Snowstorm Dec, 2003

we got lucky here for once, about 6" late friday then rain all day sat till around 6 am sunday. now it's snowing. it's the wind that's a killer here.

We have about 12-14" out here in northwest Middlesex County...

My ex, in southeast Middlesex county (one town north of littlek, two towns north of jespah) claims to have 22"-24"... and she's vexed that her two shovelers are here with their Dad...

Seems to be petering out...

Noddy
If we do lose the power, I can't go on line. So far so good.

Gus
We have a snow blower, but it's one that you push, or should I say "that my son pushes". ;-) I loved it when he was old enough to do the heavy stuff :-D

Brand X
LOL! I'm sure that you're right about me being the most prepared. We had some nasty freezing rain storms last year where we lost our power for 3 days and I was so unprepared that I swore it wouldn't happen again. Right after that I had a wood stove put in just for emergencies and before every storm I go shopping and grab everything we need for atleast a week. In these parts you can become stranded for days after a storm, so I make sure we're ready ;-)

Phoenix
Sounds like a thermostat from hell. I laughed when you said you had your a/c on, LOL!

Joe
You have such a way with words that I can picture it clearly. You are such a talented writer ;-)

Littlek
After living in Waltham for so many years I can picture everyone trying to figure out where to put the snow. Lots of snow in the cities can become a problem, although it is fun to have all the neighbors getting together to help eachother :-)

Jes
I was reading about the flood warnings this morning and hope that it's not too bad. That can be scary.

Dys
Wow! I don't think I can even picture 61F right now.

Mikey
That's not bad at all. I remember when I lived in Waltham and on the Cape that it was rare that you guys ever got hit very hard with much snow.

Seal
That is a lot of snow for your parts.


Well, it's still snowing like crazy here and will continue until tomorrow sometime. So far we've been lucky that we haven't lost the power, but it's still early yet and you never know. One of the things I forgot to do last year was to fill pots of water before the storm. I was so use to living in the city where you have city water that I didn't realize that when you have a well and lose your power, you lose your water too. Not fun at all! Last year since it was freezing rain that caused the power to go out, we were lucky enough to be able to get out to rent a cottage, but it's usually snow that causes the problems when you get stranded. I feel so much more comfortable this year since we have the wood stove because now even if we lose the power we will have heat and be able to cook, make coffee, tea, etc...
I've got the pots filled, plenty of wood, more than enough food, lamp oil, candles, all batteries charged and of course some beer, so I'm good to go :-D
Funny thing is that whenever I am prepared to the fullest, that's when we don't lose the power, LOL.

snowstorm
When we lived in Brookline a while back they had a great snow-melting machine, a real monster, terrific fun to watch. But I guess the powers that be decided that too much other stuff was washed into the drains too fast, so it was abandoned. Unfortunately. Now the snow sits around this area forever and makes parking impossible. Had to reschedule a Tuesday visit to see the Rembrandt exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts because driving into Boston will be hell for the next week.

Where we are it's pretty, still cool and clean looking, but not the dramatic type of thing that comes with the big wet flakes which stick to all the trees.

It does seem to be winding down, thank goodness.

Do you get the feeling that snow isn't exactly my thing?

Tomkitten
When I was a kid I couldn't get enough of the white fluffy stuff, but as I get older I tend not to like it as much, although I really don't mind it as long as I don't have to go out in it. My son does most of the clean up these days (bless him), so it's not bad.

Tom - why not take public transit. Isn't there a bus?

So, I carved out a path for my car which definitely lessened the load for everyone else. I had some help, but still spent 4 hours shoveling. I got about 15 minutes from the icicle housemate. But, I got about 30 minutes from her friend! There was no sign of the women on the third floor and the landylady on the second didn't do any either. I just kept telling myself that it was fun. The piles are waaaay taller than I am.

Oh yeah, and it's still keeps flurrying. Grrr.

Snowstorm
littlek - no public transportation where I am.

Okay,

now Nature is trying to blind us with Beauty.

Minutes ago,
my wife and I and our best friend Annie
stood outside in the New Jersey night.

The air was absolutely still,
not a sound,
it wrapped itself around us,
filled our lungs with it's purity.

And there,
picking it's way through the blackened branches,
a creamy dreamy full moon.

Crossing the George Washington Bridge,
Annie drove the 45mph speed limit
so we could see
lit up
sparkling
the Empire State Building
dressed in a pink tube top,
singing,
the rest of the glittering city
glinting in time to her song.

I cannot see to write
I am blinded by the night
and this work of Nature's Beauty
has filled my eyes and heart.

Joe

Bravo Joe. Very beautiful :-D

Fortunately, LAncaster County barns,no longer at inspection parade rest for the summer crowds of visiting city folks, can show their true bent and scoliotic spines under a foot of new snow. we, the locals, appreciate all their little cosmetic faultsin a snow, after all, theyve been standing there for a hundred years or more and have serviced us well.

Snow, in the country, does magnify the minor faults within all construction, faults that the summer and fall easily hide.Our barns bend,our old houses taper, silos tip a little, our split rail fences just kind of wander all over the place with no apparent plan. you just are naturally aware of it and youre only sure that its so at this time of year, yet you are still appreciative that everything has its own pleasant geometry. Thats why all the artists descend in busy herds on our country side to catch something about the snow, and air and the buildings and trees. Yet many of them miss the very aspect that makes a winter scene in the country so compelling.
Dont worry, The good ones get it down.

From a friend's blog. They took this photo this afternoon just outside of Boston.

OooooooooOOOoooooh!

(Says the snow-lover, covetously.)

(I know that snow does translate to hassles and worse, but I steadfastedly love the stuff and love when there are heaps of it everywhere.)

MY 11/21 storm - flew out that day and we had another 8" - I feel your pain.

So I went out yesterday afternoon to make one more pass with the old snowthrower. Damn if it didn't die at the end of the drive... Think it's time for a new one.

Oh seal! what a tale of woe! How can you live in such an inimical climate? And to think I don't like the thought of going out because it's ten degrees above freezing and a bit damp. I shouldn't complain, really I shouldn't.

Woosh! Second day in a row of frost! Gotta get out the frost blower and frost shovel, you haven't worked til you've shoveled a drive full of frost. It's rough here in the SE US.

Great discription. I can picture it now. Sounds like my kind of place :-)

Butrfly
Thanks for the picture. Yup, looks like the Boston area to me.

Sozobe
I kinda like it too, but I don't like cleaning it up. I actually use to love to shovel.

Husker
I bet you're feeling so sorry for us. Yeah right, LOL!

Seal
Doesn't it just figure that it would die right at the end of the driveway. Well, I suppose it's better than it not starting at all. Those darn things are so expensive.

Clary
Go ahead and complain. I complain whenever the mood strikes ;-)

Brand X
Frost blower and shovel, LOL! You're too funny.

Oh, I almost forgot to give our latest update. It's still windy and snowing, but we haven't lost our power, although many in the area have.