You might have seen this post I did over the summer about some of the adjustments to living back in St. John’s after being away for so long. Well, this is the second installment with some other quirky thoughts that have occurred to me since that post. I figured I would share. Comment below to let me know what you think!
1. Any day that doesn’t have RDF (Rain, Drizzle & Fog) is a beautiful day. I have totally adopted this attitude and I love it. Just getting out in the fresh air, even when the sun is not shining, is fabulous. I know I should be able to love the RDF too, but I’m not there yet. Baby steps. I may need some moral support come February/March. I’ll let you know. Maybe buying a colourful pair of rain boots will help me? What colour would you pick?
2. Brace yourself for this one – it is superficial important. The hour and a half time difference is fooling up my television watching. TV and radio shows start on the 1/2 hour. That makes any prime time tv shows late starting. If a show normally starts at 9:00 ET, that’s 10:30 NT. For you night owls, that’s not a biggie I’m sure, but for me who can’t stay awake, it is a challenge. I tried to watch Nashville last night (which didn’t start until 11:30) only to fall asleep 10 minutes in. I woke up to the last 30 seconds of the show (which was a little surprising – did you see it??). I should have just waited to watch it on the PVR. Luckily, this is what my son would call a First World Problem, so I can deal.
3. People are super-aware of the weather and plan things around the forecast. Birthday parties will change, meeting spots are adjusted, all at the last minute. Much is dependent on the weather and people are used to rolling with it. I keep forgetting to check. A friend said to me, “You ARE from here, you know this!” Yah, I know it in my head, but keep I forgetting. Come to think of it, maybe this is just a me thing. Either way, I need to pay more attention.
4. Driving in Newfoundland is NOT like driving in Ottawa. If the weather is bad, you have to stay off certain roads. I have been in denial about this for a while but I just have to accept it. This is not a “mind over matter thing”. The wind has been so bad at times that I have felt like the van is going to be pulled off the road if I loose concentration for a second. The fog has been so thick I had to get my son to help me read the road signs. For real – I am not exaggerating. Have I mentioned the moose? I actually haven’t seen a moose since I have been back, but the reminders to Mind the Moose have kept me vigilant and cautious for sure. Lastly (for now) some of the roads are dark and not very visible. The Harbour Arterial is totally off limits for me at night because you just can’t see the road well enough (in my opinion). Some of the entrances and exits off the Outer Ring Road you would never find on your own in the dark without prior warning. Oh my – winter is not even here yet. Wish me luck.
5. There is nothing better than my nieces running towards me yelling “Mah-layne is here! YEAH!” I mean really – is there anything better than that? Plus they are a never ending source of entertainment. Click here for some entertainment. I have heard this song a LOT, but somehow it never gets old. I wonder how my sister feels lol.
6. The porch is INSIDE your house. In Ottawa, and maybe everywhere else, if someone is talking about their porch, they are talking about the space outside their front door. Here, a porch is the space inside your front door, as you first come in your house. My honey asked our son to move a box to the porch, and he put it outside on the front step. That totally made me laugh since he just did what he was told. Where is your porch, inside or outside?
7. I love this town. One of my facebook status a couple weeks ago was “I feel like Joel Plaskett because I love this town”. And I do. Regardless of the adjustments, I’m so happy to be here.
the homing beacon 