Snowmageddon in Muskoka 2008

Much snow yesterday, you can't see the other side of the lake (400 m). I love to look at the radar and figure out what is coming up. I have just found the Central Great Lakes radar, and the Buffalo (US) radar, to be interesting. We live near where it says, "Parry Sound" on the graphic below. Tons of Lake Effect Snow comes our way. The wind whipping the moisture up, up and away.

Toronto has had travel advisories and cancelled flights, with more snow forecast for tonight. I took a trip to the Post Office and slid around a bit, quite pleased with snow tires. Whew! The Post Mistress' car had a bit of a fender bender, parked, as it was, at the back of the place. The OPP Crime Alerts site is full of accidents, but many more Drinking & Driving incidents. What are they thinking?

There are roll overs, crashes, closed highways. Winter road condition information is available for southern and central Ontario.

There were 300 flights were cancelled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and more than 500 were cancelled at New York City-area airports. And 100,000 expected to go through Toronto's Pearson Airport. I feel badly for them. Hanging around in an airport sucks. No other word for it! Screaming kids, adults yelling into cell phones, then yelling at the kids, unhappy people anxious for family visits or warmer climes, irritable business people on laptops.

Me, I began a trip around the house - and came back for my snowshoes. The wind was whipping across my face, and I was glad of no yard duty today! I miss the holiday celebrations, the singing, class parties, staff parties of yesteryear!

I shovelled the dock - don't ask... and the path for the cats around the house, checked the bird feeders, and the shoreline. The water is open at the shore where it melts into the lake. It looks deceiving, though, and it is not very thick. Even the fox didn't venture out this morning- after 36 hours of wind and snow.

The cats are quite grumpy. I was on call for 6:00 a.m., and thought they could use some fresh air. Although Sady disappeared for a couple of hours in the dark this morning, she wants to be outdoors. Ollie decided to come out and help me shovel yesterday.

Brian tried to brush Sady and she scratched him.

After a trip outside, looking for their mice friends, the cats ask for a fire. They like to sit and stay warm at the hearth. They never help, though. You'd think they'd bring some wood in. Really.