And then it snowed again....

Yup! Like many of you on the Eastern Seaboard, I've just dug out from yet another storm, the 5th in the month of February! We've another one headed our way for Wednesday and another one for this weekend.  What are we gonna do with all the snow?

I took advantage of Saturday's sunshine and milder temperatures to walk .... to my local thrift store. And I had quite good luck: three new-to-me pairs of trousers, a skirt and this "little black dress":

It's a jewellery holder that I saw a few years ago but didn't want to pay the new price. $5 was a much better deal.

That morning, I baked a wonderful batch of Lemon & Candied Ginger scones for Valentine's Day breakfast. 

The storm hit early Sunday morning, and we were house bound until about noon today before the snow and blowing stopped and the digging out began. Today is a holiday for Nova Scotia.  So, with 2 days of mostly sitting on the couch, I've accomplished a lot: I've caught up on an HBO series, my hand-washing & mending is done; I've begun the actual quilting on my grandson's baby quilt; and the remainder of last night's dinner is heating in the oven for tonight - this delicious and very simple recipe for Italian Sausage Bake.

I've also lost one of my students today. My Colombian student is obviously used to much more preferential treatment than this Canadian Mama could give her. She requested a move last week because she "didn't like walking to school (15 min); had to make her own breakfast and school lunch; couldn't have more than 1 shower a day; couldn't keep the heat at 30 degrees in her room (day and night); couldn't stay up until 1 am; and didn't like that I sometimes choose to cook foods that Chihiro and I liked rather than her diet of meat and potatoes only." Really guys; NO vegetables touched that girl's mouth! Then there were other things like when she drank 3 litres of apple juice and 1.5 litres of orange juice herself within 2 days and I said there wouldn't be any more until I got groceries in 2 weeks; so she had to buy her own. Three tumblers of iced tea with every meal! And then there was  my telling her she couldn't fry anything when I wasn't at home because she used 3/4 of my bottle of oil in the first 3 days. (It's scary to come home to an empty oil bottle, grease all over the stove and the pervasive smell of "fat" throughout the house.) And I don't think she liked it that after a few days I decided to dish up the evening meals myself; that meant she got an equal share of the food rather than the biggest and best of what was prepared. There were lots of other issues; but despite the stress and aggravation I was feeling, I thought we'd work through them because of her inexperience. Yet when I was told that her agent wanted her moved, I was quite relieved. She was a very sweet and pleasant princess; but a princess she was indeed! And I doubt her new household will be much different than mine -- this is Canada and not Colombia.  

It's not often you get students like this. Most of the students who come realize what it means to immerse themselves in Canadian culture and the treasures to be gained in doing so. This poor little girl and her parents don't understand. And that's the really sad thing: not only will she miss out on a lot of fun and love if she continues this way but there will be no opportunity for growth or learning. 

Oh well! C'est la vie! 

Just me and my little Japanese chicken here in this coop. And what a treasure she is. 

Now, if only the weather would change it's "attitude" life would really get easier for me. 

But I've a feeling that as it's still only mid February, I need to change my expectations.