November 28, 2009
Hello from Arta,
I was trapped yesterday.
Trapped Friday, really, for the snow began to fall when I was at Penbrooke. I was standing at the window, taping the pane for painting, and I noticed, not only the beautiful flakes falling onto the road, but I saw the black car tire tracks on the white road, weaving through what was else, a winter wonderland -- white everywhere.
An hour later, I noticed there was a two block line-up going to the traffic light at Penbrooke and Memorial, the line up reaching now to right in front of my house. The cars were moving so slowly, I called Dave Wood to come and watch at the window.
When I began to hear the screaming of wheels rotating in the snow and going nowhere, and saw trucks and cars sliding sideways, but not going forward, I could also hear Dave internally coaching them, whispering out loud, "Take your foot off the gas ... you are going to ruin your axel ... are you crazy, man? Slowly, slowly, not all of that power."
The snowfall’s aftermath has been documented in the news.. I knew not to try to go home, and had prepared myself to be snowed into Trell’s house for the night. Wyona called me to say that she slid into a car while going up a hill – and not to dare venture out on the road. There was a 30 car pile-up on Edmonton Trail. Richard and Miranda said they saw 36 cars had been abandoned by their owners on John Laurie and were still there the next day. Ron Treleaven said that at the top of Silver Springs road he saw a bus slip sideways down that hill, taking with it two lanes of traffic, all 12 cars that were behind him, 6 in each line, shoving all 12 of them into each other.
I stayed put. A simple storm -- a lot of snow and hovering at zero turned the roads into ice, something that we drive in only once or twice a year in Calgary.
David had helped me all day. He installed the dishwasher, the stove, got the fridge in place and did electrical work, putting three electrical lights in for me – downstairs.
David and I took a trip to Home Depot during the day. Shopping for renovating wire, light ballasts and electrical tape is something like shopping for groceries.
Even with a list, it is hard to get home without having missed just two other things that are needed.
Arta
Hello from Arta,
I was trapped yesterday.
Trapped Friday, really, for the snow began to fall when I was at Penbrooke. I was standing at the window, taping the pane for painting, and I noticed, not only the beautiful flakes falling onto the road, but I saw the black car tire tracks on the white road, weaving through what was else, a winter wonderland -- white everywhere.
An hour later, I noticed there was a two block line-up going to the traffic light at Penbrooke and Memorial, the line up reaching now to right in front of my house. The cars were moving so slowly, I called Dave Wood to come and watch at the window.
When I began to hear the screaming of wheels rotating in the snow and going nowhere, and saw trucks and cars sliding sideways, but not going forward, I could also hear Dave internally coaching them, whispering out loud, "Take your foot off the gas ... you are going to ruin your axel ... are you crazy, man? Slowly, slowly, not all of that power."
The snowfall’s aftermath has been documented in the news.. I knew not to try to go home, and had prepared myself to be snowed into Trell’s house for the night. Wyona called me to say that she slid into a car while going up a hill – and not to dare venture out on the road. There was a 30 car pile-up on Edmonton Trail. Richard and Miranda said they saw 36 cars had been abandoned by their owners on John Laurie and were still there the next day. Ron Treleaven said that at the top of Silver Springs road he saw a bus slip sideways down that hill, taking with it two lanes of traffic, all 12 cars that were behind him, 6 in each line, shoving all 12 of them into each other.
I stayed put. A simple storm -- a lot of snow and hovering at zero turned the roads into ice, something that we drive in only once or twice a year in Calgary.
David had helped me all day. He installed the dishwasher, the stove, got the fridge in place and did electrical work, putting three electrical lights in for me – downstairs.
David and I took a trip to Home Depot during the day. Shopping for renovating wire, light ballasts and electrical tape is something like shopping for groceries.
Even with a list, it is hard to get home without having missed just two other things that are needed.
Arta
Well, I hope Wyona is OK and by the way, whose car was she driving? If it was mine, she is on my policy to be a regular driver at least. Give us a call Wyona. Ron must have witnessed the craziest accident I have ever heard of in Calgary.
ReplyDelete12 cars against 1 bus, bus wins. Don't mess with the buses.
Here it is a little rain and zero tonight. People are complaining about the cold and I just laugh inside and try not to roll my eyes. 'This is summer weather people!'
Yucky snow! I hope everyone else is OK.
Arta and Dave! Amazing work going on in that house. Post pictures of the house when you are done!
uh.... would it be bad of me to say that I walked in again this morning wearing a fleecy and a scarf? :-)
ReplyDeleteIt took me 3 h 10 m to get home that night, where it normally takes only 25 m.
ReplyDeleteWas a good night to walk home!
- Doral