Wednesday, February 11, 2015

SOS (Snow, Oh, Snow)

Not to belabor the subject - but I'm going to belabor the subject, because I am hardly exaggerating when I say that all I have been doing in the past two and a half weeks is SHOVELING SNOW.

Ok, I've been sleeping and eating (a lot, actually; one of the side-effects of all of the calories I've been burning while I SHOVEL SNOW), and going to work - but even that has been cancelled quite a few times because - oh, have I mentioned this? - it will not stop SNOWING!

Lest you think I cry wolf, let me tell all of you warm-locale-dwellers, or anyway non-Massachusetts-dwellers, that we are now over the six foot mark for snowfall. In seventeen days. Which means that in 17 days, we have broken the previous records for 14 days, 20 days, and 30 days. Oh, and did I mention that there's another storm on the way - for TOMORROW?

All of this means that life in the city has ground to a virtual halt, and in some cases, an actual halt, like when we broke the subway. Unlike more rural places, or even mores spread out, modern cities, or really any place with less corrupt and better managed state systems, we have, quite literally, nowhere to put all of this freaking snow. We are in fact borrowing snow removal and melting equipment from other cities. Which makes no sense, when you consider that Boston is located in New England and New England is well-known for being stupidly snowy.

I love my city. I really do. But I don't so much love this weather - or our inability to deal with it.

But I digress. I was going to complain some more about shoveling. I spent all day on Monday shoveling my roof with my neighbor, and most of the day yesterday shoveling out the sidewalk and our cars.

Actually, maybe I'll just let the photos speak for themselves:

This is what the pile of shoveled snow looks like in front of my house. Yes, it's up over the first floor windows. Yes, it's from the storms plus the shoveling. It's hard to tell from the picture, but this particular mountain is well over my head, probably close to the ten foot mark in height, and more than that in width.



I actually had to dig a tunnel through that pile to clear the snow away from our furnace vents (another thing I've learned this week: blocked furnace vents = carbon monoxide poisoning.)



I dug through the pile of snow in front of one of the cars...



And in back of the car...



Only to realize I'd forgotten all about the side of the car that faces the street - and the plows. Sigh...



This person has decided not to bother, and to just start driving again in April. The antenna is all that's left to indicate that this is a car, and not just another snowbank...




Snow is pretty, isn't it? I do love it - it blankets the whole world in white, softening all edges and wrapping every corner of the city in quiet. But I happen to love it in moderation.

So, not much else happening here these days. What about you? Have you gotten any snow?

29 comments:

  1. Ay yi yi. That's insane. And more on the way? Will that car still work when it gets out from under all that? I guess...if there IS a good side to this, at least it's a nice bonding experience---in a commiserating kinda way---for you city folk??

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  2. omg what a mess! we had an ice storm monday morning but it wasn't terrible--this is like how it was for us last winter. Non stop blizzards! I hate shoveling too...with a passion!

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  3. That last picture is funny (though perhaps not for the car-owner).

    I hope you weather the weather well!

    If it's any consolation, I had to let my car run for a few minutes this morning to let the frost melt off the windshield.

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  4. I tried not to laugh throughout your blog. I had to call my husband over to see your pictures. My daughter called and nearly cried talking about the snow and she doesn't even have to shovel. Stay safe and keep those vents open.

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  5. I am so, so sorry for you. We've been in California almost three years now, and I do NOT miss the snow at all.

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  6. I feel for you. Last year we got a ton of snow in Michigan, although probably still not as much as you have now, and it was no fun. Right now the two feet of snow in my yard doesn't seem all that bad any more.

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  7. Holy moly, that's a lot of snow Liz! How awful!
    I live in New Jersey and the past two snowstorms have basically been overdramatized. We were supposed to get over a foot of snow each time and only a few inches came. I will say this.. we have gotten some nasty ice. I've been salting my boss's driveway for two weeks and I am hating my job the more I ice and shovel.
    Two of my author visits to elementary schools were cancelled for nothing because the news blew up the snow coverage. Errr
    Stay warm, my friend. My fingers are crossed that the snow leaves you and your city alone!

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  8. That is a ton of snow. We used to get a lot in the Midwest and the drifts would come up to the roof.
    Just keep thinking of all the calories you are burning shoveling snow.

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  9. I smile because we lived on Lake Ontario in the snowbelt for a little bit. Yes, they got 16 feet of snow in 3 days. Imagine trying to dig out of that one! We also had our windshield impaled by a 9 foot ice cycle. Now there's a lovely surprise for you. Of course, after that lovely experience we moved to Florida. (Surprise, surprise.) Now we laugh at the idea of snow.

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    1. A nine foot icicle??? GEEZ! Ok, never mind, I guess this isn't so bad... ;)

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  10. Isn't it crazy???? I think I've spent more time shoveling out my car than driving it lately.

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  11. Well we don't have much as you and I figure Nova Scotia and Newfoundland no longer exist at least until May:) Yup snowing here! Tons of snow and after my hubby (we have a snow blower) did all the walks for us and other neighbours (isn't he sweet), the plow came through and messed everything up. Now my ADHD man does not know the meaning of the word-diplomacy and quicker than you can say "screaming banshee" he let that plowman have a huge tongue lashing. I was in the house thankfully. The streets are horrible here. Love that last picture as it reminds me of the blizzard of '77. Drifts were higher than the hydro wires. I know because I went tobagonning on them and ducked under the wires-ahh the good ole days. Take it easy with the shovelling

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    1. LOL!!! I would have hidden in the house, too...but I bet the plow doesn't do it again!

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  12. I know, doesn't shoveling SUCK? And I am so pissed that there's going to be more tomorrow. The plow trucks have already buried the end of my driveway. I won't even be able to dig it out yet. Not to mention the piles of snow that are bigger than me. I think we should just ship it all out west.

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    1. Ugh, yes it does! I think we should, too. Doesn't CA need the water??? By the way, I tried to come visit you, but Blogger is saying your profile isn't available...

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  13. Wow! We rarely have that much snow in Oregon, although it did happen a few years ago around Christmas--and I wasn't able to leave the house for 2 weeks. Yes, that's how it is here. Everything shuts down here if there's even an inch or so. We don't know how to handle snow. :)

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  14. That is a huge amount of snow. We never get that much where I live close by the Puget Sound. When I lived further inland (towards Mt. Rainier), we used to get a half foot every year, and then a few feet on "bad" years. I hope that weather and life returns to normal for you soon.

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  15. You're making me miss Vermont, but only a tiny bit. :P It's been in the 70s here - today it was rainy and in the 50s for the first time in over a week. I'd laugh, but I miss actual winters. >_<

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  16. And I hear more snow on the weekend. I must admit it tuckered me out reading about all the shoveling. Snow is heavy!

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  17. Yikes. I don't envy you, Liz. I don't know how I'd deal with all that snow. I hope it warms up soon. Lol @ warm-locale-dwellers. Guilty:)

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  18. Oh. My. Gosh. That's a lot of snow! I do love the snow - - - but mostly when I can watch it falling while I'm inside drinking hot chocolate.

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  19. I can't even begin to imagine dealing with that much snow. I hope the forecast for another storm will be wrong, I can't guess how Boston will cope with much more. Take care!

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  20. Wow, that's a lot of snow. I'd be fed up with a quarter of that amount!

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  21. Holy cow! So you probably don't want to hear about our Santa Ana SoCal weather? My bad. But seriously, that snow is awesome. And a real pain in the ol' arse, to boot.

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  22. Yuck! We always have snow on the ground in the winter (Ohio), but we didn't get the epic punishment you guys did. Here's to an early spring!

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  23. Holy wow! That is a LOT of snow. I feel for you, believe me. On the positive side, you're going to have some great muscles. Plus you can laugh at those of us how have flowers now when we're suffering through the extremely hot July I'm sure we'll have. (It's only fair that we have a sweltering summer if we're getting off so easily this winter...)

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  24. I have been thinking about you because your area got slammed again! I hope you are safe and warm. I also hope someone helps you with shovelling all that snow

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  25. I have been thinking about you so I mentioned you in my blog with a card I made-hope you don't mind:)

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    1. Of course i don't mind - that's so sweet of you!! Thank you! :)

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