We had another snow day last Friday, and today is the Family Day Holiday – so we have had four days of relative peace and quiet. We had too much time to watch the ultimate Canadian reality show – the removal of the Truck protestors from the city of Ottawa.
We distracted ourselves from this by trying to watch as much of the Winter Olympics as possible! Now that both the Truck protest and the Winter Olympics have ended, it seems that our news broadcasters are at a loss as to what to talk about!
Snow days for me are usually a chance to re-group, nest, re-organize and plan for events in warmer weather. This pandemic has been the “Winter of Our Discontent”. We have patiently waited indoors and avoided contact with each other, but sunnier times are ahead.
We think of “The Winter of Our Discontent” as being John Steinbeck’s last novel and refers to the idea that “we have reached the depth of our unhappiness and that better times are ahead.” However, the phrase stems from a speech in Richard III by William Shakespeare
Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour’d upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.”
This soliloquy is a metaphor – with winter and summer being used to celebrate – “the reign of King Edward-IV has turned sadness, which is like winter, into celebration, like summer. Richard III is not talking about unhappiness, but celebrating – Richard’s family felt they were oppressed, and their lives were unhappy, as though under the spell of a long winter.”
There is nothing so deep and serious going around here on this snow day. I looked back to some previous snow day posts and read:
December 2019 – it was a great day to match socks, and why were there still fishing rods in my dining room?
January of 2020 -I was thinking about spoiling myself and breaking out a new Magic Eraser. I was hoping to avoid watching news about China tariffs, Trump and potential impeachments.
The snow will melt soon, and better days are ahead. To entertain myself, what I enjoy most about snow days is watching large snow clearing vehicles (and buses and garbage trucks) get stuck on my street and slide back down the hill. It makes me smile on cold days.
Below – the snowplow gets stuck and slides backwards, and the garbage truck slides backwards (everyone was fine).
Here the sidewalk clearing device got stuck, and it seems like the pickup backed up to help and got stuck, thereby blocking the road and the sidewalk.
I know that better days are ahead and I will keep trying to enjoy the climb.
Sadly I don’t think that anything but the Olympics is over. It’s still cold, the powers behind the insurrection will find some new way to be annoying and there could be a major war in Europe. But hey, it’s Family Day so be happy!
Now we are watching the war every day, it makes the trucker protest seem trivial.
I love your description of the news commentators seeming to have run out of things to say! Watching those police from right across the country patiently and methodically removing those illegal occupiers was mesmerizing. And satisfying. And gratifying.
I actually love winter, it makes life more of an adventure! 😏
It certainly does, but I’m so ready for spring!
It seems I rarely read about extreme political upheavals in Canada. Having seen otherwise recently, I’m just hoping the trucker strikes don’t spill over into the U.S.
It doesn’t seem to be our style – you are right!
Canada has always been a place I’ve dreamed about to escape from the US if needed. Not so much anymore it seems.
It’s a sad day indeed when even the snow plows get stuck!
We live on a steeply sloped little hill. It’s surprising that every year the snowplows try to head up the hill instead of downwards. After a few tries they usually figure it out – but after 130 years I would think someone at city hall would make a note to remind the plows to look out for the hills. It’s a great source of entertainment when we have children visit!
Times change. It is excellent that everything changes and renews!
You are right about that!
We rarely get snow days here in Saskatchewan. We get lots of snow but it’s usually blowing so much that it just keeps moving. We do have to dig out on occasion and I so snow day to me means exercise! Bernie
Growing up, we always hoped for snow days – a few each year to stay home from school and go tobogganing. These days kids are probably happy not to have snow days after being at home for so long. It won’t be long ’til we have nice weather in both Ontario and Saskatchewan!
Pretty sure you will hit green before us but it will eventually turn here.
I think I saw some grass sprouting today!
This is the first time I heard about the Winter of Discontent. It is such a beautiful phrase, thank you for sharing! And yes, I hope better things come for you and the world. Your news presenters are not picking up on the Russia-Ukraine conflict yet? It is everywhere here.
Hi Markus and Micah. I’m glad that you liked the phrase. Yes, we are fully watching the terrible news from the Ukraine every day and praying for peace.
I like your blog, but can’t see where to leave a like on articles?
Thank you for the comment and the visit Therese! I’m sorry if the Like button didn’t display – it seems to be there now – above the comments and related posts and below the share buttons.
It’s common for people to want for additional snow days. How do you make the most of unplanned days off due to snow? What is your favorite snow day recollection or activity?
I confess I like to stay in and stay warm! When the kids were small – always skating and tobogganing!