Another Rant by Susan L.

  A Colorado low has moved in. This means snow. Pictures of southern Ontario, emblazoned with red, clearly marking the areas to be hit are posted again and again during the news. The forecasters get all excited and cry out their warnings. One of them even said, in an ominous voice, "THIS IS A SNOW EVENT!!!"
  Pfffffff! Really?!
  Depending on where in Ontario you live, snowfall amounts will range from ten to twenty centimeters. In open areas, there is a possibility of white outs and drifting. Par for the course of most snow storms.
  Correct me if I'm wrong. When I was a kid four inches of snow, now known as ten centimeters, wasn't anything to get all up in arms about. Why is there such a difference now?
  Is it because the amounts are now measured in metric so it seems so much more?
  It's no wonder the rest of the country laughs at us southern Ontarians. There are many areas in this country that snowfalls are measured in meters. Why, even half an hour north of me gets way more snow than I do. A few weeks ago they were hammered by blizzard conditions. The sun was shining all day here.
  We squawk mightily when our roads aren't plowed quick enough. Yet, years ago, after another Colorado based storm, the mayor of Toronto called in the army to help clean up. He was laughed at for a long time afterwards. Political cartoonists had a hay day even though the mayor only acted in response to complaints that roads weren't cleared fast enough following a previous storm.
  We moan and groan about driveway shovelling. We complain about the compacted Hump at the end of the driveway that's left by the plows who work so hard to keep our roads safe and open.  Often we are snuggled safe in bed while these intrepid men and women work around the clock.
  For those with snow blowers who are quick to complain about "all the hard work", there is much I could say to you but I won't. (Yes, Lord, I am thankful they are so blessed...at least I am trying to be happy for them!)
  I confess, by the time I've already shovelled 75 feet of driveway, Hump is a lot of work. I also need to cut back a couple meters of Hump along the side of the road. It needs to be cleared away from my mailbox so the postman can access it from his car. If I don't, I don't get mail. It's simply part of what needs to be done because of where I have chosen to live.  
 I think that's the problem underlying all of this. We've gotten so used to the government doing for us, we forget that sometimes we have to do for ourselves. Placing more demands on our governing bodies, municipal, provincial and federal, only means one thing: yesterday's blog about taxes.
  In the meantime, it's Canada. It's winter. There will be snow.
  Do you want to build a snow man?
  "Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvellous things!" Joel 2:21