March arrives and winter is still here, I shouldn't be surprised because the groundhogs couldn't agree on if there would be another 6 weeks of winter. They take their groundhogs seriously over here in the Americas check out the Groundhog Central website. I rely more on the Weathernetwork so I don't have to learn Groundhogish.

The weather forecast for this weekend is temperatures in the range of -2c to -8c with windchills making it feel more like -20c. We will be getting 20-30cm of Snow. More 'good for the soul' shovelling opportunity. My soul will be so good this year I can afford to be mean to everyone in the summer and I should still come out at the end of the year with plus points in the soul-goodness rating . I predict a snowblower investment next November, and to hell with my soul.

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I forgot to mention in my last entry that we missed Tango Practice on Sunday so we could watch the England vs France Six Nations Rugby Match.

I know I am easy to please and England were not playing perfectly and perhaps the first try was as a result of a knock on. But England 24 - France 13 in Paris is  special treat.

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Back to real life.Gemma is 18 today and like all good teenagers she is tucked up in bed (but it is only 8:12am here). Anyway as a special birthday treat I am thinking of coaxing the girls out to Mactaquac Park for  end of season snowshoe/ice skating/ cross country ski-athon. I'll really splash out and make a flask of hot chocolate and perhaps buy some beef jerky  

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Last night we had a visit from out friends Christine and Guy (Chickadee Lodge B&B). They have sold up and are moving out to Calgary. We will be sad to see them go. They were the first people we met in New Brunswick when we stopped at their B&B on the first week of our research visit in 2004. They are both originally from the west of Canada so for them it is a return to home rather than leaving the province of NB.  Well, on the bright side we will have people to visit on the West side of Canada .

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OK have to sign off now, it has started snowing and I need another cup of tea.  I hope you all have a great weekend.

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Oh yes, I forgot to mention, the seizure of the goods from our OXO mule Kathryn at the beginning of February has caused an OXO shortage in Garden View Drive so perhaps instead of snowshoeing I'll be driving to Saint John (round trip of 120 miles) to buy a much needed OXO cube fix.