The Snow Storm and the Flat Tire; or How my Sister Saved the Day

Looking Cool!

A Croissant Break

What are the chances of a snow storm in April?  I am not exactly sure, but I recently found out that the average number of days of snowfall in April in Montreal is 3.5, with an average accumulated snowfall of 13 cm (Snowfall Montreal)!

So I should not have been too surprised when we had a snowstorm last Friday. An estimated 25cm of snow fell on Montreal. But we also received ice pellets and freezing rain. I did not change my plans for the day. The girls and I headed to a playgroup in the morning, and then to Grandma's around lunch time. The baby and I left at around 14h to head home, as our toddler generally sleeps over at Grandma's on Friday nights.

But I was surprised that I got a flat tire on the same day as an April snowstorm. The last time I had a flat tire was about four years ago, and it occurred right after driving over one of Montreal's enormous potholes. This time around, I was not aware of the trigger, nor was I aware of the flat tire. The baby was sound asleep in her car seat, and the dashboard started rattling as we were halfway home. I was on the highway, wondering if I could make it home. As the next exit approached, I realized rather suddenly that I had to pull over. I pulled into a Tim Horton's parking lot within a few hundred metres of the exit, got out, and this is what I saw:

It was a good thing I stopped, I told myself! If you look closely, you might see the large nail in the tire. I called my husband in a panic, but he did not answer. After calling him a few times, I sent him the above photo. He returned my calls shortly thereafter. He confirmed that our Audi Roadside Assistance had expired. Unfortunately, without a car, he could not be of much assistance. I was mostly worried about the sleeping baby. She would no doubt wake up soon...

I reached my sister shortly after this conversation with my husband. She had just finished school (where she teaches), and came right over. She was driving my mom's car which had been fitted with an infant car seat a few years ago. We drove the baby, now awake, and crying, back to Grandma's. I returned to the car, and thanks to my sister's CAA membership had the tire changed. The snowstorm notwithstanding, CAA was surprisingly prompt. The back-up tire was a full size all-season tire, so I was able to drive without a noticeable difference. I returned to Grandma's, and arrived home safely with both girls by 18h (by this point, my toddler decided she no longer wanted to sleepover at Grandma's). My husband had left work early, and met us in the parking garage. Boy was he a sight for sore eyes!

The weather has since improved. Most of the snow has melted, and just 1 week after the snow storm, the temperature reached a high of 20C!

The Visitors II

Last week, my children received some very special visitors from China. This week, they in turn became visitors, along with their parents.  We departed on December 27th, and returned on January 2. We spent 5 full days with family and friends in Cambridge, Ontario.

Were it not for the record-breaking snow-storm on the 27th, it would have been a near-perfect trip. As it happened, 47 cm of snow-fall led to many flight delays. Our door-to-door time was 8 hours, when normally it would have been a little over 3 hours. Thankfully, our daughters travel relatively well on aeroplanes. Out toddler had her own seat for the first time, and enjoyed playing with her tray, and in-plane magazines. The baby fell asleep during the flight to Toronto, and our toddler followed suit as soon as we landed.

There were many fun activities for out children in Cambridge. Foremost amongst them playing with their cousins, two very sweet girls ages 9 and 12. We also went swimming a number of times at the local Y, and our toddler went sledding for only the second time in her life.

Here are a few photos:

Climbing up mountain

Sledding with her cousins

Playing with the child-proof gate at Grandpa's

Swimming at the local Y

At an indoor playground

The Visitors

Our children had some very special visitors this last week. Their cousins, two boys ages 5 and 8, flew in from China on December 20th. The cousins had never seen snow before. Now I think they have had their fill.

They have been skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding multiple times. Then 45 cm of snow descended on Montreal, and they made snowmen and went sledding again.

Our toddler had a few firsts of her own. First sledding experience, and first time skating... although I wouldn't call it skating!

Here are a few photos of her firsts:

First pair of rental skates

Skating with mama

Sledding with her aunt

Taking a post sledding break

First Snowfall

Trudging through the snow

I should specify; this is not our daughter's first snowfall, nor this winter's first snowfall. However, it is this winter's most significant snowfall so far, and what will probably be our daughter's most memorable snowfall.

While there have been a few snow flurries recently, the snow never stuck around until this last Tuesday night. I had made plans for Wednesday involving the car, but when we awoke, I quickly realized that my plans would have to be changed. We have not yet installed our winter tires, and there was quite a bit of snow on the ground, and still falling. I resigned myself, and actually told baby # 1 that we would be staying in all day. We did venture downstairs in our condominium complex to check the mail. There, we ran into a little boy her age, accompanied by his grandmother. He was suited up in an impressive snow suit, and they were heading out to enjoy the snowfall. And that's when I decided that we could certainly do the same. While I do not currently own a full snow suit (that would fit given my current shape), I donned my long winter coat, and dressed the baby up in her metallic pink snow suit.

We headed out the back door of our condominium complex, and I thought we would simply loop around and enter through the front. As it happened, baby #1 enjoyed the snow so much that we stayed out for an entire hour. And that's when I realized that if I am to enjoy our harsh winters, then I am going to have to start dressing warmly, and attempt to rediscover the joys of winter. I have fond memories of tobogganing and skating with my sisters growing up, but sadly, I do not remember the last time I enjoyed being outdoors in the winter. I avoided what was left of the winter when our first daughter was born in February of 2010, and only briefly went out with the stroller last winter. But I have a feeling that all that is about to change.

Now if only our winters would start a little later on in the year, and last not so long, the task at hand would be so much simpler...