It's embarrassing to be "snowed in" with only 1/4" of snow actually on the road. It fell on Sunday, I think it was. However, in my defence, it's very icy, even though the sun is shining. The weather forecasters scare us with dire warnings so I'm very nervous about going out and about in it. You also have to look out for crazies without snow tires. It's so funny to hear the forecast from back east (on our central-Canada-centric national TV news) where finally they're covering the west, only because we haven't had snow in Metro Vancouver for over three years, and they announce "many people in Vancouver don't have snow tires". I'm not sure if that makes us sound careless/stupid/unprepared or really very fortunate (to have much milder weather than The Rest of Canada).

November was dark and dreary with 28 days of bucketing noisy sloshy rain and December started out the same way for a few days, now snow, with more to come tonight.

I thought I could duck out and do some essential shopping today, not even for Chrismas yet but needing provisions ahead of the next anticipated snowfall, starting tonight. But my car wouldn't start. I really really hope it's just a bit cold. Why else would it die on me without warning right when the snow flies?

To get this a little bit on topic, or maybe more interesting than my Snow Dilemma, is snowfall an acceptable excuse for one to stay home from the Mormon Church meetings and "service" requirements? Do they make missionaries trek in the snow no matter what? Or could they get an unexpected day off? (Boring though, no TV and nothing to read except BoM et al).

As I gaze out my window, I wonder how it could be so sunshiny out yet treacherously icy underfoot. That could actually be a great analogy to use in warning potential converts off Mormonism. Haha.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2016 05:55PM by Nightingale.

It sounds like you are doing a whole lot better than I would be doing if I were in your place, Nightingale!!!

When I lived in northern New Mexico, and during the cold-freeze months, people used to put a lit electric light bulb, on an extension cord, under the hood, and leave it on all night. Most of the time, this worked fairly well to keep the engine warm enough to work properly the next morning.

Do you have something similar that people in your area use???

My dad's recommendation for the Idaho winter climate was to start the car every 2-3 hours during the coldest weather - if the battery was in danger of freezing up.

That always seemed to work okay when I used to do that. Now I still live in a cold climate, but since I start my car on average at least twice a day, haven't needed to do that (except in the most sub-freezing temps, that we get rarely.)

Dad was a transportation supervisor for a local school district for a few years; his last job he held before retiring. His was the only school district that never missed a day of school because of snow or ice. He would have his bus drivers out at the school bus yard by 2:00 a.m. on the worst mornings, getting their buses ready, and he'd be there too making sure they were running and de-iced.

He was so good at running his district that the state of Idaho asked him to be the state superintendant for transportation over the schools. My dad told them "No thanks." He had enough trouble managing his one district, he didn't want to be responsible for the entire state! But it felt like an honor for him to be asked, nonetheless.

Engine block heaters are a must have up here in the Great White North. That being said, having both of our trucks in our heated garage is better....and having 4WD, especially this year is very nice.

RB

I haven't had snow tires in perhaps forty years. As I've written several times before, I live on the first street cleared of snow in New England.

Hope you can get your car started soon. Maybe it's a mixed blessing since it will keep you from hitting the streets while there's driving warnings in effect.

New York City is like that when it snows. A little snow can and does stop the entire city from functioning. People aren't as used to it there, or as acclimated as those more in snow belt country are.

Vancouver doesn't get much in the way of snow, does it? One of my children went there for grad school. Loved living there in the sub-Mediterranean tropical climate. It seemed more cold and overcast & rainy when I was able to go visit the couple of times I went there. It's such a pretty place to be.

A little snow won't shut down Mormon functions, unless it shuts down the city. One would hope that the missionaries have only the most wise and practical stewards looking out for their welfare, but that isn't very likely.

Tevai: I haven't heard of the cable and lightbulb trick. Where would I plug it in? (Where would I get the cable?)

I consider myself quite self-sufficient but when it comes to cars, not so much.

I'm surprised my brothers didn't suggest I start the car every day at least during this cold snap. I didn't think of it myself.

I hope I'm not too late. Do you think if something is frozen it will break? Or will it miraculously come back to life? (My 2nd Christmas "miracle" this year - or is that being greedy)?

Amyjo: Yes, it is rare-ish in Vcr to get snow. That's why we all freak out. What is this strange white stuff that interferes with Christmas shopping?

The last time I went out in the snow on foot I was with my mother. We were crossing a driveway out of a shopping mall and Mom slipped on the icy pavement. I tried to catch her and we both fell down. A little dangerous when there are vehicles all over the place, coming in, going out, and in the roadway. But we scrambled to find purchase as it was so very icy and ended up like turtles slip-sliding around on our backs. We both got the giggles. That didn't help us get upright very quickly. Embarrassing! Maybe dangerous. But we survived. Since then, though, I've been even more leery to go out. I prefer to gaze at the Winter Wonderland from inside where it's warm and mostly non-slippery.

As for the missionaries, I'm guessing they'd rather be out than stuck indoors bored out of their skulls. And hey, at least it ain't rain.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2016 08:51PM by Nightingale.

Since you're in Vancouver, and not more inland, it's probably just needs a jump start to get it going again. It may need a new battery. If the jump start works, keep the car running for a good 2-3 hours so the battery can recharge itself after it's jumped.

The longer you leave it running, the better the recharge, so you hopefully won't have to have it jump started again. If it continues to die, sounds like a battery or alternator problem.

Nightingale, even though like Ron, I'm snowed in and am dealing with -16°C to -25°C temps currently, I am sympathetic to you! I have the luxury of being used to cold weather, and I have snow tires and a blockheater for my engine. As long as I plug my car in when it's past -15°, I'm good to go!

This is new territory for you guys on the left coast, and of course it's going to throw you for a loop! Your car probably just needs to be jump started, but it would be worth getting your battery checked - you may need a new one. In any case, I know you're probably not used to driving on slippery roads, so maybe stay put for awhile. Enjoy the bonus time at home!

Thanks, looking in, for the sympathy. I'm just going to have a cup of nice hot English tea, so the two go together, tea and sympathy. Very nice.

You're right we're not used to it. I am loving the excuse to just stay home. Fortunately for me, I don't have to commute (I work from home).

I do think it's the battery, after my brother took a look. So I will deal with that tomorrow. I hope it's a simple and quick fix.

I don't really want to run the car for several hrs. I hope I don't have to do that. I also hope I don't have to fork out for a new battery. It might be $100 but they'll charge $500 to install it. Yeowch!

Hey Nightingale, I'm not sure what chain auto parts stores you have there, but many of them will install the battery for free. By the way, it was -17F here in Cheyenne, WY this morning. With about 2" of snow on the ground. Everything ran on time. Which sucked.

Thanks, RtB. I had a really terrible experience a few Christmases ago at a major Cdn chain store. Swore to never go back. My brother actually swore at the manager. Then we all apologized. The mgr didn't really deserve it except after getting the runaround for two entire days of life right before Christmas and then covering up employee misconduct, even outright theft, it was hard to keep ourselves in check. I remember freezing in their waiting room for two entire afternoons as well. The employee at the front desk kept telling me they were nearly done with my car, nearly done, nearly done, and then I found out they hadn't even started on it, and kept ordering the wrong parts.

I finally took it to another place and they found the right part and fixed it inside an hour. That's the place I've stuck with ever since. The major chain, never again.

Other than that, it would have been a good idea. :)

I know you can't blame an entire chain for one employee's mistakes or incompetence or dishonesty but I don't usually yell, write letters or complain too much. Rather, I go the boycott route. Maybe that's not too effective or even somewhat juvenile but I get a lot of satisfaction out of my silent protests.

Unless something is exceptionally egregious and then I am not so silent.

I can handle every other thing in life, usually, but cars - they make me think I need to get a husband. I'd love to have a guy who would deal with the car. You'd think my brothers would step in but nope. Not usually. To be fair, they both work hard and don't have much time off. (Somewhat like myself actually).

Cars. A necessary evil. :)

"My brother actually swore at the manager. Then we all apologized"--Most Canadian thing I've read today.

Yeah, we're so NICE.

So they say.

Did you see the video about Black Friday in Canada where everybody filed into the shop in orderly fashion, helping each other to reach stuff and find items and apologizing and helping and thanking all over the place?

Americans were writing friendly comments about a crazy Canadian shopping frenzy. Like little kids in school obeying the teacher's commands.

It's funny, eh? And we can laugh at ourselves. If we even realize what we're doing that's passing strange to outsiders.

Not that the precise details matter in this instance but my OCD-ishness is kicking in. Now that I think about it my brother didn't swear. He did come racing in and spoke loudly (short of yelling) to the manager.

My brother has a lot of self control. He doesn't swear much, at least in front of me.

I never used to swear at all but lately have improved on that score. It's eminently satisfying. So far, I have never become angry enough to direct it at another person, or at least not in person. Certainly I wouldn't do it (I hope) to a worker type person who really doesn't need to take that from customers, no matter the circumstances.

The mechanic or desk guy or whoever he was there was definitely trying something shady. I think he was going to bill either the store or me for parts he didn't use or maybe take some parts or something like that. He had a very shifty look on his face and lied through his teeth to the manager when I *finally* complained. The issue, now that I remember, is that after two entire days of waiting around, he hadn't started working on my car and it was only a few days until Christmas. I needed my car. I just wanted him to be honest! If he couldn't find a part or couldn't fix it on time, I thought he should just tell me.

At the new shop I went to they were so friendly and prompt and knew immediately which part they needed to order. One of the guys went and picked it up and they got me back on the road right away. I couldn't believe the difference, which made me think the first guy was either completely incompetent or somehow he was trying to pull a fast one, against me or the store, not sure which.

It raises that whole thing about mechanics and women. If you don't know anything about cars some of them do take advantage.

Just another reason I don't like to deal with auto issues myself. I guess I could always take a course but really there are other things I am far more interested in.

So, just clearing my brother's name - he didn't actually swear at a store guy. (He was irritated but not insane, unlike me by then).

Funny that that happened Christmas week and I froze for two days and now this happened in the middle of our deepest freeze in many years, close to Christmas.

Not exactly the type of holiday memories I want to store up!

OK. I will shut up about it now.

And even I can't make it really relate to Mormonism. It's not something you could ask missionaries to help with, like driving my car to the shop or intervening with the mechanics for me (not that I need that now). The only way it can relate, maybe, is that I could have "prayed about it". However, it's more effective to just keep a good mechanic on tap. :)

I'm not a helpless little woman at all - just somewhat in this regard.

Cars. Kind of a love/hate thing for me.

We have two inches of snow on the ground here, and it's VERY cold. -18 C (0 F) during the day and dropping to -27 C with wind chills in the mid -30's at night. My 68th winter and I still hate snow!

RB

Our temps are dropping overnight and forecast is for snow by tomorrow. Not looking forward to it. We've been cheating winter so far this year, but it's on the way. It's been cold so far, with one good snow dusting around Thanksgiving. Nothing we've had to shovel thus far.

Usually by this time of year we'd have had a good foot or two already. So I don't mind it's dilly dallying.

Hi Ron. I think we might get quite far below zero. Very unusual for us. Usually we get a few flakes, once every three or four yrs and then it warms up right away and melts.

I'm always sorry for all the other provinces in Canada that have such long, cold winters.

And now we're joining you.

Too bad I don't have the makings for a hot toddy. That's about what I need by now. It's been cold inside today even with the heat cranked up. And the outside temps are plummeting. If it gets too cold it doesn't snow. Right?

Right?

Where in BC? are you? We've got friends in Nanaimo and Parksville and they have winter too. But at least they aren't -30 C like it was here this morning. So glad I built us a nice warm house with a heated garage! Keep warm and don't slip and fall!!

RB

Hi Ron. I am near Vancouver. Over the bridge they had to close because giant ice chunks were falling off from overhead and smashing windshields of passing vehicles. Nasty. So I don't plan on driving that way until maybe the spring. :)

Fortunately, there is another place to cross the Mighty Fraser. But the traffic is horrendous. My best pal who lives in Smalltown B.C. is amazed I don't want to join her as they never wait in traffic and are 3 minutes from everything. That's a bit too tiny for me.

Our temps this week are minus, Friday said to be getting to -7 but then they upgraded to "only" -4. I do not remember ever seeing -7 before but maybe I was just not paying attention. Our snow, though, never sticks around as we always warm up and get rain. Not this year. It is lovely now, if you don't want to go out. A lot of snow on trees and in yards. Kids are enjoying it. I've got two huge branches, laden with ice, fallen across my driveway. One only missed my car by about 1.5 inches. Whew. That's better than the year the cherry tree came down, a huge beautiful tree completely uprooted in a wind storm.

Re the -7, they're telling us that it will feel much colder because more dreaded Arctic air is moving in and it's going to be windy. I've got my thermals on inside the house! Don't know what I'll wear going out. I didn't even break out my winter sweaters last year, spent the entire season in jeans and tees it was so warm-ish.

We can't complain. But we will. :)

How old is your battery? A battery might go 4-5 years. As Amyjo suggests, try to jump start it, and if that doesn't work, you might need a new one. A lot of batteries give up the ghost at the first cold snap. A good battery may protest, but it will start with some chugging noises.

Most Marylanders do not have snow tires (unless they live in the mountains in the western part of the state.) We get by with all-weather tires, and stay home of the snow is more than a few inches in depth. We do get some terrible ice storms here, along with the occasional significant snowfall or good old fashioned blizzard.

You want to be careful driving around people who are not used to snow and ice. Drivers with 4WD or AWD think that it can work miracles at normal highway speeds. It can't. Everyone needs to slow down and keep a good following distance.

Thanks, summer. I think my battery is as old as the car, more than 5 yrs! Not good news, I'm assuming.

I seriously hope I don't have to spend money on this thing before Christmas. I could learn to dislike my vehicle PDQ in that case.

I have got behind on maintenance so as with most things, it's my fault I must admit. I should have been more prepared for all contingencies.

It's just that it doesn't get this cold or snow very often around here. So we get annoyingly smug (Rest of Canada!) and complacent as hell.

Yeah, it's probably the battery. BCAA should be able to help you.

Most battery shops will load test your battery for free and the honest ones won't pressure you into buying a new one if your's is still good. Keeping your block heater plugged it will also put a lot less load on your battery and starter. Batteries in winter were the bane of my existence in my 40 years of farming.

RB

The Book of Mormon probably makes good kindling.

Experienced gearhead here.Get your car started (jumped or charged). Go directly to your local big chain auto parts store. Have them check your battery & alternator. (I'm betting it's the battery). If your alternator is putting out 13 volts or more, you're ok. Most tires these days are all weather tires. Unless you live in the outback tundra, you don't need snow tires. However, if you have a rear wheel drive car, you're at a disadvantage. Front wheel drive is 2.5 times better in ice or snow. All wheel drive helps, but nowhere near as effective as real 4 wheel drive. I'm betting on a weak battery. Let us know.

Thanks for all the input, everybody. Re front/rear wheel drive - not a clue. One thing I've never taken time to learn about is automobiles. Usually as long as I can find my keys I'm A-OK.

My brother just tried to start it and he says call BCAA and get a jump start asap in the a.m. (I forgot I had BCAA, ha - no towing charge, if it comes to that. Good news!) So he's saying it's likely the battery. I had NO CLUE batteries don't like low temps.

I don't want to even think about alternators. The last time a car of mine needed a new one I recall it being outrageously expensive. I think it would be a big coincidence for something major to happen precisely when it snows and it not be connected to the cold. So I'm hoping that it's the battery which, through my appalling ignorance, I let die. I thought because it nearly turned over it meant the battery was not implicated. However, my brother educated me on that point. Because to me, battery sounds simpler and less costly. Here's hoping.

I have to fix it quickly as now they're predicting even more snow for the rest of the week, that I was not expecting. It's not that I necessarily want to go out in it but I want my baby (car) to be OK.

I used to only have all-weather tires but one year got snows and for several yrs since have gone to the garage every fall to change up the tires for winter and then back in spring to reverse the operation. I got really sick and tired of the time and expense of that so this yr I stuck with all-weathers. But now I don't trust them (they look very thin to me). And I sure agree that it's not just me I have to worry about but all the other drivers who are inexperienced or unprepared or just unlucky enough to hit a patch of ice and then hit me, or something. I don't have anything so pressing that I need to go out, not even Christmas. Although this was the year I thought I was going to be all ready nice and early. Something always interferes with that plan. Fortunately, I did a good big shop last week when I heard about the coming snow. Can you imagine if Mormon missionaries knocked on the door to ask if they can do anything for me? Would I make them go grocery shopping for me?

Nah. I think I'd have a philosophical objection to that. I can't dislike/un-join a religion and then still take from them like that with no return. Besides, I'm not a little old lady (yet) without resources. My SIL has offered to come and help in their 4x4. Then I worry about her out driving in it so likely won't ask. Maybe I'll be eating lots of canned soups and beans by the time we dig out. (Actually, as I said above, it's kind of embarrassing to be so stuck when there's really not that much snow - yet).

Good thing this is happening now and not later in December. I will definitely want to get out by then, to whoever is cooking the bird this year. :)

My sister used to bring the battery in at night, or anytime the cat or truck would not be driven for a time. She lived in the country in northern Iowa with my quadriplegic brother-in-law.

Other Susan

.....car or truck.....
Damn you autocorrect!

Other Susan

When we lived in Helena MT, sometimes down to 40 below, block heaters were installed on the engines. There were two types, one was a heating element installed on the lower radiator hose. The other was installed in place of one of the freeze plugs. PS 40 below is the same C/F.

Just plug it to an outlet and things were good to go in the morning. Most motels had outlets for the heaters for customers.

If you had weak battery, you'd put the trickle charger on just in case.

The vehicles with manual transmissions sometimes would be hard to shift until things warmed a bit. Fun times, just had to take precautions in the winter.

No, snow is no excuse to miss church. Neither is the violent coughing flu, nor a watery sneezing cold, nor the barfing stomach ache. I've seen too much of these contagious bugs at church.

Last year, three elderly people slipped and fell and broke bones on the icy walkways in front of the ward house. They are too cheap for that expensive de-icer that really works. Two of the old ladies still insist on wearing high heels to church. Some people don't adapt to changing times and changing weather very well. When I was in college in California, a sprinkle of rain would stop traffic. Some people would stay home from class. "But--it's raining!!!"

currently snowing here in the springs.

One clear indication that you are getting older....when an inch of snow becomes a major hazard in getting about whereas in younger days dire weather warnings of six inches or more meant nothing.

I was just thinking the exact same thing though. Here I am scared to go out to the auto place (after getting a boost, hopefully) when I usually just jump in the car and go. My excuse is that I have a lot to do and don't want to spend time being stuck out in weather. Also, calling BCAA and hanging about body shops isn't my greatest thrill in life so I am delaying the unfortunate inevitable.

That is why, not that I'm aging badly. :)

It's currently minus 12 and minus 25 wind chill in Bozeman. It's pretty common to have extension chords from the house to the car. Most folks who park outside have an electric connection to the engine block.

Edmonchuck alberta is usually dam cold in the winter...my son is there now and said it was -38 with windchill...its the wind that gets ya...heard a guy flew into edmonchuk one cold nasty night and asked the cab driver how cold it was...he said its -40 ...the passenger says is that farenheit ir celcius...driver just grunted...it doesnt matter...to nightingale...there is whats called a battery tender if you dont start your car too often...can be 30-40 dollars on sale at canuck tire or princess auto...can just leave it plugged in all the time and will keep your battery charged without hurting it...computerized cars have a very small but continual drain on the battery...they say at below zero your battery loses half its cranking power...if its old thats half of not much

snow nor ice were never a problem for me IF your car is prepared.

In MN, people commonly have engine heaters plugged in when the vehicle's not moving.

Charging a battery with a batt. Charger is much better than running it; the alternator in your car 'maintains' the battery level, doesn't increase it by much. Batteries HATE temp extremes!!

If you live in one of those places & don't park in a garage, a plug-in window defroster is great!.

Generally, all-wheel drive is just as good as snow tires in many places (not all). Also, remember stopping distances as well as proceeding!

eta: Don't Forget anti-freeze (It goes in the car radiator, ha ha)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/2016 06:00PM by GNPE.

Yikes. I DID forget antifreeze. I hope my mechanic guy thought to check that for me. I didn't mention it to him. It's getting colder out. Maybe I should call...

Currently 64 degrees here in Cali...but with the wind chill it feels like 62. Almost cool enough to put some socks on to go outside. :P

So you were all correct. It was the battery! I'm positive (haha) I already got a new battery a few years ago. How many does one car need? It was relatively painless to get back up to speed. BCAA came. It was touch and go whether he could get it going so I guess the battery was nearly literally dead. My lovely mechanic fellow could take me right away and had a battery right there waiting for me. I hadn't wanted the BCAA man to do it, although he offered (I didn't know they can fix stuff, I thought they were just for jumping or towing), because I trust my mechanic and he knows me and more importantly, my vehicle.

It was a couple of hours, though, in his cold storage of a waiting room. He told me to sit by the heater, which turned out to be miniscule and didn't give out any heat at all even though I sat right in front of it, blocking it from everybody else, ha. I had certainly not dressed warmly enough and quietly turned to ice while I waited. It was too icy out to walk around looking for a warm coffee shop (none around the immediate vicinity). I am going to suggest the shop gets a vending machine or else a bigger heater, or both. A hot chocolate would have been lovely.

They didn't charge nearly what I thought it was going to cost, about 25% of my fears for a huge expense right at Christmas time. Nice.

When I was a nice shade of blue, despite my thermals and mitts, and my toes were screaming from the frigid air, a lady walked in wearing thongs (on her feet). I couldn't stop staring at her feet, wondering how she was not freezing off the toes into little stumps. I was even going to ask her but thought that would be a bit rude.

I was glad to get out of there without too much financial pain and with a working auto. It's nice to know the neighbourhood mechanic.

On another note, I have been here a long time but I can count on one hand the number of OT threads I have started. Mostly I've been focused on the religion type discussions, one of my greatest interests. (I know, I'm boring as hell!) But it's fun to relax and go OT for a bit. Sorry though. I won't do it again in a hurry. It's been great chatting with you all though. Many thanks for your support and help. You helped me get through a thing I hugely dislike.

Maybe I can come back and talk to you about those gigantic branches impeding my driveway! (Wasn't I lucky about that near miss - another inch and I would have another dent in my old car. It's suffering this winter more than I am). :)

I'm glad it worked out for you, Nightingale. FYI you probably could have gone with the battery that the BCAA man offered. They are equipped to do basic repairs. But I know that dealing with one's trusted mechanic always brings comfort in such areas.

Yes,summer, I went for the guy I know. For next time, though, if such occurs, I will maybe go with the emerg guy. It would have been great to stay warm in my own place while he was fixing my car in my own driveway. What a concept!

I know I'm reverse sexist or something, leaving autos to men, but I'm allowed one lapse, I hope.

Nightingale, you must be from my generation! I also grew up calling flip flops "thongs"! My children have scornfully corrected me on that front, and I've had to update my jargon accordingly. Doing my best to keep up with the current lingo...

Ha, looking in. I pride myself on being careful with words but I didn't know there had been an update on 'thong'. Except that now it's on a different part of the anatomy.

So, that's what flip-flops are? I thought it was just the US version of thongs.

I didn't know it was a generational thing. :)

Ssshhh. I do not discuss, for any reason, age-related matters. I don't look at calendar dates as far as possible. We were never much in my family for celebrating birthdays and I haven't had kids so the years go by and I don't pay attention.

And then one day, yow! Friends and relatives are starting to look, I don't know, like they've been around a while?

Some day I'm going to plant palm trees at our beach.

Heh. Low blow that. Hey, we've got sun. There's just a lack of warmth in it. And I HAD a cherry tree. Does that trump a palm tree?

Hmmm. Maybe not.

A cherry tree was in our back yard until a nor'easter took out a bunch of our Norway pines and one fell on the cherry tree. In one of our parks there were dozens of Japanese cherry trees of which I took some cool pictures.

Southern California has the right idea, the snow stays in the mountains.

Many years ago, it was so cold after Christmas that neither of our cars would start. We ran an extension cord down the driveway and plugged it into a hair dryer positioned facing up into the engine block. We left it on all night and the car started like a charm in the morning. The auto club was totally overwhelmed with calls and couldn't say when they could get to us..

Brilliant, annieg. But I was really hoping to avoid the extension cord/lightbulb/hair dryer thing. It's a step too far for me to cope with, trying to figure out the mechanics of it all. For instance, how do you close your door if there is a big fat snake of a cord in the way? And I'm sure my hairdryer would short out or cut off or otherwise create another problem heretofore unheard of.

Rather, I'm making sure to remember to go out and start the car every day (the new battery sounds great) and as I've missed a week's prep time now I will be using it to drive around every day to get ready for Christmas (not that we do too much gift giving) so it should stay happy.

And, just counting the days until the Arctic air goes somewhere else and leaves us alone for another decade. I'm aware that is not perhaps the most effective way to deal with things.

I've just discovered the weather app on my iPhone. (Duh). So now I'm obsessively playing with it. Sliding the temp chart and graphics of sun or snow back and forth 137 times a day.

Who knew weather could be so interesting and fun?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2016 07:38PM by Nightingale.

Was in the Rocky Mountains today. More snow than here. My new tires worked like a damn.

Oh, those Rockies!

This is one of the only years I haven't had snow tires. Just did not get around to it this year. Felt so stupid so many years, switching out the tires every six months and never needing the snows. One of the mechanics at my new place said my all-weathers are still in great shape so not to even bother changing them.

Uh-huh.

And they've just updated the forecast to more snow over the weekend. Are they kidding? The last weekend before Christmas?

And I even started getting ready early this year. That didn't work out so well. Not enough time before the snow flew, unexpectedly. My cards to far-flung family (which is pretty much all of them, in the UK and US) will definitely not arrive on time. As for little parcels, forget it!

Oh well. Another day. Another adventure.

Our friends in Nanaimo and Parksville are both prairie kids so they know how to handle snow and drive accordingly. Some of the idiots I saw today in the Crowsnest Pass could use some remedial driver training....or a proper shit kicking.

RB