Let It Snow!

Canada lived up to its reputation as a cold nation with bizarre blizzards in Vancouver and Victoria almost stranding me out West, but fortunately I caught the last plane eastward before the Vancouver airport shut down. Toronto had its fair share of snow upon arrival with several centimetres accumulated when I arrived plus several more over the next few days. I really wish my Discount rented car was equipped with a snow brush! (Cheap buggers!)

Thanx to host Phil for the initial shoveling but the next day, I got out and shoveled at 6:00am thanks to a bout of jet lagged-induced insomnia (which reoccurred every day at 6:00am!) I made this little guy on Christmas Eve morn just before it started to rain!








The weather actually got up to 10℃ some days until my last 2 days when it snowed again and reached -14℃ on New Year's Eve! No problem flying out the next day though...

Enough with the weather reports...Next up: Christmas at the Stephens' household! Somehow, my shaky cam took this funky pic! One of my favourites!

Frosty Strikes.

My apologies to all of Sendai for prematurely speaking about snowmen a few days ago. For we had our first snowfall of the winter today. It didn't stick around but it has been pretty darn cold all day.

Here's a pic of a Snowman schedule book with stickers that I picked up with a "Smile set" from KFC the other day.

Yuki-daruma

A snowman in Japan is called a 雪だるま, which is basically a two-balled figure with a face. They only have the the two balls (no dirty thoughts please) because their form resembles the tumbler doll of Daruma san.






Dharma dolls (達磨=daruma) are hollow and round Japanese wish dolls with no arms or legs, modelled after Bodhidharma. The doll has a face with a moustache and beard, but its eyes only contain the color white. Using black ink, one fills in a single circular eye while thinking of a wish. Should the wish later come true, the second eye is filled in. Because of the low center of gravity, the daruma doll will return to its upright position after being tilted to the side. As such, it has become symbolic for optimism, persistence, and strong determination.




This is MY Dharma doll, that was given to me by a co-worker ages ago. As you can see my wish has been made, but it hasn't yet come true. As soon as it does, you all will be the first to find out!



Right now Kentucky Fried Chicken (referred to as "Kentucky" over here) is giving away plates with the Snowman character popularized in book form by Raymond Briggs. The cartoon version of the story has been a staple of British television viewing every Christmas. Though I was familiar with Briggs' work (Fungus the Bogeyman, When the Wind Blows), I had never seen The Snowman prior to my arrival in Japan. It's a charming piece of animation with a catchy tune, "Walking in the Air" and a Scottish soft drink called Irn Bru has done a spot on parody of the toon.