Friday was not a fun day for me. It wasn’t a fun day for a lot of people here in Nova Scotia. We had a Nor’Easter roll over us that dumped a lot of snow. My driveway acts like a wind tunnel and when we have blowing snow, snow banks build really fast and get very high. Last winter I let it go for most of the storm and when I came out I had three four foot snow banks to deal with. This year I have been more proactive and I will go out a few times to clear the more manageable one foot snow banks.

On Friday afternoon after my third trip out I was that strange combination of wet, hot, cold and icy that only comes from being out in a snowstorm. As I sat on the couch catching my breath I looked at Simeon and jokingly said, ‘Sim can you make me a hot chocolate?’ He smiled and chuckled at my silly request saying; ‘Daddy I can’t. I don’t know how.’ ‘Oh right’ I replied as I returned the smile.

I sit there for another few moments trying to gathering myself up to make a hot chocolate. While I was doing this I noticed that Simeon continued to linger by the arm of the couch. I looked back to him wondering what was on his mind, Simeon is rarely timid when he wants something. I assumed he wanted me to gear up the Wii U for him. But that wasn’t it. He looked back at me and asked, ‘Daddy can you help me make you a hot chocolate?’

‘Sure’ I laugh feeling my strength return as if fueled by my son’s kindness. Off I hopped from the couch and Simeon followed me into the kitchen. He grabbed a chair and climbed up to the kitchen counter. He selected a mug for me, and I showed him how to use our Keurig to get hot water. I grabbed the package of hot chocolate out the cupboard and he scooped out two healthy sized portions of powder. He took great care to stir the mixture without spilling until it turned into a rich brown. I added a little milk, and Simeon began to count out mini-marshmallows for me. He said I could have four. After he put them in he looked back at me and said, ‘actually Daddy I am going to give you an extra marshmallow, you can have five.’ After mine was finished Simeon made a hot chocolate for himself as well.

We sat down at the kitchen table to enjoy our drinks. I took a sip and without exaggeration told him it was the best hot chocolate I had ever had. Simeon grinned from ear to ear pleased to have made hot chocolate for the first time.

Friday wasn’t a lot of fun for me. It was a cold, snowy, windy day, that pretty much shut down the whole city. But it was also a day of new skills and father son bonding, and delicious hot chocolate. When I stop to think about it, I know I can handle whatever chill the winter has in store for me if I can sit and enjoy the warmth of my family after.

This picture is fake, sort of. I mean it is real I just didn’t take it on Friday. I was too tired to think about blogging and pictures. So here is a different time when Simeon was drinking what I suspect is hot chocolate, though it might be tea.