Snowmobile Up, Roll Down

This looks like tons of fun if you have money to burn!
You don't realize how steep that mountain is until he gets to the top....and then the bottom.

And it couldn't be soon enough

Hooray! History has been made! People are returning to their senses! No I am not talking about Obama. This is bigger than that. After 50 days of the idiotic transit strike here in Ottawa - It Is Over! (kind of).

Earlier today some tool at the city declared that the strikers would not be forced back to work since it was not an essential service. But in a stroke of brilliance a bunch of MPs called a emergency meeting in the House of Commons and it ended with Rona Ambrose, the Transportation Minister, forcing them back to work.

This is special because every other transit system in Canada is under provincial or municipal control. OC Transpo falls under federal control when it comes to these things apparently. I guess the MPs were getting annoyed with the traffic problems.

It'll probably take a month before its back up and running but it's better than nothing. I hope they get their act together before Winterlude. But I do wonder what will be the result of the scheduling conflict the union had better not win that fight.

Update #1
Apparently my breaking news source was wrong. The MPs have called a meeting, Rona Ambrose said she would be willing to force them back to work, and several other MPs said they would consider it.

Yes it is very cold today.
This was our thermometer when I woke up this morning.
It's almost too cold for snowboarding.

Snowstorm of March 2008

Last weekend we were hit with a monstrous snowstorm. I have seen blogs from people in Southern Ontario describing how much snow they got and showing pictures but c'mon guys. That was nothing. Ottawa really got dumped on. We are now 30cm from the all time record in 1971. Ottawa's record is over 400cm and Toronto's record is about 200cm. So yeah......quitcherwhinen already.
Anyway, I put together a short video of me trying to walk around my house in the snow. It was hilarious and Irene was trying so hard not to laugh while holding the camera.

The song in the video is the same one that I blogged about a week ago.

Winterlude Pics

Currently Listening to:
Beck's Broken Drum from Guero

Winterlude has come and gone once again. Once again I missed out on a free indie concert which featured Amy Millan of 'Stars' among others. Ah well - there is always next year eh. Actually we are going to a concert in Wakefield with the 'Great Lake Swimmers' in March so my music fix should get satisfied. This year I went down to winterlude the most of any year. I was down at least once every weekend. The canal was ok but not amazing this year - thanks to global warming and hummers. Stupid hummers. They should be outlawed.

Ice Sledding - Mush! Lawren Mush!

Eureka!

Ice Mountie - Take that bad guys!

Cap'n Haddock looks eerily like my Dad.

Beavertails - anything will taste good when it's deep fried.

Look even the snow is jumping on the knitting trend.

Don't mess with this Care Bear!

Mmmmmm Tea.

Francine, Me and Tim on the Rideau.

Those lost children services are useful aren't they Tim?

Tim and Me enjoying the festivities.

PS I love the Nederland hat - almost as cool as my Peruvian Alpaca Hat.