Well, we got snow smacked again! Tuesday was another snow day for our district, the 11th since early November. I haven't lost track of how many teaching days we have lost, but I have lost track of everything else. All I can think of is.... this winter, our worst in a century, apparently, still has a good month to go.
When I hear parents complain about another school day cancelled, I get upset. A child's safety is the main concern of all school districts. The storm was over, so back to school, right? Right! Everything normal, right? No!
I had heard the wind howling all night, so I got up early. I knew I would have to shovel hard, drifted and packed snow. I did learn a few tricks since the previous blizzard (all of a week ago!), so I didn't get stuck this time. However, the minute I was on my secondary road, it was nothing but a long, white, one lane tunnel. You couldn't see a thing except white swirling all around you. I never met anyone else, thank goodness. What idiot would be out in such atrocious driving conditions, unless they had to be at work?
I made it to the major highway, which was a total mess. It was icy and snow packed. Coming off the on-ramp, the banks of snow are so high, you can't see what vehicles are coming until you are right in the merging lane. Three huge transports whizzed by me, as I waited to merge. Just a nightmare, which wasn't over yet.
I exited after five minutes of white knuckled driving, onto a long, looping off ramp, in order to bring my dog to doggie day care (I know, I know, - how ridiculous!). The snow banks were high, but at least there was less wind, so less drifting. I had some visibility... which was more than the guy who was coming straight towards me did! This man had the sun in his eyes, and was coming straight towards me on an OFF- RAMP! I don't know how we managed NOT to have a head-collision. Thank goodness I always keep right, even in what is supposed to be a road with no ONCOMING traffic! He wasn't only blinded by the sun. I figure he couldn't read either, because he totally missed the two, big, red signs, on each side of the off ramp, at the end, that tell those who get on it at the beginning, that they are going the WRONG WAY! (By the way, in French they say "Reculez", which means "Back Up". Notice how the French get right to the point!)
My friend Tracy from England, when she and her hubby came to visit, thought those signs were great. They don't have them in the UK, to tell people they are not on the right ramp. Well, Tracy, we may have them, but they don't always work!
I shudder to think what happened to that man, when he got off the off ramp, only to be facing highway traffic head on. I never heard anything in the news, so I hope and pray he realized his mistake, and backed up.
I arrived at work pretty shaken up, but all in one piece, only to hear of other people's adventures of the day, ie. four car pile-ups.
If you have young children, or grandchildren, hug your school bus driver, because he or she was out there in those horrific driving conditions, getting your little ones to school.
Happy March Break to everyone! Dollars to donuts we do not have a single, solitary snowstorm during this one week break. :)
Day six- POST BLIZZARD
I woke up to another four inches of white stuff, and NO POWER! When will it end?
Day 5 - POST BLIZZARD 2015
Saturday! The weekend, alleluia! Slow day. My only plans are to rest, forget about the past week, and bring supper to my Mamacita. I get all ready, put the food bag at the door, and decide at the last minute to empty my recycling. First box, no problem. I go back to get the second box, empty it, and upon returning to my door, cannot get back into my apartment (aka the cottage!). What? I was sure I hadn't locked it. Positive even! So I think, "Thank goodness my keys are in my pocket!". I put the key in the lock, but nothing happens. The door will NOT OPEN! I play with it for a good five minutes, pushing, tugging, twisting, jiggling, and YANKING! Nothing.
So, where do I go, for the third time in as many days? I trudge upstairs to my landlord's place. Thank goodness he is home. He comes down, tries to open the door, and asks all the usual questions that a man would ask, and more than once, I might add. It doesn't matter how many times you answer the same question. "No, I didn't lock it". "Yes, I noticed it was getting harder to turn at times, but I thought it was just ice stuck at the bottom of the door." "No, I don't have anything else open in the apartment, to crawl through." "Yes, everything is locked." I am woman who lives alone on a deserted beach. Wouldn't you have everything locked?
The lock needs to replaced. I have now figured that out. My landlord says that since it is too late to get a new lock, it, will have to be done on Monday. "Well, isn't that wonderful?" I think. Now I am homeless!" He is still jiggling with the door handle and asking questions, so... "Yes, I noticed it was getting harder to open, but...I was busy trying to get to work! I didn't want to bother you or your wife, again."
Then I ask him if he couldn't just do what they do in the movies, and throw all his weight at the door, or better yet, KICK it hard? It always works in the movies! No, this would necesitate his replacing the entire door frame as well as the lock. So I am standing there, thinking, "Welcome to my nightmare", when he stops jiggling the handle, throws his shoulder into the door, and lo and behold, it opens! My second alleluia of the day, escapes my lips.
The lock needs replacing, because ICE has gotten into it from the BLIZZARD, and ruined it. Anyway, as long as I don't lock it, I can get in and out. That is all that I care about! Vimy and I go happily on our way, having met yet another misadventure head on!
Don't anyone tell me I need a man!
Day 3 and Day 4- Post Blizzard
Day 3 - Post Blizzard. Another friggin storm! Whipping winds, blowing and drifting snow but no one is talking about it because it isn't in Moncton.
Day 4 - Post Blizzard. Ask me if I made it to school on time? I didn't, though I did make it. I had to hitchhike, leaving my car half in the road, and half in the driveway, The municipal snow plow had passed and dumped all the blown and drifting snow in front of my car during the night. My landlord's driveway guy didn't come to clear it before I needed to leave at 7:30 am. So when I saw all that snow, I shoveled, and shoveled, but I turned my wheels to the right too soon, co...ming out of the driveway, and I got stuck! Major big time STUCK! I spun my wheels, and spun my wheels, all to no avail. One of my neighbours drove by and didn't stop. So much for the myth of ''every New Brunswicker is so helpful!" Then I saw a truck coming down the road, but stopping a bit ahead of me. I waved my shovel, with the bright blue handle, at him, like a flag, but did he come forward further down the road? No siree! He backed up in someone's driveway and disappeared, the jerk! So, my landlord was already gone somewhere, but his poor wife was home, and God bless her, here we are, her and I, putting cardboard under my wheels, to try and get some traction. Did I mention we had no sand, although we live on the beach? How dumb can I be? Anyway, that didn't work. Alma flagged down the third car driving by - a woman, thank God. She was going into town, and didn't bat an eye when Alma asked her to give me a lift to my school. I didn't make it in in time to do my bus duty, (ah, what a shame!) but I made it! And before recess, my wonderful landlady had gotten Proclivity out of her predicament, driven her into town, parked her in the school parking lot, and left the keys with the secretary. You know, there are angels on earth - they aren't ALL in heaven!
Day 4 - Post Blizzard. Ask me if I made it to school on time? I didn't, though I did make it. I had to hitchhike, leaving my car half in the road, and half in the driveway, The municipal snow plow had passed and dumped all the blown and drifting snow in front of my car during the night. My landlord's driveway guy didn't come to clear it before I needed to leave at 7:30 am. So when I saw all that snow, I shoveled, and shoveled, but I turned my wheels to the right too soon, co...ming out of the driveway, and I got stuck! Major big time STUCK! I spun my wheels, and spun my wheels, all to no avail. One of my neighbours drove by and didn't stop. So much for the myth of ''every New Brunswicker is so helpful!" Then I saw a truck coming down the road, but stopping a bit ahead of me. I waved my shovel, with the bright blue handle, at him, like a flag, but did he come forward further down the road? No siree! He backed up in someone's driveway and disappeared, the jerk! So, my landlord was already gone somewhere, but his poor wife was home, and God bless her, here we are, her and I, putting cardboard under my wheels, to try and get some traction. Did I mention we had no sand, although we live on the beach? How dumb can I be? Anyway, that didn't work. Alma flagged down the third car driving by - a woman, thank God. She was going into town, and didn't bat an eye when Alma asked her to give me a lift to my school. I didn't make it in in time to do my bus duty, (ah, what a shame!) but I made it! And before recess, my wonderful landlady had gotten Proclivity out of her predicament, driven her into town, parked her in the school parking lot, and left the keys with the secretary. You know, there are angels on earth - they aren't ALL in heaven!
Day 2 - Post Blizzard
Day 2 - Post Blizzard! Woke up to a dead battery AGAIN! I didn't drive around enough to charge, it, I guess. No one told me not to turn on my radio, or the heat, etc. However, I wasn't calling the CAA two days in a row. No, no, no! I would have been blacklisted for sure! So, seeing my landlord's lights were on, and he was up, I went and bothered him instead, God bless him! He came down, gave me a boost, gave me a advice, and off I went to work again, getting in just in time! Whew!!!! So I drove home after work, no radio, no heat, no nothing, just to make sure my battery got fully charged. Lesson learned - encore une fois!!!!
Six months later.....
I have been too busy to blog about all my latest misadventures, but seeing as we are in the throes of a really horrific winter, and have been for four months, I am stuck inside with a little more time on my hands. So here are my latest musings!
Post latest blizzard - (Sunday, the 15th) I had friends over for dinner Monday night, who ended up staying overnight because the blizzard wasn't over. We thought it was, but alas... So we spent a lovely evening, and I said goodbye to them at bedtime, as they did not plan on being up early Tuesday morning, as I would be, since I was booked to supply teach. Now, Proclivity has been absolutely WONDERFUL all winter, not flashing lights at me, not being bawky, and just being so... reliable. I started bragging her up, and I shouldn't have. I went to start her up earlier than usual, and you guessed it.... a dead battery. So, I called the CAA. They would send someone soon. Thank goodness I got that membership three weeks ago! Then I called the district dispatcher to advise her of my problem, and suggest she maybe get another supply. I had to leave a message on her machine. Then I left a message on the answering machine, at the school where I was booked, advising them of my dilemna. The dispatcher called me back, saying better late than never; since she didn't have anyone who could replace me. So I called the school again, leaving a second message, that I would be there, but late. Then the CAA calls me to advise me the guy is on his way. All this time I have been going in and out of the cottage, making calls, watching for the CAA truck, and of course, Carole and Dave end up waking up and getting up.I have been up for two hours, and feel like I have run a marathon, and it isn't even 8 am! The CAA truck arrives, I say goodbye to my guests a second time, have my car boosted and am on my way an hour after I had originally called. I had barely left the driveway when I decided I should call the school a THIRD time, and tell them I was going to be late, but I would DEFINITELY be there. Do you know who answered the phone? The Janitor! Do you know what he told me? That that school was CLOSED because there was no heat!!!! Every single English and French school in the Chaleur area was open, except that one. I never heard the closure on the radio, and neither had the dispatcher, for crying out loud! To add insult to injury, I lost a day of work that I could have had with the other board, but couldn't accept because I was already booked. I can just hear some people saying - Oh, only you Joanne, only you!" Ah, such are the trials and tribulations of supply teachers! So back to the cottage I went. However, I got to say goodbye to Dave and Carole a third time!
Post latest blizzard - (Sunday, the 15th) I had friends over for dinner Monday night, who ended up staying overnight because the blizzard wasn't over. We thought it was, but alas... So we spent a lovely evening, and I said goodbye to them at bedtime, as they did not plan on being up early Tuesday morning, as I would be, since I was booked to supply teach. Now, Proclivity has been absolutely WONDERFUL all winter, not flashing lights at me, not being bawky, and just being so... reliable. I started bragging her up, and I shouldn't have. I went to start her up earlier than usual, and you guessed it.... a dead battery. So, I called the CAA. They would send someone soon. Thank goodness I got that membership three weeks ago! Then I called the district dispatcher to advise her of my problem, and suggest she maybe get another supply. I had to leave a message on her machine. Then I left a message on the answering machine, at the school where I was booked, advising them of my dilemna. The dispatcher called me back, saying better late than never; since she didn't have anyone who could replace me. So I called the school again, leaving a second message, that I would be there, but late. Then the CAA calls me to advise me the guy is on his way. All this time I have been going in and out of the cottage, making calls, watching for the CAA truck, and of course, Carole and Dave end up waking up and getting up.I have been up for two hours, and feel like I have run a marathon, and it isn't even 8 am! The CAA truck arrives, I say goodbye to my guests a second time, have my car boosted and am on my way an hour after I had originally called. I had barely left the driveway when I decided I should call the school a THIRD time, and tell them I was going to be late, but I would DEFINITELY be there. Do you know who answered the phone? The Janitor! Do you know what he told me? That that school was CLOSED because there was no heat!!!! Every single English and French school in the Chaleur area was open, except that one. I never heard the closure on the radio, and neither had the dispatcher, for crying out loud! To add insult to injury, I lost a day of work that I could have had with the other board, but couldn't accept because I was already booked. I can just hear some people saying - Oh, only you Joanne, only you!" Ah, such are the trials and tribulations of supply teachers! So back to the cottage I went. However, I got to say goodbye to Dave and Carole a third time!
Kennel Kerfuffle
Warning - Do NOT read this unless you are a dog lover! Otherwise you will think I am a total whack job for having gone through all the trouble I did recently just to put my pooch in a good kennel, while I went on a 12 day trip outside the country.
My usual kennel man, Bob, could not take Vimy for the entire 12 days, so I scrambled to find another reputable one that could take him for the entire time. I did find one, with one drawback. This K-9 Castle was an hour away by car. I thought "What the heck! I have time. I will take him up the day before my flight." I checked out the kennel beforehand, approved it, made a reservation, and foolishly thought that I was all set.
The morning I am to drive Vimy to the kennel, I call Sue to double check what exactly I need to bring for his 13 day stay. She gives me the list and reminds me that she needs proof of all his shots, especially the Lubron and some other one of which I didn't catch the name. "Yes, yes, I have all that". Heavens, how was I to know that NOT all kennels are the same, when it comes to which shots your pooch has to have? I assumed, and you know what "ASSUME" does. It makes an ass of you and me. In this case, it was totally me!
I arrive with Vimy and all his paraphernalia. Sue immediately asks for his papers. My hands are full, Vimy is sniffing all over the place, my cell phone is pinging texts, and it is absolute bedlam in that kennel! There is a dog grooming place on one side, where three different dogs are in various stages of grooming. They are all little yappers, wouldn't you know. I hand over Vimy's papers, which Sue peruses with a fine tooth comb, only to turn around and tell me that she doesn't see where Vimy has to the two shots she specifically mentionned by name. I tell her that he has all his shots. I have been taking him to his regular kennel for the last eight months, and there has never been a problem with his papers. She doesn't see what she requires, so I ask her to call my vet. The line is busy. Meanwhile, I am trying to call my regular kennel guy on my cell, to ask him why Vimy can go to HIS kennel, but not this one, and I am receiving and trying to answer texts. Wouldn't you know it - no cell phone reception. Flustered, I decide to go out and check in the car, thinking maybe some of Vimy's papers have fallen out of his ziplock bag.
I turn around and almost step on this huge BOMB that Vimy has dropped, while I have been trying to get him checked into this Hilton! He has NEVER, EVER DONE THIS. Sue is not the least perturbed, and tells me to leave it. I can't! I am embarrassed! I run out to the car, get some empty grocery bags, and quickly scoop up most of the offending pile of poop. I tell Sue what's in the bag, double knot it and dump it on the floor. Sue, who has finished perusing his papers, reiterates that she definitely cannot take Vimy if I don't have proof of those two shots. WTH? Now I am starting to get frazzled.
Sue tries the vet's line again, and thankfully, it is finally free. The vet isn't there, and the secretary advises us, as I end up talking to her, that she does not have the documentation there showing what shots Vimy has. She tells me that my vet is in the SAME town I am in, at her main office,and we can check there. Wow, we cut a break!
I hang up, ask Sue to call the vet's main office, and decide to run out to my car to check for missing documents. I had been on my way to do that, when I almost stepped in Vimy's bomb. In my haste, I almost run into an elderly man entering the dog kennel. A light bulb goes on in my head - "Oh no, there are still big streaks of poop on the floor, that I couldn't clean up properly with grocery bags! This man could slip and fall!" I babble to him in English; he looks blankly at me. I babble in French; still no real response. Oh the hell with it! I hold up my hand as if it were a STOP sign, run back in, pick up the bag of poop and drop it on top of the streaks. Surely, this man will NOT step on a bag in the middle of the floor. I run back out, tell him he can go in, and search my car (to no avail) for those documents.
Back inside, it is still TOTAL bedlam. Six dogs who were outside in the yard, are now in the dog grooming area with the other three and everyone is having a great time! Vimy wants in on the fun, and has his two front legs propped up on the half door, barking and his tail wagging a mile a minute.
Sue has reached the vet's main office. She hands me the phone. This secretary checks Vimy's file, and tells me that Vimy doesn't have those two shots. How can that be? What am I do? I am leaving tomorrow. I need a place for Vimy. The secretary says "Bring him into the office right now. Dr. T can give him what he is missing." Wow- I cut another break but by now...
I am really frazzled and wound up like a rubber ball. I hang up, saying I will be bringing Vimy immediately. I use Sue's phone to call my friend Jane, who lives close by. She will gladly accompany me. Sue asks if I know where the vet's office is, and I snap "I don't know where anything is in this town!" I grab Vimy, all his paraphernalia, and out the door we go. I pick up Jane, she directs me to the vet's and we bring in Vimy. I have no leash, so we drag him by the collar, him squirming all the way, so we end up having to scoop him up in our arms. He weighs thirty pounds, and he is long. Definitely NOT easy to carry.
Thankfully, my vet takes him right away, gives him his shot, and I cough up $25. We are back in the car, when I get the bright idea to call the kennel and make sure I have the right shots now, and the right stickers. That is what they put on your pooch's immunization card - these different coloured stickers! Sue's assistant, who answered the phone, says "Yup, if you have the purple sticker, and he got a mouth spray, you are all set". WHAT MOUTH SPRAY? This is the first I hear of mouth spray! Back into the vet's I run, where the secretary assures me I have the two missing stickers needed, and that he had the mouth spray one. I ask her to please swear an affidavit to that effect, but she refuses. She says I can use her name though!
This long story ends with Vimy finally being admitted into the kennel, two hours later. You know, it is easier to cross the border into another country, than to get your dog into this kennel! (A good thing, I guess. Sue is only looking out for the welfare of her charges!)
My wonderful baby bro and sis-in-law drive up and bring Vimy home, the day before my flight gets in at midnight. How sweet to save me a two hour drive!
However, Vimy came home minus his collar. They can't find it anywhere at the kennel. It is even suggested that maybe Vimy was brought in without a collar. Well, he might not have had all those damn stickers on his card, but he HAD his collar, by golly! That I know. And I will swear an affidavit to that effect.
I
My usual kennel man, Bob, could not take Vimy for the entire 12 days, so I scrambled to find another reputable one that could take him for the entire time. I did find one, with one drawback. This K-9 Castle was an hour away by car. I thought "What the heck! I have time. I will take him up the day before my flight." I checked out the kennel beforehand, approved it, made a reservation, and foolishly thought that I was all set.
The morning I am to drive Vimy to the kennel, I call Sue to double check what exactly I need to bring for his 13 day stay. She gives me the list and reminds me that she needs proof of all his shots, especially the Lubron and some other one of which I didn't catch the name. "Yes, yes, I have all that". Heavens, how was I to know that NOT all kennels are the same, when it comes to which shots your pooch has to have? I assumed, and you know what "ASSUME" does. It makes an ass of you and me. In this case, it was totally me!
I arrive with Vimy and all his paraphernalia. Sue immediately asks for his papers. My hands are full, Vimy is sniffing all over the place, my cell phone is pinging texts, and it is absolute bedlam in that kennel! There is a dog grooming place on one side, where three different dogs are in various stages of grooming. They are all little yappers, wouldn't you know. I hand over Vimy's papers, which Sue peruses with a fine tooth comb, only to turn around and tell me that she doesn't see where Vimy has to the two shots she specifically mentionned by name. I tell her that he has all his shots. I have been taking him to his regular kennel for the last eight months, and there has never been a problem with his papers. She doesn't see what she requires, so I ask her to call my vet. The line is busy. Meanwhile, I am trying to call my regular kennel guy on my cell, to ask him why Vimy can go to HIS kennel, but not this one, and I am receiving and trying to answer texts. Wouldn't you know it - no cell phone reception. Flustered, I decide to go out and check in the car, thinking maybe some of Vimy's papers have fallen out of his ziplock bag.
I turn around and almost step on this huge BOMB that Vimy has dropped, while I have been trying to get him checked into this Hilton! He has NEVER, EVER DONE THIS. Sue is not the least perturbed, and tells me to leave it. I can't! I am embarrassed! I run out to the car, get some empty grocery bags, and quickly scoop up most of the offending pile of poop. I tell Sue what's in the bag, double knot it and dump it on the floor. Sue, who has finished perusing his papers, reiterates that she definitely cannot take Vimy if I don't have proof of those two shots. WTH? Now I am starting to get frazzled.
Sue tries the vet's line again, and thankfully, it is finally free. The vet isn't there, and the secretary advises us, as I end up talking to her, that she does not have the documentation there showing what shots Vimy has. She tells me that my vet is in the SAME town I am in, at her main office,and we can check there. Wow, we cut a break!
I hang up, ask Sue to call the vet's main office, and decide to run out to my car to check for missing documents. I had been on my way to do that, when I almost stepped in Vimy's bomb. In my haste, I almost run into an elderly man entering the dog kennel. A light bulb goes on in my head - "Oh no, there are still big streaks of poop on the floor, that I couldn't clean up properly with grocery bags! This man could slip and fall!" I babble to him in English; he looks blankly at me. I babble in French; still no real response. Oh the hell with it! I hold up my hand as if it were a STOP sign, run back in, pick up the bag of poop and drop it on top of the streaks. Surely, this man will NOT step on a bag in the middle of the floor. I run back out, tell him he can go in, and search my car (to no avail) for those documents.
Back inside, it is still TOTAL bedlam. Six dogs who were outside in the yard, are now in the dog grooming area with the other three and everyone is having a great time! Vimy wants in on the fun, and has his two front legs propped up on the half door, barking and his tail wagging a mile a minute.
Sue has reached the vet's main office. She hands me the phone. This secretary checks Vimy's file, and tells me that Vimy doesn't have those two shots. How can that be? What am I do? I am leaving tomorrow. I need a place for Vimy. The secretary says "Bring him into the office right now. Dr. T can give him what he is missing." Wow- I cut another break but by now...
I am really frazzled and wound up like a rubber ball. I hang up, saying I will be bringing Vimy immediately. I use Sue's phone to call my friend Jane, who lives close by. She will gladly accompany me. Sue asks if I know where the vet's office is, and I snap "I don't know where anything is in this town!" I grab Vimy, all his paraphernalia, and out the door we go. I pick up Jane, she directs me to the vet's and we bring in Vimy. I have no leash, so we drag him by the collar, him squirming all the way, so we end up having to scoop him up in our arms. He weighs thirty pounds, and he is long. Definitely NOT easy to carry.
Thankfully, my vet takes him right away, gives him his shot, and I cough up $25. We are back in the car, when I get the bright idea to call the kennel and make sure I have the right shots now, and the right stickers. That is what they put on your pooch's immunization card - these different coloured stickers! Sue's assistant, who answered the phone, says "Yup, if you have the purple sticker, and he got a mouth spray, you are all set". WHAT MOUTH SPRAY? This is the first I hear of mouth spray! Back into the vet's I run, where the secretary assures me I have the two missing stickers needed, and that he had the mouth spray one. I ask her to please swear an affidavit to that effect, but she refuses. She says I can use her name though!
This long story ends with Vimy finally being admitted into the kennel, two hours later. You know, it is easier to cross the border into another country, than to get your dog into this kennel! (A good thing, I guess. Sue is only looking out for the welfare of her charges!)
My wonderful baby bro and sis-in-law drive up and bring Vimy home, the day before my flight gets in at midnight. How sweet to save me a two hour drive!
However, Vimy came home minus his collar. They can't find it anywhere at the kennel. It is even suggested that maybe Vimy was brought in without a collar. Well, he might not have had all those damn stickers on his card, but he HAD his collar, by golly! That I know. And I will swear an affidavit to that effect.
I
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