It's here and it looks like it's going to stay.  The snow started falling at about 3pm on November 2 and stopped about noon on November 3; leaving 6 inches of the fluffy white stuff blanketing my yard.

I had some shoveling to do before leaving yesterday.  This snowfall was comparable to what fell on November 7 last year and the driving was comparable as well.  People forget how to drive.

I was participating in the annual Down Syndrome Buddy Walk at Hawrelak Park.  The commute took about an hour due to the icy road conditions.  Driving in to the city was like driving on a skating rink.  It was a good thing that there were not many vehicles on the highway.

The snow and road conditions hindered some walkers from making it to the park but the almost 1300 attendees raised over $130,000.00.  By the time the Buddy Walk began, the pavement was slushy and created a bit of a challenge for those with sleighs, strollers or wagons but all in all it was a great morning.

The drive home involved more traffic.  The road conditions were no different than the morning however, there were numerous vehicles in the ditch.  Three SUVs needed a tow truck along the main highway and one by the local rural elementary school.  That one took out the stop sign at the corner.  Winter happens every year and every year it takes awhile for people to slow down and drive for the season.

I drove to work later in the day.  The plows were out and were trying to break up the layer of ice built up on the road.  My route takes me past the Strathcona Wilderness Centre.  There were visible cross country ski tracks on the trails.  People were getting out and enjoying the first heavy snowfall.  I wished that I could have been one of them.

The weather man says that the temperature is to remain just below freezing over the next few days.  He's saying that the snow is here to stay.  I won't be able to get to the trails until the weekend which means that I won't be the first to break trail.  That's disappointing.  I love being the first to make tracks in the snow.  The branches laden with new flakes, the sun creating sparkles in the new snow and the crisp cool air make for a very relaxing outing.  I call those outings my mental health days.  Looking at the calendar and the number of meetings this week, all I can do is daydream about the next one.  Friday can't come soon enough.