# Happy New Bitchfest! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605 "2014-01-01T00:37:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/201 "2014-01-06T19:44:16Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I woke up today to a sore throat and stuffed up nose. Dammit. Staying home, but it’s not like I’m having fun. Oh but you can do Spa-Day: humidifier/hot bath/tasty herbal tea/mani/pedi/mask. Sorry youre sick - hope you feel better tomorrow! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/202 "2014-01-06T20:00:07Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > My goddamned fucking cat went right into the garbage and stole an entire game hen out of it, and started eating it on the floor. :mad: Yeah, that one’s on you. 🙂 > [@Morgyn](#): > > [Yaktrax](https://www.yaktrax.com/). They’re awesome. Not great for sheer ice, though - I have a pair of those, and they are still slippery on ice. I’m looking for another type of ice gripper to try. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/203 "2014-01-06T20:04:33Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Yeah, that one’s on you. 🙂 > Not great for sheer ice, though - I have a pair of those, and they are still slippery on ice. I’m looking for another type of ice gripper to try. [Screw them.](https://www.google.com/search?q=screw+your+shoes&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&safe=active) 3/8" sheet metal screws. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/204 "2014-01-06T20:22:43Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > [Screw them.](https://www.google.com/search?q=screw+your+shoes&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&safe=active) 3/8" sheet metal screws. Seriously. That looks like it might work - I think I might try [these first,](http://www.amazon.com/DryGuy-GripOns-Ice-Snow-Traction/dp/B000MTWWCS/ref=pd_sim_shoe_4)but if those don’t work, I’ll try and figure out how to put screws in my own shoes. ---
**Author:** ![amorali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@amorali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amorali)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/205 "2014-01-06T20:32:11Z")
So the county finally plowed but didn’t get all the way down to the road so our ban barely made it up the hill on our street. Now my daughter’s school is closed again tomorrow. So even if my mom’s roads are clear enough for her to meet me halfway to get my daughter, I don’t know if I can get out of our neighborhood. I hate wasting my days off on this crap!!! We had to pay another day for the dog sitter because when we got home last night from a trip we could barely get the van into our driveway because the didn’t plow last night. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/206 "2014-01-06T20:34:27Z")
> [@amorali](#): > > So the county finally plowed but didn’t get all the way down to the road \*\*so our ban \*\*barely made it up the hill on our street. I’m also sorry to hear about your head cold. ---
**Author:** ![amorali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@amorali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amorali)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/207 "2014-01-06T20:59:50Z")
Dammit how do you edit on your phone here? Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/208 "2014-01-07T00:26:13Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That looks like it might work - I think I might try [these first,](http://www.amazon.com/DryGuy-GripOns-Ice-Snow-Traction/dp/B000MTWWCS/ref=pd_sim_shoe_4)but if those don’t work, I’ll try and figure out how to put screws in my own shoes. Those type are what we used in Alaska. You still need to exercise caution, though. Nothing is foolproof. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/209 "2014-01-07T00:34:24Z")
> [@amorali](#): > > So the county finally plowed but didn’t get all the way down to the road so our ban barely made it up the hill on our street. > Now my daughter’s school is closed again tomorrow. So even if my mom’s roads are clear enough for her to meet me halfway to get my daughter, I don’t know if I can get out of our neighborhood. > I hate wasting my days off on this crap!!! > We had to pay another day for the dog sitter because when we got home last night from a trip we could barely get the van into our driveway because the didn’t plow last night. I’m hoping like hell that my daughter’s preschool and son’s aftercare are open tomorrow (we already know his school is closed). After being home with them all day and spending more than 6 hours shoveling our driveway, if I can’t get them out of here tomorrow, I may be bald from tearing my hair out. Oh, and the thing about the plows…do they plow you in at the driveway? Our snow was nearly waist deep at the top of our driveway thanks to the snow being cleared off the road. I’d rather have to shovel out of it than it all be on the road, but my back fucking hurts now. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/210 "2014-01-07T00:56:23Z")
> [@SerafinaPekala](#): > > Oh but you can do Spa-Day: humidifier/hot bath/tasty herbal tea/mani/pedi/mask. Sorry youre sick - hope you feel better tomorrow! Thanks for the well wishes. I’ll be happier if the sore throat goes away. Been hydrating with berry antioxidant tea and cinnamon honey, took multivitamins, having garlic goat cheese and pears for snacking, since I don’t have much else fresh in the house. Thinking of cooking some ginger bourbon carrots up, but it’s been nice just hydrating and napping on the couch. Cats seem to be happy with me there, too! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/211 "2014-01-07T01:54:27Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > \ Cats seem to be happy with me there, too! Cats are _always_ happy to keep someone company for a nap! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/212 "2014-01-07T03:24:52Z")
House-sitting plus snowpocalypse plus a job that doesn’t shut down for snowpocalypses. It takes me an hour to get from here to work on a clear day. I’m going to have to leave the house at like five in the morning in order to get there. The roads are still icy and horrible. And the other guy who works with me tomorrow doesn’t live really close to work either (not as far as this, but probably forty minutes away on a good day) so it really doesn’t seem fair to leave him hanging. The snow is up to my knees and there are places on this road (where I’m house-sitting) that are sheets of flat ice. Even plowed roads are icy. I lost count of how many times I slipped and fell just coming to the house from the car and hitting patches of ice. I really, really don’t want to go to work. Problem is, neither does anyone else and somebody has to. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/213 "2014-01-07T04:09:20Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That looks like it might work - I think I might try [these first,](http://www.amazon.com/DryGuy-GripOns-Ice-Snow-Traction/dp/B000MTWWCS/ref=pd_sim_shoe_4)but if those don’t work, I’ll try and figure out how to put screws in my own shoes. Those kind slipped off my boots a lot. I have had good luck with these this year: [Amazon.com: ICEtrekkers Diamond Grip Traction Cleats (1 Pair), Large (Men's 9.5-12/Women's 10.5), Black (06006) : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry](http://www.amazon.com/ICETrekkers-Diamond-Traction-Cleats-Womens/dp/B00A4HA2HA/ref=sr_1_13?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1389067427&sr=1-13) They can get a little clumped up in fresh snow, but on hardpack and ice they’ve made dog-walking a much less dangerous endeavor. ---
**Author:** ![Athabasca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Athabasca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athabasca)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/214 "2014-01-07T05:32:17Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I have to go to the store - we’re out of cat food and I would like to live. > It’s 0f outside. > Technically, I could go early in the morning… > When it will be -10f. > Okay, that’s more of a whine than a rant. Still don’t want to go. Hon, a bit of perspective for you. Here in Winnipeg, Canada, the temp is -35 with winds making it -49 or thereabouts. That’s in Celsius but it pretty much equates to Fahrenheit at those temps. Today I shovelled a path for my dear dogs to shit and pee in, and then I shovelled the driveway and front walk for the mailman. We had two blizzards in the past 2 weeks, and about 30 cm of snow. I pick up my kid and the neighbours kid at school because it is too cold to walk, and the drive home is white knuckled because of the ruts in the unplowed roads. Pick up extra cat food if you have to. Dress warmly when you do go out. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/215 "2014-01-07T07:06:44Z")
"When your standing in the woods and its twenty five degrees below zero, it gets so quiet you can hear Nature whisper: “Die.” - Garrison Keillor (paraphrase from faulty memory) ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/216 "2014-01-07T15:11:17Z")
^^ interesting! and probably true ☹ My rant for the day: the idjut in my neighborhood who lets his behemoth truck run for half an hour to warm it up to drive 4 blocks to get his beer & cigarette fix each morning. Nice going asshole. But what do you care about air pollution when you smoke like 4 packs a day. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/217 "2014-01-07T18:22:54Z")
Here in Indiana, we are on day 3 of Snowpocalypse 2014. School was closed yesterday and today. My husband worked from home yesterday but he had to be in at 10 AM today. He left at 9 and it still took him an hour to get to work. I’ll be going outside in about three hours when the temperature is a whopping 9F to dig out my van in case the kids have school tomorrow. I finally gave in and opened up the curtains in the living room. The temperature dropped about five degrees when I did but we’ve been closed up so much I just needed natural light. Nature can go fuck itself! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/218 "2014-01-07T18:34:05Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > "When your standing in the woods and its twenty five degrees below zero, it gets so quiet you can hear Nature whisper: “Die.” > > - Garrison Keillor > > (paraphrase from faulty memory) Maybe that’s what makes winter walking so exciting - I’m walking the ragged edge, baby! > [@SerafinaPekala](#): > > ^^ interesting! and probably true ☹ > > My rant for the day: the idjut in my neighborhood who lets his behemoth truck run for half an hour to warm it up to drive 4 blocks to get his beer & cigarette fix each morning. Nice going asshole. But what do you care about air pollution when you smoke like 4 packs a day. In a related rant, I get quite irritated with the people who insist on idling their vehicle when they go into a store (even on only mildly chilly days). Your car was fully heated when you left it - it’s still going to be warm when you come back (or it will be in a very short time). Turn it off, you wankers! > [@Avarie537](#): > > \ > > Nature can go fuck itself! Where’s the fun in that? Nature would much rather fuck with us. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/219 "2014-01-07T19:48:53Z")
> [@Athabasca](#): > > Hon, a bit of perspective for you. Here in Winnipeg, Canada, the temp is -35 with winds making it -49 or thereabouts. That’s in Celsius but it pretty much equates to Fahrenheit at those temps. Today I shovelled a path for my dear dogs to shit and pee in, and then I shovelled the driveway and front walk for the mailman. We had two blizzards in the past 2 weeks, and about 30 cm of snow. I pick up my kid and the neighbours kid at school because it is too cold to walk, and the drive home is white knuckled because of the ruts in the unplowed roads. > > Pick up extra cat food if you have to. Dress warmly when you do go out. Gee, thank you _Hon_ for the advice. You’re super woman. Got it. Sorry if my piddly Minnesota winter rant doesn’t live up to your standards. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605/220 "2014-01-07T21:20:58Z")
Had to take a copy of my late husband’s death certificate to the bank on my lunch break for a minor errand. Explained that he died a few months ago, I need such-and-such done, etc. The man is **holding my dead husband’s death certificate in his hand** and starts in with the small talk while typing: “So, how was your New Year’s?” “Umm … it was okay.” _Internally:_ dude, really? “Did you have a nice Christmas?” _Internally:_ NO! But that’s not really the socially acceptable answer, is it? _forced smile_ “Yes, thank you. How was yours?” Sheeeeeesh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-new-bitchfest/677605.md?page=12)