Christmas Blizzard
Yesterday it was still snowing when I woke up. I went out to warm up the snow thrower and clear the driveway. Afterwards I wandered around the yard with my camera taking some photos of the snow-covered yard. Mr. Ridgeline (our new neighbor’s father) pulled up and rolled down the window. I pulled out my headphones and wished him a merry Christmas. His kids appeared to be out of town. [get the name from mom]
It snowed all day Christmas Eve, but it didn’t seem too bad, even late that night. The wind is rather calm in the city, but fierce out in the country or the edge of town i.e. the Dobbins’ home. That evening the wind picked up and the snow kept falling. By morning there was no travel advised anywhere in the city. The Interstate highways were closed. Sean called all day desperate to get his iPod Touch set up. I downloaded all the software for his Touch and Paul’s Inspiron but there was no way to get there.
Late in the afternoon, I was a little bored. I decided to blow out the driveway. There was no wind, so I wasn’t too concerned about it drifting back in. I have a small Murray snow thrower and I am worried about getting accumulations that the Murray can’t handle. We weren’t going anywhere so I did not clear the snow in the street or the edge of the driveway- the snowplow will come and fill this in no matter what I do. Our neighbor Doug Smith was out with his snow blower. The neighborhood was filled with the sound of snowblowers and shovels- there was nothing else to do. Mr. Ridgeline swung by to check on the house. He had a flimsy shovel in his truck bed. He dug a path to the door and then left.
Saturday (12/26) It was still snowing but much slower. I was bored and ready to clear snow but I kept waiting for the snowplow to come by. It was quiet all day. Around 3:30 PM I heard three plows, one after the other- first our side of the street and then the other. (They cleared a narrow path down the middle yesterday.) I couldn’t wait to put on my snow pants and fire up the Murray. I hurried down the driveway and the sidewalk. I didn’t have much gas left in the Murray and couldn’t get out to get more. The plows left about three feet of snow in the driveway and street. I don’t like clearing the street but I have no choice. I switched to a shovel and carried the snow out of the way. Our other neighbors seemed to have a house full of guys. They came out in gangs to shovel before, during and after the snow plows came by.
Sunday (12/27) I was out clearing a little snow with my shovel. Mr. Ridgeline drove up with his son(?). The son didn’t look dressed for the weather and they had two cheap shovels. They looked to be crappy plastic shovels. They dug a path to the door and left- hopefully to get reinforcements. After I left Mrs. Ridgeline arrived at our door to borrow a shovel. Char said, “If my son was here I’d send him over with the snow blower.”
Snowy Stump on Christmas Eve Morning
