[MyrnaLynne]

I think around Vancouver is the only part of Canada that has relatively mild winters, and otherwise it freezes pretty much in ALL the rest of Canada! I was just watching "Highway Thru Hell" about the big towtruck companies that pull the wrecked tractor trailers off the major highways in the winter in BC and Alberta - snow, ice, avalanches, rockslides - there are a LOT of wrecks!

Montreal has pretty similar weather to Boston, I think, just a bit colder and a bit snowier. My friend in Montreal grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba and they have COLD! Similar weather to N. Dakota etc in the US.

[podmom]

Yup like ML said...most of Canada is cold in the winter

[Ekua]

It's cold here today again! Only 17 C (59F!). So unusual! All the kids are wrapped up in hats and scarfs and big jackets

[aubie_ocean]

there was a time last year that you could do that water experiment. it got pretty cold out, but it works if it's boiling water and you throw it then the cold turns it to snow.

we also got the ice storm which turned everything to ice. The trees looked like icicles, it was so pretty, but the poor trees couldn't handle the weight so they died after it melted.

And 17 is pretty cold for Thailand!

[Ekua]

Yeah it's crazy!!! I have my AC off and a scarf on.

Oh no sorry about the ice storm always looks so pretty but does a lot of damage.

[Damocles]

I think the ice storm was 2013, right Aubrey?? That was pretty interesting, my parents had no power for a week! I don't even remember the last time that happened, in my lifetime? There was a bad one in Quebec years ago, but they get really cold winters there

We don't have it bad here at all though, I think. We have a few days where it's COLD AS HELL, but other days, like today where it's 6 degrees outside.

The ice road trucking people are further up North

Vancouver is generally milder, but they even have more snow than us here, sometimes.
The prairies get pretty nasty, and of course up North is a different ball game. But if you're more south like us, the weather varies alot. I didn't even wear a winter coat today.

[Ekua]

We've never had an ice storm in Scotland (that I know of), but there has been bad snow storms. My parents used to lose power all the time because they live in an old cottage outside the town....And with no street lights outside etc it's scarily dark when that happens!

Ah Lisa your weather sounds a little like Scotland....weirdly mild some days and then cold the next....

[podmom]

I so hope this EL Nino lasts through July 16th so my daughters outside wedding is at least just in the 80s and not the 90s!!!!!!

[MyrnaLynne]

Wow 17c/59F is COLD for Thailand. It's been very cold in Florida too, and my Dad isn't happy about it, as people move to Florida for the mild weather/lack of cold.

They had ice storms like that in the Southern US last winter, I'm pretty sure, maybe in Atlanta? They are beautiful but very treacherous.

Our power has been very wonky for awhile now (lights get dim, lights get BRIGHT, lights blink) - getting an electrician out to look at it soon. Our house was built in around 1890; wiring isn't that old, of course, because there was no wiring back then, and Mr ML's late dad was an electrician, and he renovated the wiring at some point in the 1960s I think, because before that, it was the dangerous old 'knob and tube' (which every house reno in Canada I watch on TV finds hidden in their walls) ;> But it annoying and mysterious/scary when stuff like electric isn't working right!

[podmom]

yea electricity stuff is scary and kind of mysterious to me....although one of my many little jobs when I was young and working through college was wiring the light fixtures in pierced tin lanterns...I loved that job cause we worked ( the guy that made them) in a beautiful old barn that had an amazing view out the back.

I hope it all gets fixed quickly and well!

At least being sick these last couple of weeks ...which has kept me from going to my daughters and the grandkids ...has given me a lot more time to be on FF and help more with the post count...the storm helped too silver lining...plus I've gotten a bit of a break from my crazy schedule. It starts up again next week but I'll be around some

Who knows maybe there will be a picture or miracle of miracles word of a part

[Damocles]

Oh wow, that's an old house ML! Yeah the knob and tube wiring is quite dangerous now, right?

[Ekua]

Podmom what a cool sounding job you had! Wiring light fixtures in a barn; never would have thought of that!

Yeah MyranLynne hope it;s all fixed soon! My parents house is an old cottage built in 1890 also...I do find old houses charming though

Sorry you've been sick Podmom but very lovely having you here!

[podmom]

ahh thanks Ekua

at that time of life....I had 4 jobs....the lantern one...I was just starting my waitress at a big dinner theater (one day a week when I got to 3 I was able to gradually leave the other ones....that is when I went back to college so I didn't have the time either) the waitress one was hard but fun too because I got to see all the shows which were actually good...musicals ...all the broadway type ones....and they also had the big bands come for big band night and back them a few of the actual band leaders were still alive....you young ones won't know the names...but even like the Benny Goodman band came ..lead by someone else but playing his big hits....those were awesome nights so # 3 was working in a gift shop ( in Kennett Square the mushroom capitol of the world ( for real) and we even had a little museum thing where ppl could walk through it and see the dark places where they grow mushrooms....it smells to high heaven for miles when they vent those buildings cause they grow them in horse manure the 4th job was for a friend who made a good living making and selling pottery. She and another potter worked in his out back building and I was her "slave" wedging the clay often ( that is when you take the giant clumps of clay you make from mixing dry stuff with water) which is very back breaking...then do other bits of business...staining moving stuff around after coming out of kilns and the most boring packing them up to ship. I loved the her and Pete and his wife Peg and it was a fun healthy job...accept Petes giant dog actually broke my nose with a way too friendly hello....never did get that fixed no money for such trivials.... so I have a deviated septum to remember that time by

That is the best shape I was ever in..young and very busy physically with all those jobs plus not eating cause I was too busy with life in a good way that picture in the Grand Canyon is from that era ...I miss those fun young days....you young ones remember to really take advantage of the pre children days you have left. Sounds like you are

[Ekua]

Wow 3 jobs and also studying? Very cool you got to work in a place with live music though! That would definitely make working a little easier. I had no idea there was a mushroom capital of the world You've had some interesting jobs!!

My first ever job was working in a bingo hall. I hated it! I had to walk around and give out change and watch out for people calling 'BINGO!' It was back in the day where you could smoke inside and of course, pretty much everyone smoked so it was pretty horrible. One time I tripped and dropped my tray of change; money flying everywhere. It was deathly silent. Not a fun night!

[podmom]

Bingo hall sounds pretty kitchy and cool for a first job...accept the smoke bummer when you dropped the money...yikes!! Poor little Ekua