You know why so many Canadians head to the beaches of Hawaii or to Caribbean resorts in the winter?
It’s for want of traction.
They go there to feel the blissful security that comes from having a good layer of sand underneath you in the cold winter months of December or January.
Canadians have a natural feeling, an instinct, call it a gut feeling about how dangerous the ground can be in the middle of winter.
The frozen ground gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘tera firma’.
Some may wonder whether this uneasy aversion to the slippery slope comes to us genetically or through our upbringing—the old nature vs. nurture debate.
Certainly any predisposition to this condition can only be made worse by our cold Canadian climate. So toughen up kiddo you’re Canadian, you’re tough, you’ve been nurtured by nature.
The thing I haven’t yet come to understand though is how these people who snowbird their way south get through the disappointment of returning just in time to see the mud pop through the snow.
***
I could hear the sound of applause coming across the frozen lake as I was walking toward the crowd at the dog sled races on Sunday afternoon.
You had to actually walk out onto the lake a bit before you could see the crowd. They were gathered around tables selling hot dogs and a few bales of hay being used as seats by a few.
I thought it was really nice that they were so happy to see me—applauding like that made me feel kind of special.
But as I got closer I started noticing the general pattern of movement in among the crowd. Someone was at the front of the crowd and every so often someone would go stand by them and then the crowd would give me another round of applause.
Then some people would change places and then they would stop and applaud me again.
Just as I got within about ten metres of the crowd most of them suddenly turned to face me and started walking – and they kept on walking. Right past me and back across the lake.
I finally clued in to the fact that I’d just missed the trophy ceremony.
I had my suspicion that I was late as I drove up to Jewel Lake that afternoon. There was too much traffic heading down the hill. There was a lot of traffic.
Of course – the term ‘lot of traffic’ is relative. I think I saw maybe eight or a dozen vehicles coming down the hill.
Traffic is usually light around here.
You know you are living rural when they have to cancel the traffic jam because Judy has her truck in the shop.
***
It’s going to be a great weekend this weekend in the West Boundary!
The 5th annual Kettle Valley Snowmobile Drag race is on for Saturday and Jerry Watson is catering a fund raiser for the Boundary Hockey Association the same night in the Midway Community Hall.
***
We cry because it is over, we smile because it happened.” Crying—Smiling—there is that Yo Yo effect.
Take care of someone who loves you ....