When people realize I'm in Canada they tend to think of ice and snow, igloos and snowmobiles, long cold winters. All that sort of thing. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here in Vancouver it snows a handful of times in a winter and maybe one or two of them stick around for more than 24 hours before getting totally washed away. Until a couple of days ago I hadn't even noticed any snow on the mountains (not good news for ski resort operators). If you want to have to dig your car out of a snowbank in order to go to work you have to go back east for that. Here on the Coast it usually just rains. A lot. Of course, that's why everything is so green and beautiful here in the spring and summer.
Yesterday was a bright, sunny day. Today, however, is our first snow. It's dark and nasty outside and there are big, wet flakes plopping down everywhere. If that's not bad enough, I think it's supposed to be windy too.
Because it snows so seldom here, people are absolutely clueless about how to drive in it and most people don't have winter tires. They just zoom around in their SUVs with all season tires, thinking that their vehicle can handle it. Unfortunately, it has more to do with the driver than the vehicle. The other folks creep around at a snail's pace, enraging the SUV drivers, who then speed and skid.
Since I spent about 7 years living in Calgary (where it really does snow and stick around) I know how to drive in it, but I'm in the minority. And I'm still going to get our winter tires put on this Sunday because we aren't going through the mountains to the house without both winter tires and chains (although we've never had to use the chains, they're always in the car).
What was the point of this post? I really just wanted to rant about the evil snow, even though it will probably turn to rain later, because then it's going to freeze tonight. Guess who isn't going to be walking to synagogue tomorrow?
We're going to have lamb stew in the crockpot and I'm planning to do a little catching up on my sleep. Shabbat Shalom!
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It snowed here a couple days ago and the roads remain icy thanks to a nasty cold snap. We're staying in because I don't trust Seattle drivers. I grew up driving a Nissan sans snow tires or chains in Anchorage.
Hope your weather has improved by now.
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