Interesting weather recently. Again. (See last blog).
We are used to Fridays. Biggest day of the week for us, as well as the next 2 or 3 days. The big container vessel arrives. It is crazy, boats and island customers waiting for stuff off that boat. Then a big load of air freight arrives in the middle of it all, or after it has ended to extend a long day.
Oh yeah, throw a blizzard in there to keep it interesting. And I have to place my weekly replenishment order during all of this...
Well today the boat was late again, due to weather. And we had weather HERE also. A blowing slush storm. It started late last night. This morning there was minimal visibility. It was snow, but barely. THIS is why Eskimos have MANY terms for snow. It was snow, but very wet and sticky.
The temperature was just above freezing, but it was snowing.
And it was blowing snow / slush.
Visibility was low, but the tough part was localized drifting. Some areas. Maybe MOST, were OK. But others were trubba. I came around a corner at the top of Haystack when I had a virgin two foot drift across the road. I busted through it.
The container vessel was late again, so we all broke for the day Still on call. Conditions were brutal.
Then the temps rose. The slush turned to water. Quickly.
Now we have mini lakes held back by snow banks. Osmosis will take its toll.
Hearing about the advance of sea ice from several vessel folk. The ice is coming south into the crab fishing grounds. Boats have laid out their pots and now the ice is claiming them. The ice moves 20 or more miles a day, dragging the pots with it. That ice is up to one and a half feet thick, and it can tear away the buoys marking the pots. That will mean the pots are lost for good. But even a buoy still attached 20 miles from its original location can be lost for good. The pots cost about $1000 each, and there are 80,000 of them laying out there right now.
Basically the crab season is on hold for now.
We worked late last night, Saturday. Back at 8 AM today to deliver the orders we pulled last night.
Then we delivered a ton of freight, literally. Most of it 10 LB boxes. But it all got done and I got home 20 minutes before the kickoff of the Super Bowl. Could this be the first time I have seen it in 4 years I have been here?
Kinda.
I got a phone call from one of our good customers tied up at the dock. We delivered food to them earlier, but they wanted pizzas for Super Bowl. And wings. I got the call with the game in progress.
It’s a big order and the pizza place is pretty busy. They will call me when they are ready. I get to run in and make an invoice while they are being picked up and delivered.
Hopefully it will happen during halftime when Madonna is “entertaining.” What a show that would have been 10 years ago!
Giants by 6.
I
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Wow, that's crazy about the crab pots.
Is it normal for them to be out this time of the year? Or were the crabbers hoping to get an edge on the season?
Hope you get to watch that super event of super events for football fans, Joe.
I'm sitting here musing. It's near 0C in Dutch Harbor, it was 24C (heat index at 26C... lemme check, yes, calendar says FEBRUARY, EEEK!) and in Central Europe they hit -18C. Who turned the globe around? (humming the Pink Panther cartoon theme...)
Rain expected here tomorrow night and Tuesday. I am trying to not get excited. In fact, I think I'll get the truck washed tomorrow and leave it with all the windows down. We have had 1.4" of rain since November 24, 2011. Just dirty pockets of firn in the Sierras. But this evening we have a 70% chance and Tuesday and 80% chance -- of what? That, they don't say much about. However, I did sit out on the porch for over an hour this afternoon puffing on a pipe and reading with nothing for warmth than a Pendleton wool shirt.
Haven't heard much chatter about this coming season of Deadliest Catch. I take it that this has not been a great season.
Joe I don't know how you can live up there, but such an interesting life! I just started watching Ice Road Truckers and it's almost like DC but not as exciting, but working in -40 No thank you! It was a low of 39 and I can't wait for spring/summer. Bring on the 90's I'm ready!
http://earthsky.org/earth/stormchaser-andy-gabrie lson-passes-away?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium= feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fullsite+%28EarthSky%29 Andy Gabrielson passes away after being hit by drunk driver in head on collision while out storm chasing.
Even if they can find their pots and fill them with crab they run that risk of the crabs ejecting their legs once they hit the frozen sorting tables.
The odds seem so stacked against them making a success of it this year, and that high quota figure just cruelly TAUNTS.
It's a savage battle of wits.
And all they get is wings and Madonna shaking her booty for comfort?
More meat on the average hub cap.
Both.
I'm watching last nights BBC BOWL coverage (recorded from last night) as I type, no commercial breaks – I just get chaps chatting in the studio whilst you get sold stuff you don't need. They have 2 EXPERT Americans to explain stuff for us but other than that I think I get to see what you all got to see.
Well, those of you who weren't busy with hot wings and salsa verde got to see...
It has to be said, there are one or two players out there who didn't look like they could make the run from the entrance to the other side of the pitch, but they all seem UP FOR IT. They get time to catch their breath whilst you are regaled with the latest commercial for THE miracle cure for piles.
I assume.
What would I know, I got chaps chatting...
Kelly Clarkson sings the anthem well. The BBC man said something like 'she did much better than Christina...' - but since low bars are nowt more than a trip hazard...
They keep talking about a 6' 6” player called Gruntoffski (or something similar) – he's not turning in the right direction for me to see his whole name. I'm assuming that is one of the major reasons for wearing the big shoulder pads – the long names? If they had longer sleeves they'd have more space for that stuff.
Just a suggestion.
Anyway. Mr Grunt has a poorly ankle that probably hasn't mended. They showed me the replay of him hurting it 2 weeks ago. Ouch. Ankles aren't meant to do that bendy stuff. I thought it was the cheerleaders who had to be flexible.
Bloody hell.
Madonna just entered....
She's wearing wings and hub caps on her head...
Roman gladiators, Viking warriors, Pocahontas styled cheerleaders, sequin cloaked gospel singers and tracksuited hip hop dancers all did their thing whilst Madge mimed along and then fell off the set.
Only in America.
Ain't it grand? ;-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikolai/with/4264703 /
I'm thinking Joe started a new craze in Europe.
Or he got a new job valet parking in Geneva...
You live and learn.
The trees look absolutely DEADLY!
There is no let up in the freezing weather forecast for Europe. I was awoken at 5.30am as my neighbour drove out the cul-de-sac, the snap, crackle and pop of ice beneath car tyres is deafening!
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