Snow, Ice and baby sick in my nose.

I have no idea why some of you read this. Some of you might actually have an interest in what me, Buffy and Half Pint are doing. Some of you don't care and just want to see baby photos. Others might be playing Schadenfreude and be laughing at our misfortune to live in Winnipeg, with its mosquitoes and killer chiller winters. Then there is the rest of you - yep - probably about 96% of everyone reading the random splattering or letters numbers and bad spelling really don't know what you are here for. Perhaps you meant to search for 'Rocks extra loo sumper' which on Google gives you a really nice list of websites about Geology and the likes. Whatever your reason, you are now trapped within my domain until your brain tells your fingers to swipe, type or press a button to get you the hell out of here and onto something less mundane. But don't let your brain take over just yet - there may actually be something interesting, informative or just about fun enough for you to stay for a couple of minutes......

In the last entry you may (or may not) remember that I was very happy that there was alack of snow so far this winter. Well that changed the very day after I posted... The snow fell for a day or two and we had a goof few inches for a week or so. Then the weather changed again and today is a balmy 3 degrees above zero. People are out in flip flops again and the outdoor pools are thinking of opening for the weekend. Its like Tenerife in the middle of summer (except for the brown gushing slush everywhere and the blinding reflection of the sun on the roads.) It is a really nice change from normal winter weather though so we mustn't complain!

There have been some developments in the last few weeks. I had a weird thing going on with my head - basically a sunburn like feeling on my bonce with jaw ache and what felt like an ear infection. After 3 visits to five different doctors and a trip to the dentist a combination of mouthguard, anti-biotics, a saline nose cleanser that missed my nose and soaked the inside of my car and not banging my head on any more walls, pipes or desks - after 2 weeks the symptoms passed and once again my head is just full of stupid information and useless facts - no more pain, burning sensations or ghost like figures appearing in my vision. Medical knowledge tried and failed to find out exactly whet was happening - although being poked in the ears for 45 minutes definitely took away the subtle feeling of pain and instead replaced it with a real painful one. Its like the old saying - If you have a sore finger, cut off your leg and you wont be bothered by the finger again! What a pile of bollocks!

Once all the weirdness passed (at least the feeling of weirdness anyway) I was able to get back on with life and the first thing I wanted to do was build something. Its winter over as you may already now and I decided that I needed to outdo my ice tower from three years ago and build something bigger in the front garden. So after a bit of trial and error with baskets and boxes I finally settled on buying a load of washing up bowls and filling them with water in order to make some ice bricks with which to build my new monolith.

The first couple of days went well - the water froze - the ice was easy to remove and the building grew. But then we had a couple of nights of minus 30 degrees and the quick freezing of the ice meant the bowls couldn't cope and they ended up bust wide open with the coloured ice blocks bursting out from the bowls.

Oops

Yeah, I had a few bowls

The beginning

Lights in

Growing

 Luckily, I managed to save a few bowls from cracking and after a week or so the 40 odd blocks I had frozen gave me a great start and about 5 feet of height. I then started with smaller blocks made from small aluminum pie dishes and milk cartons that I scrambled together from a few of the neighbours recycling bins before the garbage truck arrived. The tower grew quite quickly and although I haven't measured it yet I have to climb it in order to reach the top... Here's a few pics of the progress...

This is the only way to reach the top (although it is still getting bigger)

Buffy has also been getting artistic this past week. We went out for a wander around the forks last weekend and as well as enjoying a pint and a stroll around the market we found a snow sculpture desk where you can grab a dollop of the white stuff and craft it into whatever shape you want....Here's the Buff Stuff making a dragon/eagle...

Not bad eh!!

Whilst we were having a lunchtime beer Hannah decided she wants to be a Gymnast...

Asides from all this there has been plenty of other stuff going on...

I went out with Pat, Stef and Randy to cut down the family Christmas trees early in the month. 

It was, as usual, a pretty standard day - coffee with baileys. strange drinks from round bottles, a bit of tree climbing and of course near knee-capitation when the head of the axe fell off and missed Stefs knee by about 2 inches. Fun times!

Look at about 1min 22 for the near death experience!

One of the reasons we wanted to live in Wolseley was the nice neighbourhood feel. This is brought into full focus during the run up to Xmas. While I have been building the ice tower there have been many times a neighbour has stopped by to chat and take a photo. Another fine example of the neighbourhood spirit if 'Petes Trees'. A pop up Xmas tree shop on a nearby corner. A wonderful little area lit up with lights and with a fire going for people to gather around and chat as they pass by. Now, as you know from above we cut down our own tree, but we did pop by to Pete's last week to enjoy the fire, chat to  a few of the locals as they passed by and to get a wreath for the front door. A lovely way to spend a cool wintry evening. 

Its been a very pleasant Winter so far. We are feeling very Christmassy this year - especially since the crazy kid who has taken over our lives is going to have her very first Christmas in just a week or two. She hasn't a clue what its about obviously, but it doesn't matter. We aren't even getting her a present. 

She has only just started to be able to tell day from night and so definitely wont understand the fairy tale about a fat man from the north pole somehow breaking into our house through the non existent chimney and leaving her a wrapped gift under the dead tree that will be thrown away in the new year. Its all a bit beyond her, but it didn't stop us getting in the mood with stockings too!!

Well, I guess its time to talk about Half Pint Hannah. she had her first cold this week, which meant we had to shove a tube up her nose and literally suck out the snot! She coped really well with it though and as well as that she has now moved into her own room and into the crib! Its really nice for me and Buffter to have the bedroom back to ourselves but a little sad too - But its definitely worth if for a little extra sleep and to see Hannah's big smile as soon as she sees us every morning when one of us goes is to see her. 

 We are very lucky as she seems to be a really happy and slightly odd child. She loves being thrown about and giggles like crazy when we shout 'Helllooooooo Hannnnnahhh'. She also loves being dragged around the house in a box (spaceship) She loves to play with anything that rattles or that can be knocked over and especially loves to just sit ans look out of the front window at the world going by. She is so much fun I actually didn't mind when she puked right on my face just last night!!
Here's a few highlight from her last two weeks....

Being a dad is just great!!

Thanks to Chris and Emma for the early mega blocks Christmas present too - she already loves playing with it!!

So, I think that's enough for now. There was actually something normal and newsy to chat about today - that makes a change! Keep an eye out for the next installment which will probably be back to the normal mundane random bollocks!!

Cheers!!