Annual Bitch-About-Winter Thread

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Folks, here we go again... right now, here at MLU TAC HQ in downtown Toronto at 0600 Local (GMT -5), it's 0 celcius, with the wind chill -5, dry at the moment but scattered flurries expecting this morning, rain this afternoon and a high for the day of +4 but will never feel more than zero with the wind.

It gets better. Not too far north of the city right now there is some snow on the ground and flurries with more expected. Look further north and west of us and it's uh-oh time.

This will just continue to deteriorate throughout the months of December, January and February, with March being wide open at this point. Usually, the turtlenecks will start to disappear towards the beginning of April, but coats will be necessary until well into May if recent years are any indication.

In short...

WE'RE SCREWED!!!

Bloody hell.....

[Plushy]

Well Jiff , it was a lovely Warm 32 Degrees Celsius here today with clear Blue skies ,excellent visibility and a light wind of 1to 2 knots Perfect weather for Blitz Hunting

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Thank you James, that's just what we of the Northern Horde wanted to hear right now!

I should add that the night-time lows will be down to -5 right now, and this little gem will be significant to those of us in the S.A.D. Legion:

- Sunrise at 07:13 in direction 115° East-southeast
- Sunset at 16:51 in direction 244° West-southwest
- Duration of day: 9 hours, 38 minutes (2 minutes, 13 seconds shorter than yesterday)
- Sun in south at 12:02 at altitude 28° above horizon

Tell me, what past sins did I commit to justify having been born HERE??!!

[Plushy]

It Could be worse you could have been born in Mongolia where theres no CMP`s or carriers or any other good military collectors vehicles !

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Folks, here we go again... right now, here at MLU TAC HQ in downtown Toronto at 0600 Local (GMT -5), it's 0 celcius, with the wind chill -5, dry at the moment ...

... what are you bitching about ... there is already BLOODY SNOW !!!! here on the ground in London and more expected ...

grand-daughter already has her winter boots and mitts and hat on ... now I just have to convince the little dear to take her PJ's off and get dressed ...

... my back already hurts

[Gordon Yeo]

I thought winter was the CMP Gods gift to us hardy Canadians when we all we all huddled in our warm work shops and restored our trucks uninterrupted by road trips and parades.
I also recall another thread about 'Nasties' which described venomous snakes and insects. Winter is Canada's natural control method on those nasty buggers, so buck up guys its not all bad.
I know winter, being half way up Lake Huron and about five miles inland.
When a north wester roars down off the lake they don't call this the snow belt and white Hell country for no reason.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

LMAO @ Mark!!

Dress of the Day (Jif for the use of):

Layer #1
- cotton turtleneck
- track pants
- heavy socks

Layer #2
- heavy cotton long-sleeved shirt
- combat pants
- combat boots

Layer #3
- heavy full-zip sweater (red for Fridays of course)

Layer #4 (outside use)
- mid-thigh length hooded nylon shell w/heavy detachable polyester lining
- acrylic touque
- lined deerskin gloves

Just to show suitable disdain before the God of Bad Weather I sought out my blind, drunken Italian barber after work yesterday and re-taught him the subtle intricacies of the lost art of "high & tight"; once he relaxed the deathgrip he had on his straight razor (I think he was eyeing my throat)... suitable results, m'yes, not too bad! I didn't lose too much blood this time 'round anyway, so take this, Mr. Bloody Winter!

[rob love]

Geoff
Are you complaining about those temps and conditions or bragging? If you want to really feel a winter, come on out to Manitoba. If the temp reaches +4 here, I head out to cut another cord of wood.

I recall early in my military career, we would get young soldiors posted in from Ontario and Quebec, who would ask what the block heater plug in on the front of the car was for? Those were also the days of frost shields, another mystery item to them.

My view of winter is this: For at least 5 months out of the year, the yard looks clean and noone can tell whether the sprinkler or rake has been left out. All yards are equal, with the dandilions well buried and the tumbleweeds have long blown out to wherever it is that those things go.

My solution to the cold of January? Book one of those trips to the dominican or wherever is cheapest. This is where procrastination pays off. Wait until the Saturday morning to book for the following Tuesday. Prices will be at rock bottom. Last year I went to Puerto Plata for $900 (taxes in that price) for two weeks. That price included airfare, hotel, food, and all the beer and coke I could drink for 2 weeks. And by the time I got back to Manitoba, we only had one more month of -32 before the temps started warming up again.

This year is predicted to have more cold and more snow than usual. Something called le-ninio. Bring it on. In years past, when this condition was applied, Southern Ontario, Texas, and Florida would all see snow and cold. It was actually nicer overall around here. When you already live in hell, things can only get better.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by rob love
Geoff
Are you complaining about those temps and conditions or bragging? If you want to really feel a winter, come on out to Manitoba. If the temp reaches +4 here, I head out to cut another cord of wood.................................

Oh, geez, NOW who's whinging?

While I'll grant you little 'Peggies the right to boast about having some of the largest and bad-tempered mosquitoes to be found in the Northern Hemisphere, your +4 feels like +14 to us here... can you spell D.A.M.P. ? Naw, I thought you couldn't. Ain't nothin' worse than Ontario-in-winter (well, except maybe all of England from September to August)!

[Bruce MacMillan]

whine, whine,whine! Is that all you easterners can do?
Out here in Lotus Land we wine,wine,wine.
Sunny, high of 11 today. Do I work in the garden,trim the lawn or work on rusty old trucks in the balmy air.

[RHClarke]

Al Gore can't be wrong, can he? The global warming wonks had me going there for a while. I was expecting ocean front property here in Ottawa, Innu selling sunscreen, fireant infestations, and billboards with David Suzuki tut-tut us stating "I warned you". Glad I didn't toss out the old army issue Stanfields...

[Grant Bowker]

....call out the army. I don't know about all of the rest of the country, but many of us in Ottawa laughed long and hard a few years ago when their mayor declared a catastrophy and called out the army for a snowfall that many other parts of the country treat as routine.

[dougiebarder]

Some of us actually like the cold you know
So count yourselves lucky! -and you tend to get nice summers as well.
So please feel free to send some of your spare snow and ice over here. Switzerland and Austria both had a shortage when I was there last winter, and the lazy Swiss don't even bother to get some snow cannons and make their own!
Thanks

[rob love]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Oh, geez, NOW who's whinging?

While I'll grant you little 'Peggies the right to boast about having some of the largest and bad-tempered mosquitoes to be found in the Northern Hemisphere, your +4 feels like +14 to us here... can you spell D.A.M.P. ? Naw, I thought you couldn't. Ain't nothin' worse than Ontario-in-winter (well, except maybe all of England from September to August)!

How could you possibly feel the outside dampness through those 4 layers of clothes you just discussed earlier. Seems to me you'd be creating your own dampness with all the sweat you would be producing in that southern Ontario heat. Good Lord Geoff, that many layers would make you look like an overgorged woodtick.

By the way, I am not whining about Manitoba's weather....just stating the facts. We live in some of the crappiest weather going for a reasonably populated area of Canada, and we are here because we choose to be. Plus, it is cold enough here that the salt your ministry of transport likes to spread everywhere, will not function. As a result, our vehicles (cmps included) last much longer.

[cliff]

Here I am at 07:45 on a fine warm (24C at the moment) Saturday morning printing calendars on my newly installed printer wondering when the boss (Jif that is) is gonna post the calendars so folk can order them from me.

Expected high today is a nice 29C with clear blue skies and medium wind just to be an annoyance. Forecast is for more of the same tomorrow with perhaps some isolated showers on Monday.

Ain't life good

Cheers
Cliff

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

I can take a hint.........

[cliff]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
I can take a hint.........

Ain't very subtle am I?

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

S'alright Cliffy, I'm awake now and working on it, ok?

Sorry for the delay, it's been a long bloody week...

[Barry Churcher]

Geoff, you are correct about the nasties just starting. I heard on the radio on my way home tonight that there is a 15 car pile up near Brampton because of the weather. Every year at this time when I start to curse winter I think of my poor sister in law. My brother worked for a few years in South Africa and he brought a bride home from Johanesburg. He lured her to Canada with who knows what kind of lies and settled her in Timmins. Can you imagine what a shock that would be. Their first Christmas here was -40C and there was so much snow that you couldn't throw it high enough to get it over the snow banks. Front end loader time! She is happier now living in Lotus Land with Bruce MacMillan, on one of those yuppie islands just off Vancouver.

As for Grant's statement, that was just a ploy by Mel Lastman to divert attention away from Ottawa and their loosing hockey team. That is all straightened out now and the Maple Laffs have agreed to have a couple of loosing seasons so that Ottawa can build up a fan base. The Leafs can fill the place with a loosing team and Ottawa needs a winner to get any support. Go Montreal.

[RHClarke]

Originally posted by Barry Churcher
... Maple Laffs have agreed to have a couple of loosing seasons so that Ottawa can build up a fan base. The Leafs can fill the place with a loosing team and Ottawa needs a winner to get any support. Go Montreal.

I can't resist. A few losing seasons? Try forty seasons and counting. As for filling the arena to see a losing team - that speaks volumes. Makes Harrold Ballard look like a swami.
In any case, it wouldn't be winter in Canada without hockey.

[rob love]

To have the words "hockey" and "Toronto Maple Leafs" in the same sentence is a bit of an oxymoron. In 1985, when I was visiting Toronto while on course in Borden, they were handing out paper bags with the TML logo and eyeholes at the front doors, thats how embarrassing they were. And that was 27 years ago....they still haven't got any better.
I would suspect that the reason that the stadium fills is because half of Canada is all crammed into the Toronto area, and despite the annoying booing, a ticket to the game is much cheaper than a hotel in that city.

[Barry Churcher]

Rob, the sad part is that you can get a hotel room cheaper than a leaf ticket. Most hockey fans who want to take their kid to a game go to Buffalo or Ottawa. In Toronto the prices are out of sight and every game is the same price. In Buffalo the prices are much more reasonable and their prices vary as to the quality of the opposing team, which makes it much more affordable.


Now as for Master Clarke, I will be pro active and make this reply before he does. I think I know how his mind works. My quote was:

"and their prices vary as to the quality of the opposing team, "

His reply would be: "in that case the tickets would be free when Toronto plays Buffalo"

Barry

[Snowtractor]

Originally posted by rob love

My view of winter is this: For at least 5 months out of the year, the yard looks clean and noone can tell whether the sprinkler or rake has been left out. All yards are equal, with the dandilions well buried and the tumbleweeds have long blown out to wherever it is that those things go.
. [/B]

LOL , I certainly know of what you speak!

I have to abstain from this conversation seeing that I still have the memory of living in the Arctic fresh in my mind. Currently -5 at night here and +4 during the day....the old place will be -20 at night and -17 during the day this week. For those not in the know , I live in Edson ,Alberta now versus Fort Smith , Northwest Territories.
Like Magnum P.I. says " Another day in Paradise"

Sean

[Howard]

to this thread... From the Elders Weather Website:

Most of Victoria is in shock today after experiencing a massive temperature drop from one day to the next.
Mildura reached 41 degrees yesterday and just 16 today. The 25 degree drop from one day to the next is a new record. The previous record was a 24 degree drop in January 1982.
This new record comes just one day after the Mallee town broke a spring record of eight consecutive days above 35 degrees.
Locals can be forgiven for putting away their winter clothes yesterday as temperatures rose to the high 30s and low 40s, up to 20 degrees above average. Swan Hill got to 43 degrees yesterday and just 17 today. Melbourne was 21 degrees cooler than yesterday.
Some welcome rain helped it stay so cool. Since nine o’clock last night Melbourne has had 25mm.
There will be a gradual warming trend over the next few days with temperatures rising to the mid to high 20s by the weekend.
That kind of temperature change hurts!

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Howard
........

That kind of temperature change hurts!

Kinda like last March, and me going from downtown Toronto windchills of -35 to ambient temps of +35 or higher in Ganmain!

FYI, right now in Toronto at 0540 Wednesday 21 Nov the windchill is -7 (colder in the core where I'm headed because of the venturi effect around the tall buildings) and raining. It's going to rain or snow all through to mid next week, with ambient nighttime temps below zero and daytime around zero.

I note that where Karmen is (about 2500 miles west of me) is approx -13.

Feel better?

[cliff]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Kinda like last March, and me going from downtown Toronto windchills of -35 to ambient temps of +35 or higher in Ganmain!

FYI, right now in Toronto at 0540 Wednesday 21 Nov the windchill is -7 (colder in the core where I'm headed because of the venturi effect around the tall buildings) and raining. It's going to rain or snow all through to mid next week, with ambient nighttime temps below zero and daytime around zero.

I note that where Karmen is (about 2500 miles west of me) is approx -13.

Feel better?

That kind of Temp is when you cuddle up in bed with a good woman Geoff....er man in Carmans case

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by cliff
That kind of Temp is when you cuddle up in bed with a good woman Geoff....er man in Carmans case

Concur in principle, Cliff... do two elderly cats count?

[cliff]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Concur in principle, Cliff... do two elderly cats count?

Well the Aborigines rate nights as how many dogs they have to sleep with to stay warm so I guess for a Canadian on the opposite side of the world that cats count too!

PS> Three Dog Night, the band, was named after this aborigine saying.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by cliff
Well the Aborigines rate nights as how many dogs they have to sleep with to stay warm so I guess for a Canadian on the opposite side of the world that cats count too!

In that case, Cliffy, I'd need about 20 of the furry little beggars! Ain't quite the same, though, and besides, I'm allergic to them...