S.O.S Rob Love: Shilo Manitoba

[rob love]

Well I guess that is the bright side of all this....I won't need to cut any grass for a while yet.

The blizzard is over, but we do have several days of regular snow this week with minor accumulations. As I look out in my all-white yard, it is easy to forget that just 3 days ago there was almost no snow left.

Wife put seeds out for the regular birds, and cut up some grapes and apples for the robins. We had dozens on dozens of both on the deck, much to the delight of both the wife and the cat. The cat did not move from the patio door all day.

So we survived another one, although in the end it was not nearly the mega-blizzard they said it was going to be. Tomorrow they will reopen the highways after plowing and sanding, and life will return to normal. And in a week or two, with any luck, the snow will be gone again.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by rob love

And in a week or two, with any luck, the snow will be gone again.

...and the mosquitos in full bloom...

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

...and the mosquitos in full bloom...

Other areas of Manitoba, yes....lots of mosquitos. But here in Shilo, the armpit of Canada, we do not have mosquitos, since there is no water for them to hatch in. The nearest water is many miles away. We are almost prairie desert. I have trees in my yard that were planted before we bought this place 20 years ago. Some are still only a foot tall, some actually made it to 5 feet. This is not what many would consider arable land, other than potatoes. It is a hard life here for both trees and mosquitos.

[Lynn Eades]

Rob, I assume then, that your not in the middle of a real estate boom?
Btw, as mosquitos kill more people than anything else, you live in a safe place????

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Rob, I assume then, that your not in the middle of a real estate boom?
Btw, as mosquitos kill more people than anything else, you live in a safe place????

When I bought this place, there was just one house and one shed. Now there is one house and 10 sheds, with an 11th yet to be assembled. That is kind of a boom.

There is some west nile in the mosquitos in Manitoba, so some deaths and sickness that goes along with it. But in this area, there are no poisonous snakes, spiders, or dangerous animals. We do see the occasional bear maybe once every 5 years, but they are always in a hurry to be somewhere else. Wolves and coyotes are generally afraid of human activity. But the one thing that will get you, if you let it, is the cold. It is merciless, and can kill you in about half an hour if you are unprepared or do something stupid.

[r.morrison]

Rob and Company: Sorry to be late in staying with this commentary...health problems, but firstly I thought you'd be out there in a Ford CMP ("Furd" as they say in parts of Ontario), Chains on, 4 wheel drive just a purrring....just kickin' ass and takin' numbers..... tearing through the snow!! But nooooo....RAM 2500 AND in a Ford Garage, really Rob...very disappointed. You know, you are the Pope of Fords! There's a young fella in New Hampshire knows how to handle WW11 vehicles and snow. Course then, he drives Chevrolets. SAY NO MORE....
Anyway, hope you weather out this prairie dilemma (bad pun!) And I know what you mean by cold, being an ol' Alberta boy. For those around the world who have never experienced cold, Rob is right...it'll kill you quick!
Cheers for now....Robert

[rob love]

Originally Posted by r.morrison

Rob and Company: Sorry to be late in staying with this commentary...health problems, but firstly I thought you'd be out there in a Ford CMP ........... But nooooo....RAM 2500 AND in a Ford Garage,
Cheers for now....Robert

There is no RAM in the Ford garage....the Ram is too high to fit into the door. I have the RAM because of it's engine. It is the second Dodge Ram I have owned with the Cummins. They are made to pull, and will accelerate with a full trailer going up a hill. There is no substitute for the power and reliability of the Cummins.

If I were in the more Liberalesque areas like Toronto or Vancouver, then obviously I would have some puny 1/4 ton pickup truck, otherwise the treehuggers would be having fits. But out here on the prairies, a full size+ pickup truck is kind of a requirement.

There are a few chevs in the yard as well......the 76 5/4 ton, the wife's corvette, and the two MLVWs have Detroit 8.2l engines. As well, there is a Cadillac in the Penguin and a 6.2 in the HMMWV. There is also a GMC deuce. So I have my share of chevs to keep me busy and the drain pans occupied. But when it comes to CMPs, there is just no comparison between the clapped out Chev stovebolt 6 and the beauty and magnificent purr of the Ford Flathead.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by rob love

But in this area, there are no poisonous snakes, spiders, or dangerous animals.

Sounds very uneventful! How can you go looking for CMPs in a place like that?

Originally Posted by rob love

But the one thing that will get you, if you let it, is the cold. It is merciless, and can kill you in about half an hour if you are unprepared or do something stupid.

Been hot here this weekend.

[rob love]

It's a balmy -3°C out now, and the snow is melting a little. But just to add some misery to our pretty safe lives, we are going down to -16 overnight and have another 10 to 15cm of snow for tomorrow with a gentle 20km breeze. Then there is more snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.



The good news is we are, day at a time, getting closer to June. We hardly ever get snow in June.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by rob love

Well I guess that is the bright side of all this....I won't need to cut any grass for a while yet.

The blizzard is over, but we do have several days of regular snow this week with minor accumulations. As I look out in my all-white yard, it is easy to forget that just 3 days ago there was almost no snow left.

....

Tomorrow they will reopen the highways after plowing and sanding, and life will return to normal. ....

The definition of Canadian optimism.

[derk derin]

Will pick up Alan at 6:00 am and start heading your way. Should be at your place by 9:00 am. Have to stop at Tim Hortons along the way for a mobile Canadian breakfast!
We had wind here and a skiff of snow but no drifts.
I’m looking at the weather and we have a 90 percent chance of snow on Wednesday. Of course, the day we leave for Calgary. Don’t care, I fixed the 4x4 in my truck so I’ll plough through anything my bald tires will take me!
Let the adventure begin.
Derk

[rob love]

They had the main highway closed overnight and until at least 10 this morning. I see it is open now.
Come Wednesday, if we have to drive at 50kmh to get out of this province we will. Regina, although cold, is not forecast to have snow. Calgary will be +7 and going to be +14 by Saturday. T-shirt weather.



Brandon should rise to +8 by the time we get back Sunday. It will be the first + temperatures we have seen since Valentines day. Actually, I didn't see that; I was in Mexico.



Just finished my lunch and time to run the snowblower for a bit to start prepping the shop area for vehicle movement.

[Tim Bell]

Meanwhile in the uk, 5mm of snow will result in schools closing and grid-locked roads!

[rob love]

I remember traveling back from Afghanistan, while in Germany waiting for the next plane, less than an inch of snow fell. The plane was many hours late leaving due to this, and I missed my connecting flight in Toronto.

I guess it's what you are used to and prepared for.

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by rob love

I remember traveling back from Afghanistan, while in Germany waiting for the next plane, less than an inch of snow fell. The plane was many hours late leaving due to this, and I missed my connecting flight in Toronto.

I guess it's what you are used to and prepared for.

Absolutely... sadly it seems the expense of a few days inconvenience must be less than the expense of avoiding the inconvenience.