Rethinking the 18th floor

So my fabulous new apartment is on the 18th floor, with a stellar view of English Bay (and so much more). It's fantastic, to be honest. And I thought I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

I'm rethinking it.

Since returning to Vancouver at the end of October, Vancouver has endured record-breaking rain and flooding (including a week-long boil-water advisory), record-breaking snowfall (which is completely abnormal for Vancouver), and record-breaking windstorms. And last night was probably the worst of it.

My apartment building is a huge, concrete behemoth sructure that, I wouldn't think, is vulnerable to the elements. Well, maybe an earthquake could do some serious damage, but some measley windstorm?! Come on! But I have to think again, because my building was shaking during last night's storm. Sure it was subtle, but there was definitely some shaking happening.

Then again, maybe the shaking was me lying in my bed, scared shit-less : ) Cuz I kinda was!

This was one helluva storm. Hurricaine-force winds battering our lovely city by the sea, taking with it anything that wasn't secured. I kept hearing items (garbage cans, lawn furniture, small vehicles) blowing down the back alley as the winds garnered more and more strength. And, yes, the shaking continued -- but it really was the building and not me! Still, I felt pretty vulnerable and started worrying about whether someone's balcony furniture would be blown down into my balcony window, shattering it and then sucking me out into the storm with it.

I survived, but not without a few anxious moments. And in reality, I'm not really rethinking my 18th floor locale. But I'm going to keep repeating my mantra of the past six weeks: surely the weather can't get any worse than this!

Can it?