I just dashed out to gas up the toad and fill my propane tank since I wasn’t able to fill the on board tank on January 1st. Gas is about seven cents more expensive here than it was in Oliver. There, I had never gassed up when I was completely empty, so I never really registered how much a full tank would cost me. Here, it was the first time in years that I bought 40 litres of gas for less than 30$. I’d call that progress! Propane was also cheap, 60 cents and a bit a litre, and filling my 30lber cost a mere 20$. I was again dumbfounded by how heavy an empty 30lber feels! I thought I had enough to get me to the morning, but based on my average consumption rate of 10lbs per day (*gulp*) I would have run out in about an hour!

While filling up, I met my neighbour from a couple of lots down, doing the exact same thing as me. He apologized for the weather and told me that within a week we’ll be back above zero for good (Really? Woohoo! Yes, I’m still that naïve!). I laughed and replied that this is March, even April, even beginning of May, weather where I’m from. To which he replied: “Oh, you’re from Ottawa?” LOL!!!

I’m definitely not complaining about the weather; after Oliver I feel like I’m in paradise… but let’s not forget that until it betrayed us, the Okanagan gave us a never-ending fall. I was still wearing short sleeves well into November and remember mild days in early December!

Now that my fresh water hose is thawed out again (*shakes head*), I’d say that life in the Fraser Valley is looking up.