Snow Day

Happy Groundhog Day! It's two-two-two thousand and twenty one (I really wish I could have said two two twenty two...but I'll have to wait another year and even that might be too much!) and we are about to use our second snow day of the year.  (I believe we have 4 reserved.) We used our first snow day on December 17th of last year when we got 4-6 inches.  In a "normal" school year (remember those days?) that would have been cause enough for a snow day, but since we are in the world of remote/hybrid/anything goes,  that total didn't really call for a snow day in my book.  But there was concern about wind and power outages, so...

They'd been calling for this Snor'easter (my term, should I copyright it?) for several days.  To try and stop it from coming, I went out and purchased yet another shovel.  Our two "best" shovels get a little heavy for me.  (Especially when there is a LOT of snow.)  I have a crappy plastic one that does the job really well, but it IS crappy and the plastic is starting to break.  I know that someday I am going to dig and and the whole thing is going to disintegrate.  It was under $6 bucks at And That where I purchased other unnecessary stuff that draws me in when I am there. (Like seasonal tablecloths for my dining room table because that is how I roll.  Have to have red for Valentine's Day.  Never mind the fact that the one I bought is WAY too large...better than too small.) 

My attempt at diverting the storm with my purchase failed and it started to slowly come down on Sunday afternoon.  The town cancelled garbage pick up early in the day.  Later in the day the board of education decided to not have a snow day, but have an all remote 1/2 day.  My high school student would still get his 6 classes in from home, but instead of 4 50 minute classes, an hour and half break for lunch (which allows for getting home from actual school when his cohort group is actually in school) and 2 more 50 minute classes, he had 6 back to back 40 minute classes (with a 5 minute break in between classes.)  This sort of makes sense to me... I'm not understanding why we couldn't have a "full" day with all remote classes, but I don't know all the intricacies of scheduling ALL the schools (and not just the high school).  Not having to drive my son to school (as Monday was "his" scheduled day) and having class is a win in my book.  (And there is so little we win these days.)

The Snor'easter landed hard on Monday.  But I "went to work" and my son "went to school" so all was well.  Of course the snow piled up and piled up; blowing sideways in every which direction.  There were some points of the day when I could barely see.

It was piling so quickly, that at noon time we decided it was time to do an initial shovel/plow.  As always, I suited up first, digging in the back of the closet to find the boots that I hadn't put on in over a year.  (2020 was a terrible year, but it wasn't a snowy year.)  Heading out the front door with the wind and snow whipping in my face, I cleared (or attempted to clear) off the front steps and make path to the covered snowblower that was parked in front of the house.  (Which is where we drag it when we know snow is coming.  Otherwise it sits in the garage...which is not attached to the house and is in fact 20 to 30 feet away from the back door.  So it makes more sense to drag it to the front of the house and cover it so when a storm is on the way.)  

At noon with at least another twenty four hours of snow predicted, this is what "our" world looked like

This "snowman" holds a ruler that goes to eighteen inches.  Now, since the wind was blowing, there was some drifting,but still the snow has covered most of the ruler, so I'm thinking at this point in the day we had at least 14" -16" inches on the ground.

The snow was not heavy, which was a good thing, as there was already so much of it that I had to do a "two scoop" shovel.  Taking the "top layer" off and throwing it aside before moving on to the "bottom layer."

The worst part of the whole experience was the biting wind and the sudden bursts of snow that would be thrown in my face as I tried to shovel out!

Of course by the time we'd "finished" the sidewalk was covered in snow again, but at least we'd put a dent in it.

We went out again at the end of the day; while it was still slightly light out.  I'd say another 4"-6" had fallen by then.

Poor Mr. Snowman was really buried by now.  And the snow, of course, was still coming down.

Went back inside to get the news that school would be closed.  No remote; no anything.  Again, I don't understand the logic of all this as they could do remote one day during the storm, but not the next?  The storm was due to fizzle out on Groundhog day.  There would still be scattered showers, but it seemed like today would be a "better" day.  Of course we'd have more to dig out, but...

Here's where we stand now (Tuesday, February 2nd...remember the flakes started flaking on the afternoon of January 31st): 

We went back out (the terrific trio that we are) do deal with I'm guessing another 4" -6."  (Drifting makes it hard to tell).  We busted our butts to clear up the remainder of what fell between five last night and 9 (or so) this morning.

Can you see our driveway where we shoveled yesterday?  I think not!

These are the back steps.  The snow is as high as the top step.  So it was easy to shovel from the top...not so easy as I made my way down to the walkway!

Remember the cute little snowman that measured up to 18 inches of snow?  He's somewhere on the left hand side of this photo.  You can still sort of see the top of our "Thank You First Responders" sign and a little of the G clef (supporting the high school music program) on the right hand side.  Somewhere under the white is my little welcome basket.

And we are done...

Or are we?  As we wrapped up...

...it started to snow again.

If Nor'easters are traditionally 3 days, then I'm guessing Snor'easters will follow the same pattern.  Today is day three.  I am confident that we've shoveled and plowed the most of it, but I also know that there's another "date" with a snow shovel in my future.  But hey, as I write this, there's only 45 days, 18 hours and 55 minutes till spring!