At least learn to merge…

I know, another driving rant. What can I say? I spend a minimum of 1.5 hours per day on the road and drivers here are some of the worst I have ever seen. My driving day started off behind a little old man who was going 40 km an hour in Maple Ridge. Very. Freaking. Frustrating. I was running late trying to get to a dental appointment. Finally, I passed him. Old men in hats are almost always a problem.

After I left the dentist office I got stuck behind another convey. As I was passing htat car, I looked at the driver and lo and behold he was talking on his cell phone. I will admit that I speed but seriously I would never talk on my handheld phone (I have a Bluetooth!). Once I got to the highway, I was treated to the usual no signal lane changes, being cut off and/or being stuck behind some yahoo.

Just as I was almost at First Ave, some idiot didn’t merge properly. Like dominos, the little lemmings who were behind him wouldn’t/couldn’t merge around him. Then the minivan in front of me decided to stop, on the highway, to let the three of them merge. So now we had a comedy of errors involving four people who don’t know what to do for a merge and the possibility of collisions happening. Thankfully I am mostly not a distracted driver and I leave more than adequate following distance.

As I was driving away from the merge morons, I flashed back to the merge instruction signs they use to move around in Calgary. First of all the signs would point out the merge lane, then tell the merging traffic to speed up or slow down to use a gap in the traffic. Then there were instructions for the traffic on the highway to move over or make a gap. I loved those signs! I wish we had them here.

On another note, I noticed the complete lack of reporting about SNOWmaggedon today on the news. Does anyone know if it happened? I am guessing the mayhem was nowhere near what was predicted. Or maybe someone just realized that SNOW in February in Canada is not news!

What to blog about…

Trying to blog every day is quite difficult. So today I am just going to blog about life at chez Shihtzustaff today.

Deb, Angelina and Lynn have been very busy peeling vegetables for tomorrow’s dinner at my office for our clients. I am so blessed that they are willing to do this for us. They will continue tomorrow, when Deb and Angelina will come to the office and serve Christmas dinner for about 125 refugees. Thank you!

My sister screamed obscenities at me when I called to see if the Christmas parcel had arrived. Apparently, I should have known that she had been shorted supplies for her husband’s dialysis. According to my mother that is just how she copes. Well, it doesn’t work in my world. I told her that I would not allow her to speak to me that way. She hung up on me. Later, in talking to my mother we were discussing why my sister behaves this way and we focused in on her lack of self-esteem. I then relayed something really positive that happened to me at work and she went into attack mode. Basically she said that I almost killed myself with my job (untrue) and that I would be sick until I realized what the problem was. In her mind, the problem is that I am fat and that is why I am sick. The interactions really pissed me off. Somehow I need to get better at seeing it coming and dodging the bullet.

I am watching some re-runs of Six Feet Under. Michael C. Hall is ridiculously talented. Both shows were cutting edge (well, one more so than the other) and had awesome ensemble casts.

I have had a painful day today. I am not sure why. Perhaps because I over did it yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. All I can say is that I am thankful for pain killers.

As per Angelina’s suggestion I am now picking up the cat and moving her instead of waiting for her to do it herself. Way easier!

Here’s hoping tomorrow will be a better day!

Ha, ha, ha – Snow on April 1

Well, sadly, it is not an April fool’s joke – it is for real: we have snow this morning!!!

Now that I am mostly over the plague, I will be back to blogging next week when I am on holidays! The Our Green Year people have been very busy…

One other good note: Tucker is much improved. Expect a full update soon!

SNOW

Ok, seriously, wtf is up? Why is it snowing in the Lower Mainland in March? Spring officially arrives here at the end of February. We were supposed to have 7 days of showers not more freaking snow. I am done, I have had enough. I would like to know where I can lodge an official complaint.

Snowfall Warning in March

I am a Canadian. I have lived in very cold places with lots of snow. I now choose to live in Metro Vancouver where generally we don’t get a lot of snow and it never lasts. This winter has been an exception. We had snow on the ground from December through to mid-February. Rain we expect. This year snow has been like your old Uncle Harold who won’t leave, ever. Now, it is March – the season of daffodils, crocuses and cherry blossoms. Are we getting these things, no. Instead we are getting yet another snowfall warning. I am done, the Arctic needs to reclaim its weather and we need our soft blanket of white and pink cherry blossoms. Can someone please get on this! Immediately!

The Rain Snow Removal Plan

Well, even though we have had a lot of rain and flooding it has still not washed all the snow away. In fact, out here in Maple Ridge, it barely seems to have touched it. We still have 3 and 4 foot high piles of the white stuff that is not so white anymore. Trying to get from the front door to the car is nearly impossible. And, to add insult to injury, it snowed a bit more last night! When will it end? I hate winter.

Snow in Vancouver

By all accounts we have had more snow this winter than anyone can remember. Period. Normally, Vancouver’s plan of waiting for the rain to wash the snow away is prudent – except for when it is not. Last night was bad in Vancouver. There were reports from the VPD asking people not to drive unless they had snow tires or chains. Yes, folks, you read right snow tires or chains, in Vancouver. Sounds way more like a situation would occur in say Prince George.

I am sure that the VANOC and other Olympic officials are thanking their lucky stars that the snow fall of a century happened this year and not next year. However, it does beg the question as to how the City of Vancouver will cope with a dump of snow during the Olympics? Has VANOC budgeted for snow removal? Given that any street with a hill was either closed or impassable yesterday evening. What would happen if there was an emergency?

I have a confession to make. I supported the Olympics. I lived in Vancouver during the vote and I voted yes. However, since that vote, it is becoming clearer that Vancouver is not an international city. It is a little, parochial backwater. I am not sure how Vancouver is going to manage to host the world here in a little over a year. If the City can’t deal effectively with a dump of snow what about an earthquake?

Out in the Fraser Valley we seem to have fared much better. We have had little difficulty getting around and it seems like most major routes, at least in Maple Ridge, have been plowed and maintained. Even the ‘back way’ that we take to bypass the Lougheed has been cleared.

The snow has definately shown vulnerability at the City of Vancouver. It is unfair to lay it on Gregor Robertson. I only hope that he can bring leadership to bear before the Olympics or we are in serious trouble.

H/T Penmachine