Storm of all storms

Oh my gosh....we have been having gale force winds for the past 24 hrs. I have been without power since yesterday at 1600 hrs. I somehow managed to get myself to work, with trees coming down all around me, power poles down...you've heard of white outs...this was a "green out" I have never seen so much debris on the roads in my life. It has been like a war zone out there.

It took me almost 1 1/2 hrs to get to work last night. Normally it takes about 45 mins. It was eery. No lights anywhere for 50 kms. I looked out to Denman Island..it was black not even a flicker of a candle ...nothing...The winds got up to 100km/hr the rain was literally coming down in buckets. I have never ever seen weather like this before. I am told a "waterspout" was spotted just off of Hornby Island. I will admit I was terrified driving to work, but I knew I had to get there. My colleagues needed to get home themselves, so what was I to do? There were a few moments when there were power lines down on the road and a 4 lane highway was down to 1/2 a lane that I thought to myself, what am I doing out here...I should just go home....yup is was scary.

The ride home this morning was uneventful, thank goodness. We are still without power, which now means we have no water as our water comes from a well. We do have bottled water and a generator, so we are better off than most. The fireplace is what is heating our home. Just no showers or washing laundry...ah shucks.

Well I am working again tonight still without power at home, hydro says the earliest will be another 24 - 48 hrs . The winds have picked up again...environment Canada says the winds will be 70 -120 km/hr. I believe them...looking out the window here at the hospital the windsock for the helipad is blowing like crazy and the rain is teeming down. I wonder what my ride home will be in the morning. Hydro did an amazing job today. They used the snowploughs to clear the highways of the debris. Good idea if you ask me.

I am thinking if I am without power again in the morning, which I am anticipating I will be, a shower and swim at the rec center will be in order.

You know what I find very interesting though. Is what some people do. When it was snowing we anticipate a lot of fractured bones from falls on the ice. But with the storms, it's funny what some people think is ok. For example, we now have patients in the hospital from carbon monoxide poisoning and the likes because they bring their outdoor equipment like kerosene lamps, or their bar-b-ques or their generators indoors. What in gods name are they thinking. I wonder if they are thinking, oh we will just heat the house this way...or it's to cold to go outside and use the bar b que out doors. God sakes man...that is where these things are meant to be. NOT IN DOORS!!!! Huston we have a problem! Keep outdoor toys outdoors. And remember to blow out your candles when you go to bed. Extra blankets and if you have a sweety nows a great time to snuggle up!!

Take care all!

Chat to you when I get some power at home