Trying to drown my car

Yes, the photo has nothing to do with the post title. Remember, I gave this blog its name for a reason.

Now then. About my car, which the managers of my apartment building are having their annual go at drowning. The company that manages the building I live in doesn't believe in parking lot clearing. They made one massive exception this past season because we'd had a flipping blizzard, but that was the only time we got any snow removal. All. Winter. Long.

Do you know what happens when you don't clear a parking lot all winter? Well, eventually the snow foundation that's built up starts to melt. When the snow starts melting, you get two separate and unpleasant things that you have to cope with for far too long. The first is that the daily thaw/refreeze turns everything into a solid ice block. I don't know about you, but those of us that live life on the balanced-challenged side really don't need the fun of a daily ice dance to and from the car. When things get bad I'll wear my cleats out to the car (and then immediately take them off because apparently my apartment's parking lot is the ONLY PLACE IN THIS CITY that only got cleared once all winter, and the sound of ice cleats on non-icy asphalt is decidedly fingernails-on-a-chalkboard), but other than that it truly is taking your life (or at least your ankles/knees/bottom) into your hands just get to your damned car.

Which is probably drowning.

That would be the second unpleasant thing.

You see, when you don't clear a parking lot you tend to get a nice, car-sized divot in the snow at each person's parking spot. Built-up snow along the sides from sweeping it off your car, and a depression in the middle from where the parked car has blocked the snow from hitting the ground. And what happens to those divots when the snow starts to melt? The sides become dams, and your car finds itself living in a lake.

Yesterday I had to wade through water that was up over my boots just to get into the car. Now, to be fair, I was wearing my winter mocs and they're only a little higher than normal shoes, but when you consider that much water and the ice layer underneath... yeah, I'm just happy that I didn't end up under the car.

Swimming.

What makes it worse is that my next-door neighbour doesn't have a car (and my newish neighbour on the other side apparently lacks one as well) so it will take a looong time for the lake in my spot to burst through the extra-wide dyke on the downhill side so it can drain into... well, one of the other parking spot lakes, I guess.

Yesterday night when I got home from work I decided not to fight with the lake and parked in one of the visitor spots. That's all well and good when there's a visitor spot open, but it wouldn't surprise me if I end up wading again when I head home this afternoon.

And this happens every single year, boys and girls.

Gotta love well-managed properties.




Maybe sometime I'll tell you why my bathroom light didn't work for nearly three months...

I really do need to move at some point, don't I?