I see the plan here...it's ok. I won't tell anyone but I've used this plan in the past. Feed lots of alcohol to the in laws and then send them out onto icy roads to drive home.

mums the word and.....good plan

Verrrrrrrry hinterrrezding, herr ReinMon.



budt schtoopid.

ok.....I stayed up most of the night waiting and waiting and waiting for more updates to see if Reinman has been buried alive with the inlaws but nothing. Getting real worried here as I look out at our dormant grass that fell asleep about a month ago and won't wake up until the weather stays consistently warm no matter how many pots of warm water I pour on it. I'm pacing back and forth wondering if Reinman might be pasted to the front of a plow while trying to help out some poor stranded passerby who was trying to get their food to the family dinner and were mugged because someone panicked about the storm and van jacked them and maybe the people that Reinman was trying to help out WERE indeed the actual van jackers themselves. Oh the trauma as I look into my computer screen.....
I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!

I'm going outside to wash my jeep while I wait.....and wait.....and wait....and....

Wait NO LONGER, good reader(s)!!!



Helen and I survived the Night-of-the-IN-Laws- YAY!!! The rum-balls took VERY heavy casualties, though the gingerbread men did not fare much better. Some shortbread was set in reserve for accomnying this morning's coffee!

And I know, even MORE chewing on your mind is the question: Gee, ReinMan, what are the weather statistics for North Vancouver THIS MORNING!?



The fact that it is JUST above freezing AND it is raining means super slippery EVERYTHING. (just like a party at Blue Lurker's place )

People are now attempting to dig stuff out...



This is rather CRAZY THINKING as, yesterday the snow was just snow - medium heavy. Now it has had an entire night of soaking up water and semi-freezing again. It is like trying to shovel CONCRETE. Oiy vay!

But on a happier note (happy happy joy joy):

NEW Designed By The Natural Elements™ ICE SCULPTURES have revealed themselves over night on my balcony edge!!!



Some of them are just interesting and open to imaginative interpretation...



While some of them are AMAZING, SIMPLY AMAZING!! (again, I promise you NO chopping was done on these except by God and his wee Elves of Creation!!)

THE AMAZING ICE LION!!!!!!!



The AMAZING SOLDIER HUNTING A PENIS!!!!!!!



WOW, EH!!!?

One HINTERRREZDING thing that I just noticed: BIRDS. There have been NO BIRDS around for the last few days. I mean, firstly there has been no place for them to set down, and anything they might want to eat has been covered by two feet of snow (approx. .6 meters for your Europeans!).

But they are coming back: this is out old maple tree just off the balcony (its branches have been the backdrop for the AMAZING ICE SCULPTURES OF DOOM!!)



There were some sea gulls and also crows swooping around - but they didn't seem to know what to do at this point. Perhaps they are suffering from Great Trauma after not being able to eat trash for two or three days?

(the shortbread was DELICIOUS!)


THIS IS DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER:



Just came back from a trip down town. Normally these palm trees are covered in RAIN at this time of year - they must be rather SURPRISED palm trees, I'm thinkin'

SOON TO COME: my buddy Murray gets his car SNOW JACKED!!! :shocke: (film at 11)

So this is Murray. Murray tried to park his Yaris/Echo in a snowbank. The snowbank won.



When you hit a snow bank, the snow under your car compresses and lifts the car up which takes the wheels out of contact with the road surface.



Luckily Murray had a window scraper the size of a credit card so we were able to dig ourselves out after an hour of scrape scrape curse scraping.

BACK TO THE BALCONY ! !




Yes - you are CORRECT! The wonderful wet cold drizzly stuff has revealed even MORE EXCITING CREATIONS de JOUR for your entertainment pleasure. (please, remember, no WAGERING!)

This one seems to be YerPalAl's St. Bernard that he sent me yesterday! Spooky? I KNOW!!!!!!



This one, my wife Helen saw a ghost. Then our friend Maki showed up and she saw a ghost too. Me? It looks like a flying pink famingo GHOST. Hmmmm..... YOU decide!



Maki took this one. She see's a family of penguins moving towards the ice berg. What do I see? Melting ice bits and dirty balcony railing.



Here is what Maki sees:



YOU be the JUDGE!


This one we all agree on: its a leaping dolphin cresting high above the storm-tossed ice fields of Reinier's balcony!



Okay - gotta go eat dinner with The Gals! Stay tooned!!!!!

I really hope this is a never ending story, 'cause I enjoy it very much. Especially your balcony zoo!

In the Netherlands it´s sunny, but cold.

Keep up the good work!
Regards,
Tesore

Hey Tesore!

I am 1/2 DUTCHY! Perhaps this is why I enjoy the ice so much.

----------------------------------

Well - this day is now over. What will tomorrow bring?
We'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out I guess.

Thanks for reading!

----------------------------------

Half Dutch like Sint Maarten/St Martin in the caribbean. Half Dutch and half French. Very interesting comparison of cultures all on one small island. Probably has the world's craziest airport.
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6213203

Nothing like a Carib beer at Christmas time watching the planes land and takeoff at PJIA in SXM.
The brave ones (make that insane) ride the line.

Well, I've brought in my friend ReyRey for emotional support. It is a sad time for Reinman... yes, the demise of the All Natural God-Given Balcony Ice Sculptures.



We've hit a warm spell here and winter is almost over.



The final, for now it seems, wonder of the balcony railing is this swimming Ice Seal...



*sigh*

Don't totally loose hope, good friends. There may be some SERIOUS SLUSH n' FLOODING to come. You know I'll let you know if that happens.

So thanks for helping keep me company while the storm raged and the rum flowed!

This has been FUN!


[photo by my buddy Murray of the Snow Jacked Car]

Seriously cool portrait.