Thursday 9 January 2014

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Here in Canada, we take pride in how tough we are when it comes to cold and snow.



But goddamn, it's been so cold since Christmas that even we are beginning to crack. I was in Manitoba right before New Year's and the overnight temperatures with windchill were -45ºC (-49ºF) and -50ºC (-58ºF). The daytime HIGHS were -35ºC (-31ºF). The cold was brutal, just brutal.


It really is kind of poetic justice for us though --


But we are not amused. Not amused at all.


But whatever you do -- make sure your vehicle is good to go! Without a running vehicle, you'll be stuck waiting in the frigid blast for The Bus That Never Comes!



And if you see a guy driving an open convertible down the street . . .


. . . then what you're really seeing is this:


The temperatures are FINALLY starting to moderate this week -- thank goodness! Not a moment too soon.

48 comments:

Sunnybrook Farm said...

Looks like everyone else is worse off than we are, just cold here and no snow. Frozen mud is a good thing. That is positive isn't it?

jadedj said...

Now I feel like a wussy wimp after bitching the other day about our -8.
Tuck tail and slink off, JJ.

LL Cool Joe said...

Wow, we are having a pleasant, mild sunny day here in the UK. Shall I go and get a rosette from the smug box now? :D

jaz@octoberfarm said...

too funny! i love the canadian middle finger!

Pickleope said...

Not sure if my last comment posted because I got an error message. I'm going to assume it did and say something different. This was hilarious, but I should have built a fire before reading.

Silke Powers said...

I experienced cold like that once when we lived in Michigan and that was enough for me! Last night I dreamed about a bus spinning out in the snow in front of me, but then this morning I am waking up to above freezing temps. I hope you warm up soon!!! xoxo Silke

Anonymous said...

the best of the best, lol,,its warmer in our part of Canada today, minus 23 this morning, a real heat wave!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

Until I started blogging, cold was a relative term. I never actually knew anyone that had experienced any temp colder than -10 degrees F. Now that I have Canadian friends, and read how hard winter is and how cold it is..........I'm glad I live in the kitty litter box of the US. The End.

DEZMOND said...

I've heard that even penguins and polar bears are not let out in the ZOOs over there because even they cannot take such cold.
I'm worried for all the poor people who can't afford heating :(((( Such things make me not sleep well at night :(

Jeanne said...

Hilarious! Love the Canadian middle finger! :0) I can remember back to the time I was living in Fairbanks, Man! That was some cold, -70F! Have never complained about the cold since!
RE: Slush encrusted car - I see that a lot. Seems that anyone who parks near a puddle on a street is 'just asking' for others to drive by and coat their car in splashed up slush. Which then freezes and makes god-awful a mess.
Stay warm my friends!

The Dancing Crone said...

The middle finger! Love that guy! But I know what you mean. Here in the banana belt we don't usually get snow till January but we've been hammered since the beginning of Dec. and it's just ice and snow on top of ice and snow. Now rain is coming & then another freeze. haha remind me in July!

Adam said...

lol at the sunroof one

Suzanne said...

Ya'll can have your weather back now.....we are pretty much done with it.

Ken said...

I have to admit that I feel a bit of pride inside of me when thermometer outside my house is colder than anywhere else. Then it gets stamped out by my desire to be someplace warm. :)

Anonymous said...

We got hit pretty hard here in Chicago! But holy cow…you guys had it BAD! Yikes. It's a balmy 18F today…it feels like a heatwave. Seriously. When's summer???

Jenn said...

Sunroof. Been there, done that. Such a relief that things are warming up, but after this deep freeze I can't believe our forecast is calling for rain this weekend... bizarre!

Anonymous said...

Those photos are great; I especially love the one with the cat!

Leanna said...

I used to go out in the freezing cold weather for hours and enjoy it. Now in my old age I wear socks to bed if it's 50 degrees at night.

I saw a very expensive car with it's tires stuck in frozen water on a street in New York. Wonder if that could be a Karma thing.
*evil grin*

Vanessa Morgan said...

And I'm complaining here because I haven't seen any snow at all this year ;-)

Mary said...

Wow! Super cold! I'd want it to be over too. I love the Canadian middle finger. It's way cooler than a regular one. Lol.

Birdie said...

Those are absolute insane temperatures! I live in Canada and have never felt anything colder than -12 C.

Sparkless said...

Coldest it's got in my area of Southern BC is -14/15C. We thought that was cold but when you say your daytime temp was -35C I'm having a hard time imagining that. Why don't you just send your cold weather down to the US. They blame us for all the cold weather they get.

The Happy Whisk said...

We live in a snowbelt and I always find it funny when family from the east coast tell me about how they got a few inches of snow. Too funny.

Then I have one friend who shovels at three inches of now. Three inches, that's so cute.

This N That said...

I guess there is always someone worse off..Do I find that comforting ?? Love your cartoons...We got back to double digits today..Still below freezing...Yay

G. B. Miller said...

Even though I'm from the Northeast, I'm kind of jealous as our winter has been really mild.

Well, mild for Canada if you consider the hi teens to be mild.

Riot Kitty said...

I can't even imagine. My dad in MN says -3 feels warm after what they've had.

Suzie Ridler said...

Oh man Debra, you have my warmest condolences, that is bloody cold! And I am a wussy Canadian, a total wimp. That said, our exhaust system on our car just about fell off. Got it home and now the car doesn't work and I am running out of food. We are Canadian though so we will survive!

Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

Yeah, we're a tough bunch, but we do have our breaking point! I've had enough of this cold, and can't wait for the warm weekend coming up. Yahoo!

brandi said...

~the pictures speak for themselves!!! couldn't even imagine the weather you are enduring and here i have been wishing for just a mere inch or so...i would gladly take a wee bit off your hands!!! sending you a welcoming warmth to come over your land...much love light and blessings~

Miss Val's Creations said...

This is hysterical! I love the convertible and the open moon roof. Those drivers are insane!!! I have been a dumb ass who left my moon roof open once during horrid downpours. Luckily the house I was at had a shop vacuum to suck up the water and a hair dryer to attempt to dry the seats. The car never smelled pretty after that!

Stay warm out there!!!

Jim said...

In know you guys 'out west' are really getting the FULL CANADIAN treatment this year!! Oh yes we say here in the Maritimes...."but it is a 'dry cold' they get out west!!"
Not like that 'wet cold' we get here!! lol

Anonymous said...

Down here in the Bahamas people bundle up in winter parkas, scarves, and hats when the mercury dips below 70F. I'm venturing up to the mountains of WV for the first time in 2 years at the end of this month, and am pretty sure I'm going to freeze to death once I get north of Florida. Stay warm, woman!

The Silver Bunny said...

Oh how I wish mine came out as snowflakes ....but it's rather less poetic around here. Getting old, you know ....

Melanie said...

Its finally above freezing here and I am ready for the beach!

bobbybegood1 said...

Are you kidding me!? It is 55 degrees here in White Plains, NY. Threatening to be almost 60 degrees tomorrow. A couple of days ago the temps were 5 degrees. Colder than a witches -- you know what. Funny thing about Lower New Yorkers, as of late. Any little bit of snow, sleet and establishments such as schools, banks, board of eds, city, state and federal offices close. We have become such whimps. We wouldn't complain if we lived in such places as Buffalo, NY, or anywheres in Canada. Love your post. Cheers!!

Dawna said...

Other than the rain its been okay here in the UK.. but those pics!.. that's some serious snow!!.
y'all made of some strong stuff over there :). hmm I suspect thermals are a must!

yellowdoggranny said...

I have fond and not so fond memories of my trip thru Canada in 1969..early in 69.we were in a camper and were going to pan for gold..my second husband was ..well different..we went Portland up thru washington and into canada at Vancouver..all the way to Alaska where I screamed take me home or they'll never find your body..it was beautiful and 50 below by the time we got to a place called Hope..the camper kept coming off the ball hooked on the trailer..standing in freezing water up to my knees putting the trailer back on the ball..that was before the road was paved all the way..most beautiful country I ever saw..and colder than anything I've ever been in..ever...

Introverted Art said...

It was 48 in FL and we were all DYING!!!! hahaha can't imagine that cold :P

BTW, the Women's Circle Traveling Art Journal is going to start soon. Since you would like to participate and we would love to have you participate, stop by the blog to check the details!!!

fromsophiesview said...

Excuse me while I fart a blizzard!!

Brrrrrrrrrr!!

Magic Love Crow said...

Your posts are fantastic!!! LOL! We have been having the same weather, but tomorrow, we are getting rain??? The January thaw, before more comes! Keep warm Debra ;o)

Ol'Buzzard said...

It would be no fun to live in Florida.

the Ol'Buzzard

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Finally we are seeing a bit of a break. 5 weeks - FIVE WEEKS of hell we have just endured. You are right, it was brutal here in Manitoba. Today we are to reach zero. I have my bathing suit on, ready.

DB Stewart said...

I blame that asshat Putin.

klahanie said...

Greetings,

Yes, it's me, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!

We know all about that real cold snap, eh. I wonder why it couldn't be called a cold wave and a heat snap in the summer.

Of course, not all Canadians can manage in the snow. Hello Vancouver!

Have a good one, eh.

Pawsitive wishes, Penny the snow plough :)

Willow said...

Farting snow flakes !! Too funny all of it .
Sending warm wishes .

Linda said...

Great post,Debra!
The sun just came out here....
Now we can see all the dirty snow......yuck!
Enjoy your day!
Cheers!
Linda :o)

Anonymous said...

Girl, this winter has sucked snow balls!! There is more snow in GP than here. It's brutal.

Cperz said...

I loved all your pictures. Hilarious!!! I have great admiration for anyone that could actually survive those temperatures. I can take the snow but the extreme cold..whole other story.