Big Snow

Remember how I was celebrating the arrival of winter on Monday? Well here in London Ontario winter just kept arriving, dumping a record amount of snow on my city. There was so much of it I didn't ride my bike yesterday or today. I treat each winter as a personal challenge to ride every day come hell or high snow, but even I had to give over this time. My kids are getting 3 snow days (schools are closed) out of this. I am jealous.


I hope to ride my bike in to work tomorrow. I would post a little video if it weren't for the fact that my crappy bike-mount camera was finished off by a big pothole the other day and I can no longer attach it to the bike.

I have plans to locate another cheap camera for this purpose. This would never have happened in a smooth pavement Utopia.

Most parts of the city had received a metre or more of snow by Tuesday afternoon, which is 100cm, or 3' 3" for you 'mericans. In many places it drifted to much greater depths. That is about half the snowfall London usually receives all winter. This town is almost completely shut down. Here are some pics:

a house down the street

accumulation

wind sculpture


the menace from above


Rantwick daughter missing school


Rantwick son also devastated

I've kind of got my hands full at work and at home thanks to all this snow. I'll post something again soon I hope. In the meantime, stay cool.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Random Acts of Lego Kindness and Other Good Things

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've had a case of the holiday blues lately. I know, I know, cry me a river. I have no right to feel down about anything because I am truly blessed in all of the most important things. I'm writing about feeling low, though, because I am feeling decidedly better now. Yesterday was a really great day for lots of reasons:

Winter Arrived in London Ontario:

My bikes shared a brief moment together as they passed the torch and commiserated over carrying my big butt to work and back every day. Summer has been safely stored in the shed, and Mutant Winter has taken her spot in the porch lockup. Highway (the Trek 520 build), on the other hand, is living in the basement like some weird freeloading aunt who is hoping for some attention over the winter months. We shall see.

Mrs. Rantwick and I went out to do some top secret Christmas stuff yesterday morning. When we arrived home,we found this awaiting us in our bedroom:

It almost made me cry.

Please note that I will not tolerate any suggestion that this message is some kind of self-serving effort to curry favour during this time of intense focus on children's desires. This was the creation of Rantwick Jr., the same kid that created the Grumbear.

I saw a Grumbear on a family hike once.

He is a giving and genuinely loving person who, at least right now, simply doesn't think that way. Suggest any different in the comments and I will send the Grumbear your way, and believe me, you don't want to mess with him:

Later we went to a kids Christmas party at my work, where I was once again reminded of how good people can be. Tons of people volunteer to make it a truly great thing for the kids, with free food, carnival games, a bouncy castle and a really great Santa Claus (you rock, Larry) sporting a real great white beard among other nice things. People from work (some of whom one would never suspect) do all kinds of work to make it happen and I just show up, have a great time with my kids and go home happy. If any of you are reading this, thanks so very much. You put on what must be the best kids Christmas party in town, bar none, and I really appreciate it.

By the time you read this, I am hoping to have enjoyed a fully blissed-out MUP ride through powder (London doesn't plow most of the paths) coming in to work. If so, expect more good vibes from this direction soon.

Yer Decidedly "Up" Pal,

R A N T W I C K

PS - If you're new here and were expecting a rant, sorry. I chose my name only to discover I don't often fit it very well. I do get a little ticked sometimes, but in general I'm more on the positive side. I still like my name though, so, tough.