Preparing for Snowmageddon

mr. beaumont · #1 02-01-2011, 09:46 AM

Well, according to the local news and the panicky faces at the grocery store this morning as I bought milk and cookies for my morning guitar club meeting here at school, the end of the world is nigh.

Just thought I'd check in, let you know I'll be heading home tonight, battening down the hatches, drinking a bottle of bordeaux with my wife and pan-roasting some salmon, I'm thinking with a butter-lemon-dill sauce.

If you don't here from me in a few days, please call some one to dig me out.

Banksia · #2 02-01-2011, 10:00 AM

Lucky man! It was 41 here today, 41 yesterday and tomorrow is supposed to be 39 - all Centigrade, of course. It's 3am here and it's still 27.

mr. beaumont · #3 02-01-2011, 11:28 AM

41 C? Damn!

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #4 02-01-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banksia

Lucky man! It was 41 here today, 41 yesterday and tomorrow is supposed to be 39 - all Centigrade, of course. It's 3am here and it's still 27.

Still trouble in Paradise: I heard on the news that Cyclone Yasi is bearing done on Cairns. I have some friends in Ravenshoe, above Cairns in the Tablelands, but as they like to say, their "Top Pub" is the highest pub in Queensland. I think they'll be able to weather it out.

Banksia · #5 02-01-2011, 12:08 PM

Cyclones aren't too bad because after Cyclone Tracy destroyed Darwin in 74 they upgraded all the building standards in Northern OZ.

I'll never understand how Nth Americans and Europeans can cope with the cold, especially when you could just move to Florida or somewhere. I realise BC is a very beautiful area but Chicago? Couldn't you get the same sort of work in Florida or Texas, Mr B?

Banksia · #6 02-01-2011, 12:11 PM

Don't get me wrong about Chicago - if it wasn't for Chess Studios I wouldn't have had a record collection when I was 18.

mr. beaumont · #7 02-01-2011, 12:16 PM

Of course I could. But then i'd live in florida or texas.

No thanks, I'll tough out a little snow to live in the greatest city in the US.

GodinFan · #8 02-01-2011, 12:56 PM

We'll getting your leftover snow here in SW on Wednesday, if reports are correct...

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #9 02-01-2011, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banksia

I'll never understand how Nth Americans and Europeans can cope with the cold, especially when you could just move to Florida or somewhere. I realise BC is a very beautiful area but Chicago? Couldn't you get the same sort of work in Florida or Texas, Mr B?

Oddly enough, my town's ski resort is owned by Australians. Check out the mascot on the right, next to the moose and the polar bear:

Stackabones · #10 02-01-2011, 01:14 PM

Currently 18F in this year's Super Bowl Metroplex. Snow and ice. We're hunkered down.

markf · #11 02-01-2011, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Of course I could. But then i'd live in florida or texas.

No thanks, I'll tough out a little snow to live in the greatest city in the US.

I was in Chicago when I was a lad, about twenty years old or so. I live in Central Canadian prairies.

we flew there, when I got out of the plane It was like being in a different part of the world altogether.

anyway, while there, I walked around a bit, and heard the best panhandling line ever a friendly, little guy walked up to me and said

"hey man, I just got back from Russia, can you spare a quarter?"

couldn't resist that one.

tallest buildings I have ever seen.

I listen to 720 WGN from Chicago a lot, Nick DeGilio, very funny man.

one of my favourite players is from there, Laurence hobgood.

just ending a stretch of -25 /-30 centigrade here on the good old canadian prairies.

+40 C ........ could't hack that. record this year, in saudi arabia I think +56 C somewhere.

paynow · #12 02-01-2011, 01:59 PM

It's the one thing I don't miss about the northeast. If I never see snow again it won't bother me.

I'm in NC and tomorrow is supposed to be 72, but then about 45 the next day. The temps here keep bouncing up and down. Anything, however, is better than ice and snow.

The salmon sounds like a good idea; had some last night.

Banksia · #13 02-01-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Still trouble in Paradise: I heard on the news that Cyclone Yasi is bearing done on Cairns. I have some friends in Ravenshoe, above Cairns in the Tablelands, but as they like to say, their "Top Pub" is the highest pub in Queensland. I think they'll be able to weather it out.

They've upgraded Yasi to a Category 5, which is higher than Hurricane Katrina, although most of the damage in NO was from the levees breaking. It might be bad because Category 5 can flatten everything except modern concrete and steel buildings.

0zoro · #14 02-01-2011, 02:18 PM

Mr B! I think that concidering present developments the salmon was a wise choice. An oven rost 8 min. at 200 C and then creme fraishe with a bit of chili for 8 more is a variation you may want to try before the next storm arrives. Rosting a few veges before the salmon and putting the salmon on top is great with the right bordeaux. Good luck!

mr. beaumont · #15 02-01-2011, 02:26 PM

The plot thickens. Sometime during the day, my car was broken into...just finished shop-vaccing the glass out in the school basement...nothing stolen, not even a Chet Baker CD sitting on the passenger seat. Criminals have no taste.

Anyway, the snow has begun, it's blowing around wildly...I await 3 pm anxiously to get on the road...I'm betting my usual 20 minute drive will at least double, probably triple, with a piece of semi-opaque plastic acting as my passenger side window and 50 mile per hour winds. Yes, this will be an adventure, for sure....but let's focus on positive things...

Good call 0zoro! Got a couple of big cuts, so It'll be salmon tomorrow likely too...I was gonna do a brown sugar/mustard glaze, but I like the idea of a little spice in your prep...

It's gonna be sauteed spinach underneath the fish tonight, but I think I have some small potatoes and carrots in the pantry...could over-roast those, a little rosemary and olive oil?

Flyin' Brian · #16 02-01-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Of course I could. But then i'd live in florida or texas.

No thanks, I'll tough out a little snow to live in the greatest city in the US.

Ditto on that. I moved out a few years back after living there for 2 years and I miss it every day. Henry Johnson, Neal Alger, Bobby Broom and on and on.

mr. beaumont · #17 02-01-2011, 10:01 PM

so, just an update on the current weather...

Holy living f---! I have honestly in my life never seen anything like this... I can't see my neighbor's house...which is a big deal, considering my neighbors house is 11 feet away from mine.

WhoisLevang · #18 02-01-2011, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

so, just an update on the current weather...

Holy living f---! I have honestly in my life never seen anything like this... I can't see my neighbor's house...which is a big deal, considering my neighbors house is 11 feet away from mine.

With a windchill of -40 degrees Fahrenheit... I might not make it there to borrow a cup of firewood!
Currently it's -17...

Palmer Lake Weather Forecast | AccuWeather.com for Palmer Lake, CO

Banksia · #19 02-02-2011, 03:32 AM

See, as a non-snow person, this is the part I don't understand. Does the whole mid-West just stay home until it's all over? Surely you can't drive anywhere, you can't fly anywhere. How do people like power station workers and sewerage people get to work. (I guess the sewage farms are frozen anyway.)

voelker · #20 02-02-2011, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banksia

See, as a non-snow person, this is the part I don't understand. Does the whole mid-West just stay home until it's all over? Surely you can't drive anywhere, you can't fly anywhere. How do people like power station workers and sewerage people get to work. (I guess the sewage farms are frozen anyway.)

ya i live in milwaukee and i work 3rd shift at a residential boys home, no gettin out of my job, But you don't experience something like this often, so i try to enjoy it. the trick is to leave a little early, pop in somethin real low key, like a keith jarret solo improv or metheny/haden "beyond missouri sky," and drive very very very slow. Just chillin and takin it easy, while a storm is raging right outside your window.... and borrow someones car if yours has rear wheel drive.

mr. beaumont · #21 02-02-2011, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banksia

See, as a non-snow person, this is the part I don't understand. Does the whole mid-West just stay home until it's all over?

Nah, you shovel, make a pot of coffee, and get on with life.

I'll be posting pics later today. I have a 8 foot high drift in front of my garage!

NSJ · #22 02-02-2011, 06:37 AM

I feel like starting to dig out after the morning coffee. The municipal plows came down my street just now.

The snow looks massive!!!!! Wonder what happened to the stranded cars and buses on SB LSD? last time I checked they were waiting 5 hours all due to a stalled bus.

markf · #23 02-02-2011, 06:40 AM

best blizzard we had, snow was up to the roof, and a bakery truck stalled in front of our house.

there was no getting it out of there, so the guy just opened it up, and gave the goodies away.

Banksia · #24 02-02-2011, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markf

best blizzard we had, snow was up to the roof, and a bakery truck stalled in front of our house.

there was no getting it out of there, so the guy just opened it up, and gave the goodies away.

Similar thing used to happen at my place. 30 years ago I had a flatmate who worked at the fish markets, doing all the restaurant deliveries. Every time he'd come home for coffee, all these lobsters and crabs would fall out the back of the truck. We didn't want it to stink up the street so we used to have to take it all inside and eat it! (It's a lucky thing we were so civic-minded.)

mr. beaumont · #25 02-02-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markf

best blizzard we had, snow was up to the roof, and a bakery truck stalled in front of our house.

there was no getting it out of there, so the guy just opened it up, and gave the goodies away.

AWESOME.

Just got back in from round one of shoveling...unfortunately, I live on a semi-busy street, which means they ran a snow plow down it. How's that bad, you say?

Well, the snow has to go somewhere...I'm looking at almost 3 feet at the end of my driveway.

Saw a neighbor out there with his shovel (snowblower is essntially useless in this) and he caught my eye, and we both just cracked up laughing at the silliness of the whole thing.

Tom Karol · #26 02-02-2011, 07:27 AM

We've been getting hammered in New England this year as well. And I haven't even been skiing yet - Argh! Here's the latest forecast:

mr. beaumont · #27 02-02-2011, 07:36 AM

Yeah, this is bad, but we got nothing on what you NE cats have had to deal with this year!

0zoro · #28 02-02-2011, 07:36 AM

You boys button up now and dont forget your longies! The sun is shining on me today, hard as that may be to invision. I may be a good day to read Mark Twains short story, "Cannibalism in the Cars", if your taking a break in practicing.

Tom Karol · #29 02-02-2011, 09:34 AM

Just took a few pictures. Here they are:
Addendum: It looks even more massive looking at it from the end of my driveway toward the house, but you get the picture. It's changed over to freezing rain now. so the snow has a nice frozen crust on top and the trees are all hung with little icicles. Quite pretty, actually, though also quite a pain in the butt!

NSJ · #30 02-02-2011, 12:53 PM