Crazy weather week.

The weather this week in Blacksburg has been fun. We had snow days Monday and Tuesday thanks to a snow storm, which I happily spent working at home on the sofa with my duvet. Good days! And as I have had a horrible cold all week, a few days in were good. (They didn't get rid of the cold but at least I was curled up with lots of hot drinks.)

Wednesday I went into work and Cait and I decided to go for our usual walk at lunch despite the snow. It was actually quite fun and not as cold as I expected. (I think I am getting used to those temperatures.)

A Robeson Hall snowman

Some people don't think it is cold at all.

Campus is very pretty

It stopped snowing by the time I got home and I even saw some blue sky. (I was very excited!)

Home

Some people just didn't move their cars

The snow was no where near as much as in Boston, but still it was enough for me. So pretty but a pain. 

Thursday, things really got interesting. The temperature plummeted. (Thursday night it was even colder, going down to -4F which is -20C and that is without wind chill.) All the temperatures below are in Fahrenheit. And the wind is the killer! -20F is -29C. The very air hurts. These temperatures I am not happy with. They are ridiculous! 

Insanity!

Friday night I went out for dinner and drinks with a few people from work. This doesn't happen often so we obviously wait until the coldest time of the year to do it! Anyway, it meant I had to walk home. Blacksburg is great at clearing the roads. The sidewalks are a different story. Some they clear. Some they just dump all the snow from the road on to them., especially when you are trying to cross a road. Most are awkward to get over, and require treks through knee high snow and ice. (I am so out of shape - that was seriously hard work!) Some however ... well there was just no way I was going  over that! In the photo below, I am standing up straight next to the snow. Behind me is the snow on the sidewalk. Needless to say I walk the long way around this one!

Not impressed.

Thankfully half way back, I managed to get the bus. They are only once an hour so it was a small miracle. I barely made it and ended up jumping on through the back door, which they really don't like you doing, but I begged and was shivering so the lovely bus driver let me stay on. It was 9F (-13C) and it just too cold! I have crossed "polar explorer' of my list of future job options.
And my little birds are back on my balcony. How they are surviving is a mystery. I am keeping food and unfrozen water out for them. Poor little things.

Little visitors.

It is once again snowing and doesn't seem to want to stop. Though it is forecast for freezing rain later. Oh the joy! So another weekend in with my duvet again I think. Can't say that's a bad thing! :-) 

Christmas Visits

I have been enjoying being home, though most days I have to do some work. I even got my first (and not the last) job rejection yesterday. Merry Christmas. (Seriously it was nice to be told - some don't even bother - but they could have waited!) Still it is nice to be with family. Even though my family is officially nuts. (Love them!)

Dad with a car seatbelt protector on his headphones

The past weekend we have been doing the family visits. Saturday we went to see my aunt, uncle and cousins, Emma and Andrew, and Emma's son, who is very cute. On Sunday we went to see My Aunt Shirley and Uncle Terry who are like God parents I guess (though I was never christened).

Then we stopped by my Aunty Sue and Uncle Trevor's (probably my favorite aunt and uncle) for a chat and glass of wine. They had taken some of my Uncle Roy's Christmas decorations when he passed away earlier this year, much to my Uncles despair. My Aunty Ann (Roy's wife) always when crazy as Christmas. My Aunt Sue loves them! They definitely cover all tastes.

Flashing snowman

Some were nice. But honestly the multiple decapitated Santa heads freaked me out a bit. Then we found out you can put batteries in them. Though I was a little curious, thankfully they didn't have the right size batteries. Because I think if the eyes lit up, I would have been out of there so fast!

Floating Santa head. <Shudder>

 Last night some more cousins came around, and Paul and fiancee brought their little baby around! Oliver is only 7 weeks old and was very cute. And then they showed the Santa suit. Adorable! And he snores! For some reason I didn't think babies snored but he sounds like a kitten purring! So cute!

Baby Santa

 Happily he woke up on his own. (Me and Marie were getting impatient waiting!)

Waking up in a new place

Marie gave him his bottle (after a little bit a panic - he is so small and wriggly!)

"Where's my food?)

Happy now.

Little bit of post dinner dancing.

I did get a snuggle. He is so sweet. But once Mom got a hold of him, no one else was going to get a look in. There were a few hints about grandkids, where I had to change the conversation quickly. He was cute but he did start crying for a while. And then they were talking about the mount of sleep they were getting. Not ready for that!

Having a good around

More dancing with his mom, Jen and my dad.

Mom very happy with an equally happy sleeping Oliver.

It was nice to catch up with them as it's been long time since I have seen most of my cousins. But my time at home is going too quickly. :-(