Thursday, February 11, 2010

Okay! UNCLE!

Pretty


This used to be a hammock. And a fence.

This used to be a door you could walk through

This used to be a mailbox and a light post


This used to be a car

Last weekened, we had 28 inches of snow. Then yesterday we had another 20 or so inches. We have had something like 80 inches of snow this year (normal is like 18 or so). This is what is feels like to actually be snowed in. I couldn't drive if I wanted to.

I spent four winters in Alaska and never experienced this. I can't even shovel my driveway.


Well, I could shovel my driveway if I had a spare 8 hours when the kids were safely occupied and not screaming bloody murder at the door. I guess I could just not sleep one night and knock it out overnight. I strapped Andrew into his seat and gave him a giant lollipop yesterday while I tried to clear off the deck. HA HA HAAAAA. I shoveled and shoveled while listening to him cry and I got about 1/16 of the deck cleared. At the most. And the shovel is getting a bit rickety. The one shovel we have.


Just to make it even more exciting, Becca got the diagnosis of pneumonia on Tuesday. I wasn't sure I should take her in, because.....well...she didn't seem too sick. I mean, she kind of did. But then she would rally and seem rather normal. And I would waffle back and forth on whether to take her in. If it wasn't for the impending Second Blizzard of Doom, I wouldn't have. So, maybe I have this SBOD to thank for catching the pneumonia early this time. She has steroids, antibiotics and a nebulizer and seems nearly back to normal already. But really...third year in a row for pneumonia. What is up with her? (On an unrelated note, I am definitely getting better at handling it. Though I couldn't have been worse, initially.)


Yesterday I was trying to clear the snow from around the gas/electric meter outside, and I smelled natural gas. I ignored it. I called my Uncle Jim in Minnesota, who is an expert in snow removal, (he was explaining to me how to find the furnace vent and make sure it was free of snow). I mentioned the gas smell and I totally expected him to say "Oh yea, that is normal." But he didn't say that. He said to open some windows if I started feeling lethargic and light-headed. Hmm. So I called the gas company, fretting the whole time about why I had a headache. And why did I never get that carbon monoxide detector that I meant to get three years ago. Wait, am I feeling lightheaded? Do I feel lethargic now?


I opened the front door and the back door. Wind and snow whipping into the house. And fretted. When would the gas guy get here? How would the gas guy get here? The roads are nearly impassable. I called all my friends, fretting. Letting them know they should come check on us and pull our unconscious bodies out of the house in a few hours.


The gas guy came. Fast. He checked the house. It was fine. Nothing hazardous. And to think some people think I overreact.


There was a small gas leak outside. He fixed it.


I made another cup of coffee and got on with what was one of the most enjoyable days at home. My Aunt Kunky sent three big boxes of stuff from my cousins' childhoods. Books, puzzles, puppets, dolls. It couldn't have arrived at a better time. The kids and I played, read....just hung out. I had the news on all day. Becca never even watched TV until about 4 p.m. It was really nice to know that I wasn't going anywhere. (For days, apparently.) And I was able to just relax and play with them....which is something that I normally feel like I can do very much.

I have kind of enjoyed this in a way. Though it is a claustrophobic feeling knowing I can't really go anywhere. And it is scary to think about "what if we lose power?" It is a change from the norm. It has been exciting. It is all anyone is talking about. My friends and I call each other and share stories about how high the snow is. "I can't see out my window!" or "I could just step over my fence!" or "I sunk in up to my upper thigh!"

So, while this has all been quite an adventure, and has become so ridiculous it is almost comical. I think we need a break, Mother Nature. We get it.

3 comments:

Marie Green said...

Wow, that IS a lot of snow! We have that much too, but it's been accumulating for the whole winter. Also? We have the infrastructure to deal with it. What does your city do with that much snow and only a few snow plows? Do they... just hope it melts soon?

Also, everyone here has personal snow blowers, so we just fire 'em up and clear our sidewalks and driveways that way. Shoveling is only of steps and things like that that can't be snow-blowed. In fact, I can always tell when we've had a bunch of snow overnight, before I even open my eyes, b/c I can hear the whole neighborhood firing up the blowers.

Man, I really hope you all don't go stir crazy!

Bevo said...

If you don't have to drive, it is magnificent!

Jen said...

I can't believe how much snow you have! WOW.

Nor can I believe that Becca has pneumonia AGAIN. Do they know why she has gotten it three years in a row? I don't even know how one gets it. Good for you taking her in early! that is the worst part - do I take her in? Am I overreacting?