Envy

The alarm rang at 5:55am this morning, as per usual. K reached over and hit the snooze button so I could get 9 more minutes of much needed slumber bliss (also part of the normal ritual). Finally, when the radio starting screaming at us again, I crawled out of my toasty bed and made the bitterly cold dash for the bathroom so I could turn on the steamy shower and enjoy a few more minutes of warmth while I tried to rub the sleep from my eyes. I've been known to have a standing nap while in the shower on a cold day, but this was not one of those days. After I spent as long as possible enjoying the hot water, I needed to keep going with the ritual. After tossing on some comfy home-clothes (also known as sweats), I headed to the living room for breakfast (again, the usual: cereal with some fruit and a glass of juice) and some random tidbits of Dawson's Creek, sports highlights, random excerpts from the CBC morning news, and a brief perusal of the Weather Channel. Not too nice out there, that's for sure.

It was then into the kitchen to make some coffee for K and I and prepare a lunch for me... also predictable: soup, granola bar, fruit bar, an apple and some crackers. As always, I looked at my watch and the panic began to set in. 7:00am and still teeth to brush, bag to pack, clothes to put on, keys to find, coffee to prepare, wife to kiss, a double check and out the door. It never ceases to amaze me how I can follow this routine time and time again. The same ritual takes place every day, and I'm usually rushing out the door because if I don't leave at a specific time, my bus leaves without me. Rarely am I early, but often I'm late. I guess it just wouldn't be ME if I wasn't rushing around like a bonehead... that's the way I roll.

So after filling all ritual requirements for the morning, I headed out the door and down the apartment stairs when WHAM! A bag of bricks to the solar plexus! The cold met me with a cocky grin... it was -24... without any consideration of the wind chill which was, luckily, minimal. I made the 10 minute walk to the bus with my awesome UFA toque, mitts, long johns, etc., waited for another 5-6 minutes for the right bus, and finally warmed up and drank my coffee as the sun rose over the valley. I like those scenes where everything is bathed in a warm orange glow of the sunrise... it makes the icy roads and frozen breath seem just a little more bearable.

When I got to the school I received an email telling me that Vancouver Island is getting more snow and Victoria is pretty much shutting down. The punks out west (also known as the Island's Student Teachers) get another snow day, and my blogging buddy told the world all about it. Another friend from Alberta asked me last night if we got any snow days here... I told her that unlike Victoria, the Okanagan actually had ploughs. Envy is seeping from my pores. I'm kinda wishing that I was still on the Island... I could definitely use a mid-week holiday.

I know... poor me :)

- T