We have been hit with snow. Whoo boy. For us pansy-ass West Coasters it is apocalyptic snow–the like of which we haven’t seen round these parts for over a decade. We’re breaking some 40 year old records for cold. The wind storms of 2006 no longer count as extreme weather anymore apparently, because that only meant that we didn’t have power for three days. This means we’re cold. Cold! I tell you. The kind of cold where you walk across the floor in the middle of the night and cold-burn your feet. The kind of cold that sends you to Canadian Tire for snow tires and not the fancy new silicon wiper blades that yours truly is hoping to find in her Christmas stocking. (I’m a sucker for fancy wiper blades.)

On the plus side, the interior of BC has hit the requisite -30 degrees Celsius so we’re well on our way to putting a dent in the pine beetle infestation that’s killing our forests. So, we’ve got that going for us.

Of course the in-laws in Saskatchewan and the NorthWest Territories (!) mock laugh at my complaining. And the prairie-born Pool Boy has only now deigned to wearing pants instead of his usual shorts mocks me regularly. (And if you’re reading my blog dear, for the love of God, will you stop turning the thermostat down!?) He’s hardy stock that one.

Anyhoo.

This morning, I had to dig the car out after not driving it since Saturday morning. I was just giving orders for the kids to get dressed so they could assist me in the chore (this is why I had children after all, so they could assist me with the chores I don’t want to do) when I glanced outside to assess just how bad the task ahead of us was.

I saw my next door neighbour shoveling our walkway.

 Wha?” said I, with my usual flair for the quotable quote.  

My daughter got out there first and by the time I joined them (I had lunch-making duties to attend to first) they were working very agreeably together. We all shovelled snow for another 1/2 hour chatting amiably intermittently while we cleared the car, the driveway and front sidewalk. He said he’d had a burst of energy and just kept going after he’d cleared his drive and walkway.

When he was done, he said “Thanks” (Thanks? I know, he THANKED me for letting him help us shovel snow) and went back to his house.

What a fabulous random act of kindness. And this from the neighbours that I’ve always thought didn’t like us very much.

More snow in the forecast though. At least relations between neighbours are thawing.

Peace on earth, goodwill towards men (and neighbours).