Rough Seas

We have had some more snow and have learn't how to operate the snow thrower, which is like a large Gas (petrol) lawn mower, which chops up the snow in front of it and then blows it off to one side. With the wind we had to wear snow goggles while operating it, but even though it costs as much as a small second hand car, it works well.

On our way to St John’s we drive a scenic route past Windsor Lake. Once our son was driving the Corolla and he skid and went into a snow bank, fortunately there was no damage, passers by helped them out quickly. Two evenings later Mr. Tokeloshe drove off the road in the Corolla and got stuck. Fortunately we were close and helped him out.

There are many snowmobiles here, even our neighbour has one, this weekend one almost collided into our car, it was driving in the road, skid and went onto the wrong side of the road. They have many accidents, some fatal.

This we drove to St Philips beach, which is close to us, where the sea was freezing up, it is the first time we have seen this. The waves still move, but is milky white and slushy. It is the same bay, which is between Bell Island, and we where we can expect icebergs to drift from the North Pole in spring. A Nefie was picking up some pebbles, he sounds almost Irish, but thought we were Scottish. He says there are usually seals.

My how our lives have changed again, this place is unreal, with all the snow and we thought we had seen snow; here you can trudge through a few feet of snow on your way to the bird feeder.

Mr. Tokeloshe has built bird feeders and we are attracting lots of interesting birds like Blue Jays, a Northern Flicker (a type of Woodpecker), crows and even a small squirrel.

We drove to Bouline and Torbay. The sea was very rough there; it was the biggest waves I have seen in my life. Mr. Tokeloshe says when he was there before it was a calm bay.

We have had a week of below temperatures, but the Wind-chills have made it feel like –30. The winds are so bad, that one has to hang on to the door as you climb out your car. I think we will soon be walking like the “Kapenaars”.