Thursday, December 27, 2012

Vizzie-billie-tee Zee-roh

Environment Canada finally got it right!  Well...sort of.  They forecast anywhere from 15 to 25 centimeters of the white stuff.  We've had about 40 cm already, which is well over a foot, with more on the way by the time the system passes this evening.  When this storm is said and done, we might have up to 50 cm, and coupled with 60 km winds and a windchill of -15C, we're looking at a cold white mess.

Want proof?
That's proof.  A cold white mess.

Like the Transport Quebec mouth-piece kept saying on the radio:  vizzie-billie-tee zee-roh.  Or visibility zero, if you need the translation.

Our snow removal contractor came by this morning, and within 45 minutes, it was like he hadn't even come by at all.  In fact, he's been by twice already, and it's impossible to tell with the drifting.

And my car?  You want to know where my car is? Why, it's in the garage:

And it's behind a 3-foot high wall of snow.  We keep the doors open because we'd never be able to open them with frost-heave and snow accumulation.

It looks like I won't be going anywhere until when?  March?

A blizzard like this comes along once in a while, and truth be told, we've become soft over the past few years.  I remember storms like this as a kid, where it took days to dig out from a big snowfall, but in recent years, we might have one or two big storms over 30 cm per season.  No big deal, really, but when it's combined with heavy winds, zero visibility, and reports of snow plows in the ditch, the only real option is to hunker down by the fire, grab some knitting, make some tea, and ride it out like the big white wave it is.

There'll be plenty of time for digging out tomorrow.  (Or in March?)

The look on Bob's face says it all:
I know this cat so well, I can tell you exactly what's going through his head.  He's saying, "dammit, eventually, I'm going to have to break down and use the litter box.  Or maybe Mom won't notice if I poop in this box"?  Bob, don't even THINK of it.

The worried look on his face also happens to resembles mine (minus the fur) as I take the last piece of firewood and chuck it into the wood stove, knowing full well that my next pit stop is going to be the wood shed.  The thought of spending the rest of my day freezing doesn't sit well.  During storms like this, power failures are much more likely, generally because some inexperienced driver has taken out a hydro pole.  A small localized power-outage like that is low on Hydro Quebec's totem pole, pardon the pun.  Speaking from experience, those power failures are the last to be restored.  Currently, there are major road closures all over the place, reports of hundreds of cars and trucks in the ditch and snow plows that can't even hope to keep up with the rate of falling snow.  Even public transportation has been suspended for the rest of the day.

Police are urging people to stay home, the ministry of transportation keeps adding to their list of road closures, yet people are still insistent on heading out.  It never ceases to amaze me.

I also made the mistake of listening to a local Montreal call-in radio show today.  I normally listen to Vermont Public Radio because the content is more...ahem....intellectual.  Listening to the cross-section of morons people describing "random acts of kindness" has me dumb-founded.  Using common sense and having manners does not constitute a "random act of kindness".  And since when did reading out tweets and texts on-air become relevant reporting?  No one gives a crap that Stephanie is stuck on the expressway with thousands of other drivers!  There's no content in that!  Listening to people calling in asking to be dug out of their cars (seriously!) because they're tax-payers takes fatuous to a new height, and the caller who suggested that richer neighbourhoods be cleared before lower-income neighbourhoods because "executives need to take care of business" deserves to have his Blackberry shoved (sideways!) where the sun doesn't shine.  What an entitled prick!

Clearly, this Luddite is not made for main-stream radio any more.  I'm sure there's a rock somewhere with my name on it that I can crawl under.

Come to think of it, I'm pretty happy I don't have to go any further than the wood shed today, either.

8 comments:

Miriam said...

Oh man...all I can say is I hope you can keep your spirit of adventure about it all. Yikes!

Shim Farm said...

Well, Miriam, the worst is behind us. I expect to recover, as long as I stay away from the radio LOL! I actually went out and dug a path to the door, as well as clear out the path behind my car so I can get out tomorrow morning. Eric is stuck in Toronto right now, and when he finally arrives in Montreal tonight, he'll have the fun task of finding and digging out his car, too! I've had it easy in comparison! We haven't had a dumping like this in a good long time though. Just happy I've been able to enjoy it from beside a nice warm fire! Hope things are well on the island and that you're enjoying the holidays!

Ron said...

Whoa! I haven't seen snow like that since we lived in MN.

They said we'd get 10", and we got 3/4". I'm sure next time they'll say 3/4", and we'll get 10".

Shim Farm said...

Yeah, Ron, that's the precise scenario we had earlier this week. Environment Canada likes to fear-monger a bit too much for my taste, but this time they actually under-estimated. We ended up with 45 cm or just under 18", which is a respectable dump, but doesn't qualify as "epic" in my books LOL. Now that the wind has died down, it's quite pretty outside. The only unfortunate part? Now we've got freezing drizzle in the forecast...

Sometimes, I wish I could hibernate.

Robin said...

WHAT?!? You mean to tell me you like actual content to listen to on the radio other than annoying drivel? How can you be so highfalutin? Hahahahaaaaaaaaa!

So I guess you are going to have to add Lee and I to that list of people who never listen to normal radio either. I find it too gratingly annoying. What happened to the young me that liked listening to angsty music?

Shim Farm said...

You know, Robin, the CBC or Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is sort of our version of NPR, but even that has become more drivel-ish (I'm making that word up and sticking to it) over the past few years. NPR still rules, and the upside is that I know all about Vermont politics LOL.

We listen to a LOT of music though because Eric's a major audiophile. Sometimes we go on major 80's benders, 'cause that's "our" music LOL, plus it's good for a laugh!

eagergridlessbeaver said...

drivel-ish..A* has a major crush on Jian Ghilomeshi so don't mention that to her! I am glad you have a picture of Bob in the post because the rest of the shots made me want to throw up...gross. hehe

Shim Farm said...

Hey EGB, yeah, my thought exactly - PUUUKE! LOL...it's beautiful and sunny outside, but the windchill is at MINUS TWENTY-SIX. Parts fall off at that temperature. Let's all retire someplace warm...

Since I'm on a rant, you know what bugs me about the CBC? Every time I turn it on, there are TWO people talking at the same time. WTF? It's like they're trying to talk one over the other, and instead of just STFU and letting the other guy talk, nooooo, let's all just talk at the same time. Busts my chops.

I better go and shovel some snow or something LOL...

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