The Learning Curve Report

The blog is back and, boy, have I been round the bay here in Newfoundland since my last post. I’ve also been home to the good ol’ US of A once.

The learning curve has been very high.   

Where to begin…

How about the first four things that come to my mind?
     

      1. Keep the path clear of snow for the oil delivery. Nothing is scarier than freezing weather, a snowy forecast and an almost empty oil tank. Oil fuels the furnace and hot water heating system in this house. Our tank never hit empty, but it got down to a quarter full. Our winter oil bills are about the same amount in in St. John’s as our air conditioning bills were in Houston in the summer.

So, here’s what happened. I arrived in deep snow. We pretty much ignored the deck and backyard—they were buried under three feet of snow (at least.) Eventually I climbed over the hardened snow, forgetting we had a man-made pond and waterfall in the backyard and walked the dogs on top of them. No, we did not crack through the ice and fall in. I also walked over the dormant snow-covered flowering shrubs.

One day we noticed the oil tank was down to a quarter—and the next day I saw the oil truck come and go without filling up our tank! What?! Turns out a solid foot of ice on each side held our gate firmly closed and kept the oil man from connecting our tank to his truck. I spent the next week chipping—oh that sounds too sweet and easy—how about feverishly chopping away the ice. I tied the back gate to the deck rail, which kept it open. Stroke of brilliance, I say! On a serious note, I have shoveled snow, deep snow, but I have never worked so physically hard in my life as I did chopping that ice. Next winter I will be vigilant, keeping the snow cleared!

I will also mark important areas, like the steps from the deck, the edge of the deck, the pond, the bushes and other living things I trampled over, by marking them with PVC sticking up from the ground before the snow comes. Maybe I’ll add solar lights in the tubes for a pretty lighting on the snow, eh? See how the creativity soars here? And, yes, we get enough light for solar lighting despite the dark gloomy days, at least since May. We’ll see about winter!

2. I learned you MUST give yourself plenty of time between connecting flights in and out of St. John’s. I lived a nightmare both ways when I traveled at the end of April/beginning of May. Between St. John’s spring fog and United’s usual umpteen gate changes and United’s passion for sitting on the runaway going nowhere, I arrived exhausted and returned exhausted. In the future, I might stay on the island in April and May, and convince all friends and relatives that this really is the exotic vacation hot spot (that it is, I’m telling you) in June and July. Icebergs, whales, ocean breezes and really fantastic food!

  

      3. I am a CFA and, chances are, you are too… although yesterday a sweet little 83 year old woman at the Dollar Store where few things are a dollar and most are several or more, floated my boat.  She assumed I am a Newfoundlander, born and bred. “CFA” is what the locals call anyone who’s not from Newfoundland. “Come from away.” I’m proud the little woman thought I am a local, but she was also wearing a sweatshirt and complaining about heat flashes on what am I positive was the hottest day of the year. I will stop there because...

     This brings me to Lesson Learned #4: Snow does melt. Eventually. 

       I had my doubts. I found my summer shorts while I was unpacking—in March. I laughed. Now I can’t find them. So… we survived what everyone here says is the coldest, harshest snowiest winter in the last “eighteen” or “thirty years.” I guess it depends on how old you are or where in St. John’s you were, because the weather is always different round the bay!

Growing up in Chicago probably had a lot to do with my enjoying—okay, truth, putting up with the ridiculous seven foot snow drift in our driveway. Being able to stay home and bundle up only to take the dogs out and then sit and stare out at it from the window with a mug of hot coffee in my hands probably helped too. I did worry about Hubbie getting home in blizzard, and sometimes schools and government agencies were closed but The Office was not. Our address is St. John's, but we are closer to Mount Pearl. Sometimes St. John's forgets to shovel us out. Of course, Mount Pearl and St. John's bicker about shoveling the highway on and off ramps. 

Snow was completely new to two of us--the dogs! Our golden retriever/Australian shepherd/beautiful mutt did not initially approve of the cold white stuff. But by the time there was one tiny 3 foot wide patch left in the backyard—it was MAY, Mother’s Day weekend, in fact—that little patch of snow was Annie and Layla’s business destination. Until it was gone. Our next door neighbor hinted that snow could last til July. It did not. Our next door neighbor is such a character—as is everyone we meet!

Now it's July and, without air conditioning, I’m telling you, it’s hot and muggy in the house. But outside and coming through the windows is a sea "breeze" (it's wind)  that saves us. We also have a basement and, growing up in Chicagoland without air conditioning, I know to keep basement windows shut and upstairs windows open. I also know summer will be gone all too fast. We’ll be remembering how great it was...because it really is great! Come and see for yourself if you don't believe me.

See ya round the bay!