Carl's Notes

Yup, it's snowing.

So far we've got about six inches, and it should be turning to rain in a couple hours, if the weather reports are to be believed.

It sure looks nice from my vantage point from inside the house.

Despite the fact that we don't celebrate Thanksgiving today here in Canada, I'm thankful I don't have to go out in this weather.
(though I am a little extra tired from the very late newspaper deliveries I had to do to achieve this)

Unfortunately, I had to go out for a bit to clear off the hedge and clear part of the sidewalk, but it was much less than it could have been.

Well, just like almost everybody else on my friends list, snow has come here rather early.

Typically, it doesn't snow here in B.C.'s Fraser Valley until late December or early January, and even then we only get at most about six to eight inches and doesn't stay for more than a week or so.

Two years ago, we had a bit over a foot of snow in late November or early December that stayed around for two weeks, and the current weather predictions for this year say that this year will be the same.

Yesterday, while I was delivering papers left over from the day before (they'd shown up at twenty to two in the afternoon and I hadn't had time to deal with all of them, what with the two routes I have) it was mostly raining, but at times there were snowflakes mixed in with it, at times, kind of large ones.
Later that evening, the rain turned into snow and stuck a bit, mostly on the grass though some did stick to the roads.

Today, there's a little bit of snow left so far, and it's supposed to rain a bit, so it should get washed away.
(though I just looked outside and noticed that it's not raining, it's very very fine snow, I think...)

These past couple of months have been rather wet on average, with rain of some sort almost every day, save for a few rather important days.

Those days are Wednesdays and Fridays, when I deliver my newspapers.

Aside from those days, it's usually a little wet around here.

It's been like this for a few months now, and I'm pretty thankful for this.
(especially as Canadian Thanksgiving was just yesterday)

In case anybody wants to keep an eye on the weather in my area, check out CBC's Vancouver Weather page periodically and see how the weather predictions change the closer it gets to Wednesdays and Fridays.

So, one of my fellow carriers was unable to deliver his three routes for last Friday, so my supervisor asked if I could substitute for one of them, then asked if I might be interested in another.

For some strange reason, I accepted all of them.
(this in addition to my normal route, making a total of four routes in one day, on top of a class in the morning)

My supervisor was very understanding if I wasn't able to deliver all the routes in one day, there was no issue with delivering the rest on the Saturday.
She also wanted to know which routes I delivered on the Saturday so she could properly field any complaints that might arise without them showing up in my file.

The weather reports for the Friday and Saturday were not good, probabilities of at least 60% chances of rain, with no indication of sun.

So, it rained that morning until I got home from class, then the sun came out and the wind blew almost all the clouds away, leaving it bright and dry, near perfect delivery weather.
(the report for Saturday was still that it would rain, but the chances had dropped to 40% from 60%)

Again, it had rained during the night, but had cleared up to be bright and sunny again while I delivered the second two routes I'd missed on Friday.

It even stayed nice and dry while I had a lunch break between routes.

Not long after I finished the second and final route, it started raining lightly.
(almost like it was wondering if I needed to go out again later)

Later into the night and into Sunday, it started getting rather windy and the rain started pounding harder, so I'm glad I didn't have to do any more deliveries than that.

It's kind of surprising how accommodating the weather can be, especially when you don't have very good protection for the newspapers.
(all I have is an umbrella and a cart covered with black garbage bags. I'm thinking about upgrading the umbrella to a full, waterproof cloak, which would enhance still further the protection I'm giving the papers as I carry them up to each house. Protecting the papers while they're still on the cart, however, is still an issue I don't have a straight answer for yet)

Other times, I've just arrived back home after delivering papers (especially the times I've forgotten an umbrella) when the sky opens up and drops a deluge of rain that would have soaked me to the skin.

Somebody up there likes me, and I take this as proof that this is where I'm supposed to be in my life right now.
(which doesn't help the pay – about $10 a day, twice a week – but at least it's some pocket money)