Fa La La La La

This weekend, in Vancouver, it snowed. And then it snowed some more. And then some more. And then a little more, just for good measure – just to be sure that all the native Vancouverites everywhere were completely and utterly bamboozled.

Meanwhile, in a cozy apartment on the 16^th floor of a downtown high-rise* two little Ontarions far away from home jumped up and down with glee at the sight of the flakes, the size of golf balls, that were cascading out of the sky, and laughed as they listened to the silly British Columbians trying to get their cars out of parking spots in the alley below.**

This city, in the snow, is a bit hopeless. Nevertheless, it was snowing, it was December 1^st, and it was time to get Christmassing, so out they went. Into the stores and markets they ventured, for presents, decorations, books and food. They emerged, 5 hours later, with boughs of holly and fir, and their pride and joy, a little 3’ Christmas tree in a giant pot – a live but reusable Christmas tree, which now sits on their kitchen table so it can look out the window and twinkle its lights at all the other windows in all the other high-rises.

~~~

The snow this weekend, coinciding with the beginning of December, felt a little like a gift. A little bit of white Christmas before the rain set in again. It’s pouring and grey out there again today, but in three weeks we’ll be in Ontario for the holidays, and the past two days were a welcome preview.

* (meaning a Vancouver high-rise, which is not actually that high…)

** (In Ontario, you see, driving schools put a lot of emphasis on winter driving skills, how to turn into skids, and so on. Vancouver driving schools, on the other hand, seem to put a lot more general emphasis on prayer, foul language, and dumb luck. So, the 6-inch layer of snow covering the ground by Saturday afternoon was quite beyond most car owners out here, not to mention public transit.)