen on my face, and randomly, over my shoulders and arms).
So, I walked. And walked. By the time I was finished, two hours had elapsed, my counter registered 14,729 steps (Oliver, Victoria Park trail, River Road, MacKinnon Ravine, Glenora, Oliver), and it was near 30C. I was really hot and for the last three or four blocks—even as tired as I was, I took a slight detour into a leafy neighbourhood to avoid direct sunlight. When I got home, I chugged down a big glass of ice cold water and sat in front of the fan. I wanted to take another shower, but I wasn’t 100% sure I wasn’t going to collapse, so I had a banana and that did the trick. I felt much better. I am a little redder and have a few more freckles, but that was probably too much.
Thursday will be another hot one. I think I might take the day ‘off’. Today we tied for the most days over 30C (only 1961 had that many 30-degree days), and that record will surely be broken in the next few days. What a godawful summer. I hate to wish away time, or seasons, but with the record-breaking heat and lack of rain, this summer has been hard on humans, animals, trees, and every other living thing except weirdo heat worshipers with air-conditioning. Let it be over.
From CTV Josh Klassen:
Get A Room
One of those days where I wish my eyes were a camera, because it doesn’t matter how hard I try, I can’t capture how beautiful it is, mid-June, when everything is bursting with life. I mean, even the bugs are busy creating life, right out in the open, with two bonus onlookers!
So yeah, gorgeous, warm, and sunny. This was a solo walk, so I started from Victoria Park promenade, down into the golf course, along river valley road to MacKinnon Ravine, and then back up into Glenora/Oliver.
About 25C, 10,032 steps.
Don’t Rain on Me
Just a short walk, to Tom’s and then back. Somehow, it didn’t rain on me, although the skies were very rumbly and dark. This is the only kind of cloudy sky I like, when it looks like it will storm (even if it doesn’t).
