"DANGEROUS POST-TROPICAL STORM NOEL WILL APPROACH NOVA SCOTIA TODAY AND TRACK ACROSS THE BAY OF FUNDY TONIGHT THEN CROSS JUST WEST OF THE ISLAND EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AS IT HEADS INTO THE GULF OF ST LAWRENCE THEREAFTER. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THIS STORM WILL BE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS..HEAVY RAIN AND POUNDING OCEAN WAVES. GUSTY EASTERLY WINDS UP TO 90 KM/H (55MPH) WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHWEST WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 120 KM/H (75 MPH) SUNDAY MORNING. THESE WINDS COULD LEAD TO DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES LEADING TO POWER INTERRUPTIONS AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO ROOFING AND CLADDING MATERIAL ON SOME HOMES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 50 MILLIMETRES ARE EXPECTED OVER THE PROVINCE. THE RAIN WILL QUICKLY TAPER OFF SUNDAY MORNING. RAINFALL MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN PRONE AREAS..ESPECIALLY WHERE LEAF LITTER CLOGS STORM DRAINS. 5-METRE (15 foot) WAVES ARE EXPECTED OVER THE GULF WATERS..EROSION OF SOME BEACHES IS LIKELY. HIGH WATER LEVELS ALONG THE NORTHUMBERLAND STRAIT ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT."
-- Environment Canada
So, today we're battening down the hatches. A friend wrote me today wondering if I was out golfing. Not so much.
I know, I know, some people might chuckle and say "Are you kidding? That's not a real storm." It's the same way we feel when we hear 2 - 4 inches of snow has caused some city in the U.S. to grind to a standstill. In Canada we say "Oh, for God's sake, get a broom, brush the snow away, and get on with your life." But we're not used to near-hurricane-force winds here.
Should be fun! And I'm certainly glad I didn't bother to rake any leaves this week. With any luck, they'll be in the Atlantic Ocean by morning. I can only hope I won't be joining them.
In terms of hurricane preparations, I've secured everything outside that moves, loaded in wood, checked the candle supply, replaced batteries in all the flashlights, and most important of all, laid in 40 oz. of Canadian Club rye whiskey.
I'm ready for anything.
In other news - and speaking of "Noel" - today I finished the last of my Christmas shopping. And before you say "Oh, yeah, but you're a guy, what do you buy, one present?", remember who you're talking to. OK, then.
Feel free to hate me.
YOU? Are finished your shopping? It's not even December yet! Now what am I gonna do on Christmas Eve if I don't have to wrap all of your "I'm just running to the store for some ... uhh... Coke..." presents?
Posted by: Erin, in disbelief | November 03, 2007 at 05:17 PM
and you'd better have my birthday present bought. It comes first.
Posted by: Erin | November 03, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Piece o' cake. Your birthday present was bought back in September. Now, don't you have a child you should be attending to?
Posted by: Nils | November 03, 2007 at 05:46 PM
I was all set to hate you for the Christmas shopping thing, but then I read that you called our (temporarily) droopy Platy and helped her, and I could not hate you at all :)
Hope you're weathering the weather well.
Posted by: Susie | November 04, 2007 at 01:00 PM
I hope you made it through the worst part of the weekend weather. Hang in there, Monday's on the way. ;)
Posted by: CircusKelli | November 04, 2007 at 09:51 PM
We started our Christmas shopping this weekend, which is the earliest EVER.
Stay safe...
Posted by: kalki | November 04, 2007 at 10:43 PM
Welp, I hope y'all have recovered from that monumenntal event. Along the same lines, the temps were in the 50's here last night and it was BIG NEWS on the weather report this morning. :-)
Posted by: Laura | November 05, 2007 at 08:34 AM
I hope you are not in the Atlantic.
Finished your Christmas shopping huh. That's becasue you Canandian celebrate Christmas a month early or something...just like all the other holidays.
Posted by: William | November 05, 2007 at 08:59 AM
I've only bought one gift so far. Feel free to mock me. Do you have enough books to read? Music to listen to? Because...those are important, too. Good luck to you, sweets! Don't forget to wear your galoshes.
Posted by: wordgirl | November 05, 2007 at 04:07 PM
So.... shall we send the coast guard? C'mon, you can't just leave pending a hurricane and then not show back up to tell us you're fine, and that you went golfing afterall. Oh, and you can just send your shopping list over here since you're done with it. Thanks, by the way, for doing the hard part of choosing. All that remains now is for me to purchase those gifts, and assign them to people on my list. :)
Posted by: shari | November 05, 2007 at 05:37 PM