Here on Vancouver Island we've all been waiting since Thursday past.
No, not to have The Prime Minister give the Governor General a quick boot in the Astronaut Pants.
This is something much more important than that- at least to Islanders.
We've bought extra milk, bread and bananas.
We've checked our toilet paper supplies in the cupboard under the stairs.
We've rummaged around in the garage looking for the one lonely snow shovel lying hidden beneath this year's outdoor Christmas decorations. We haven't had the chance to put them away in their proper places- yet.
Yes.
We are prepared for snowmaggedon here on the island.
It's all about the 5 to 15 cms of heavy white stuff the forecasters have been warning us about in "weather bulletins" since 4 or 5 days ago.
We've seen some rain so far.
We've been spending our time hovering around inside our homes, hiding from the treacherous weather the professionals have been warning us about.
It's a change from covid!
So far, nothing has happened.
It could still happen tonight on the Island- so they say.
The weather people.
The Malahat- the mountain range between Duncan and Victoria could see 10 cm.
No maybe 15cm.
No, it is back to 10 cms now.
Oh H E double hockey sticks, just stay off the Malahat until those in the know can give us an "all clear".
It's tough for the weather folks, I'll admit.
Our weather here on The Island changes just a kilometre or two up or down the Island Highway what with the Pacific and mountains and valleys and straits and the mainland- it's a forecasters nightmare!
That being said it doesn't make it any easier for those of us living on this beautiful Island off Canada's west coast- British Columbia's "Big Island".
We pay attention to weather reports.
It's all we talk about in the lineups at Thrifty's or Save On Foods.
Will it or won't it?
Who knows?
Usually, when they start ranting about a major storm so far ahead it eventually fizzles and simply does away. I heard Vancouver and Surrey and other Mainland spots saw some white stuff but here on both Saturday and Sunday the Cowichan was green- as usual.
When the snow does fall- like the week before Christmas this past December, it's a different snow than the east. It's heavy and can break a Canadian Tire plastic shovel in a snap! It plays havoc with out backs and our wrists.
We twist with a shovel full of heavy snow and pay for it long after the snow has melted away.
Usually that's later in the day or the next day. That's why a lot of us just wait for the fecking stuff to melt away on its own.
Islanders have short memories when it comes to snow however. We know what the word means and when forecasters yell in our faces and ears about the inclement weather coming our way it's rather like listening to a German General address his troops in an old black and white World War II movie.
Don't they know a General can get more respect whistling the "Theme to the Bridge on the River Kwai" rather than screaming, yelling and spitting?
Island Forecasters should take heed- especially the national prognosticators who try to tell us about our weather when they hardly have an inkling as to where Duncan, Ladysmith, Port Albertni, Courtney or Sooke really are located. Somewhere off the mainland they figure and not as far out in the Pacific Ocean as Hawaii.
So, as I write this eight hundred and seventieth Blog I am still occasionally checking the window to my right, wondering if I'll be building a huge snowman in an hour or two.
Probably not...but...
