So much snow in Nova Scotia and the related 'bellyaching' in 1981

Nova Scotia's winter had gone from bad to worse.

The province was hit with a hefty snowstorm in 1981 that dumped 40 centimetres of snow. It was also the seventh storm to hit Nova Scotia in a six-week period.

"It was one of the worst snowstorms to hit Nova Scotia in 20 years," the CBC's Bob Allison reported on The National on Jan. 18, 1981, the day after the storm had begun.

But it wasn't just the wintry precipitation that was a problem: Powerful winds had blown that snow into massive drifts on lawns, roads and parked vehicles.

'Get them out of the way'

As a result, snowplows were out trying to clear the roads, which police had warned motorists to stay away from until they could be dealt with.

Snowplow operator Roddy Boudreau said the drivers ignoring that advice were the biggest problem for the workers trying to clean up Old Man Winter's mess.

"The worst part of the job is putting up with the people who are on the roads," Boudreau said.

"Trying to get them out of the way so we can open the roads — stop them from bellyaching, which is hard to do."

'I can't stand it no more!'

Allison noted the multitude of storms had been costly — both in terms of spending on snow removal and also in terms of "lost retail trade" as a result of those storms.

Then there was the emotional cost to ordinary Nova Scotians who were simply fed up with winter, evenm though the season was far from over.

"I can't stand it no more!" said a hatless woman, who ironically had snowflakes and wind whipping up her hair as she spoke those words.

A man who was trying to shovel out his car provided a similar take on the never-ending winter.

"It's a wonderful day," he said in a sarcastically cheerful voice. "It's great, it's great, it's really wonderful. Great to be alive."