Stay warm this evil night

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 8:58 am

It started here around 6 this morning, and is getting pretty bad. Fool that I am, I got into work at 7:30, then made an executive decision to turn around and go home. I just did the first dig out, and will probably be shovelling on and off through the day.

This is the rolling, never ending, evil night. Hope everyone is warm and well, and has adequate supplies.

Nyghtshayde · Post by **Nyghtshayde** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 9:04 am

They are saying we could get 2 feet here in CT as of two minutes ago. Also just said that most of the states on the East coast south of New york are in a state of emergency, especially those in the south...

Ya'll keep warm and be careful out there, its a mess. Hope everyone is okay.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 9:39 am

It sounds like many are having to bear some real hardship due to this weather.

If you'll allow me, I feel like I just need to put something into the air so I can feel like I've tried to do something about a situation I can't control.

If you can send a positive thought or two for the weather gods to show some mercy, that would be appreciated. Of course, that's pretty much the purpose of this whole thread, but I'm adding my note to it here, just so I can feel that I've made some kind of gesture myself.

Best wishes,
Jerry

P.S. I've been intentionally vague here about what effect the weather's having on my own situation. Anyway, the impact is severe and I'm asking for prayers, basically. (It's nothing that threatens life or limb.) I hope I'm not imposing on you or misusing the board. My apologies in advance if this is inappropriate.

[ This Message was edited by: Jerry Freeman on 2003-02-17 10:48 ]

atarango · Post by **atarango** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 10:27 am

the snow has moved to Boston...

its already pretty bad- blowing, coming down hard and almost impossible to see where one is going.... I guess I am stranded at my boyfriend's house now for the time being, since I don't want to walk the 3 miles uphill to mine (ahh being a poor student without a car) They are saying 2 feet- it makes me cringe...

you know I have lived in Boston for 6 years because of college and grad school- when I came out here (being from LA) I was terrified of the cold, but most of those 6 years we had mild winters.... now it looks like I am moving south to warmer locals for my PhD and on my last winter up here I get it- I have never seen so much snow... or so much cold....

-Angela

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:10 am

On 2003-02-17 10:39, Jerry Freeman wrote:
P.S. I've been intentionally vague here about what effect the weather's having on my own situation. Anyway, the impact is severe and I'm asking for prayers, basically. (It's nothing that threatens life or limb.) I hope I'm not imposing on you or misusing the board. My apologies in advance if this is inappropriate.

Well, my prayers and good thoughts are going out to you. If you're feeling achey, consider running a very hot bath and sitting in the tub with an entertaining book. I like it so hot that I break a sweat, myself. I feel like it shortens my colds by a day or so (having read that elevated body temperatures kill viruses). I have an autoimmune arthritis and getting very hot makes that feel better too.

Maybe with my new raise, I can finally get the hot tub fixed...

M

Post by **Dale** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:14 am

If anyone lives in the Charlotte area, especially just south of Charlotte, I'd like an update on road conditions. My daughter is here in Birmingham and is leaving for Belmont-Mt.Holly area. I know it is icy, but I am hoping I-85 is clearing up in South Carolina up into Charlotte.

Email me if you know anything. Thanks dwisely@hiwaay.net

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:28 am

Here in NYC, we now have about 18" and it's still coming down heavy. It's fortunate that all public schools are closed this week anyway for winter recess. When I went out this morning for the papers there was only one car on our local streets, but the main roads had been plowed and salted. Now there are a few hearty soles even digging out and moving out of parking spaces on tertiary roads. Other than that it's windy, cold and drifty. We're bringing hot chocolate out to the wonderful building crew who've been shoveling clear walking paths all morning.

All safe, sound warm, stocked up and no where to go here. We'll make a fire shortly. Hope all of you are safe, warm and dry.

Whoever's driving anywhere please take it easy; SUV's or other AWD vehicles don't mean squat on really icy roads and blizzard conditions. Take care.

Regards,

Philo

spittin_in_the_wind · Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:48 am

P.S. I've been intentionally vague here about what effect the weather's having on my own situation. Anyway, the impact is severe and I'm asking for prayers, basically. (It's nothing that threatens life or limb.) I hope I'm not imposing on you or misusing the board. My apologies in advance if this is inappropriate.

[ This Message was edited by: Jerry Freeman on 2003-02-17 10:48 ]

How could that be inappropriate? Best wishes sent, ten-fold.

R.

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:58 am

We are covered with anywhere between 24 and 28 inches in Bedford County PA. We are west of Marguerite. Right now the Cows are walking around in it making milkshakes! My Guys just got in from doing the morning chores, It's almost 1 pm. I opted out this morning. Hee Hee! Most of the extra work was making a path for the milk truck to get in the lane to pick up our milk. We are expecting a few more inches today.

I am not a fan of snow but it was fun watching my son ripping around on the 4 wheeler in this stuff. The Dog was trying to keep up and could only catch him when he got stuck which was pretty often.

Hope everyone keeps safe and please stay off the roads.

Kathy

Edited to add that I second Spits reply. Best wishes to Jerry

_________________
 ~Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often~ and DRINK MILK

[ This Message was edited by: chattiekathy on 2003-02-17 13:01 ]

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 12:32 pm

I've been watching as the storm moved east and now feel a little guilty for complaining in the first place. Looking back from two days later, we came through fine, and it looks like the East is getting hit far harder than we were. Two folks were killed here when their cars went out of control on the ice, but the death toll has only mounted as it went East. This is a bad one, made even more bitter by occurring so late in the Winter when at least the hope of Spring was just around the corner.

From the back side of this monster, all I can offer in the way of hope is that it will pass. Meanwhile, I hope you hang tough, take care of yourselves and look out for your neighbors.

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 2:05 pm

On 2003-02-16 18:26, Chuck_Clark wrote:
About midmorning today, once the snow stopped, we got a good demonsration of country neighborliness. The rural road was a mix of (thin) bare ice and 4 foot drifts. Knowing some folks were pretty much isolated and that the County plows wouldn't get around to our little road for many hours, two local farmers with plow blades on their big John Deeres attacked the drifts and opened the road, while another used his compact endloader to go around and open the more badly drifted driveways. The roads are still icy and nasty, but at least now emergency vehicles and necessary trips can pass.

It seems like farmers are often folks who want mostly to be left alone, but refuse to take their own advice when others have problems.

It's funny that you said this Chuck. After my Hubby came in from doing the morning chores at 1:00 this afternoon. I jokingly asked him what took so long? He said it was because he and my son had cleaned out the driveways of 5 of our closest non-farm neighbors. It makes me all fuzzy and warm that they would think about the neighbors instead of their hungry tummys. My hubby was on the skid loader and my son used the snow shovel. They had both gone out at 5:30 this morning and neither of them ever eats breakfast before they go out to do the morning chores. I feel just a little guilty that I opted out of the milking this morning. But very proud of my guys.

The lazy one in the family :roll:

Kathy

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 3:01 pm

On 2003-02-17 15:05, chattiekathy wrote:
On 2003-02-16 18:26, Chuck_Clark wrote:
About midmorning today, once the snow stopped, we got a good demonsration of country neighborliness. The rural road was a mix of (thin) bare ice and 4 foot drifts. Knowing some folks were pretty much isolated and that the County plows wouldn't get around to our little road for many hours, two local farmers with plow blades on their big John Deeres attacked the drifts and opened the road, while another used his compact endloader to go around and open the more badly drifted driveways. The roads are still icy and nasty, but at least now emergency vehicles and necessary trips can pass.

It seems like farmers are often folks who want mostly to be left alone, but refuse to take their own advice when others have problems.
It's funny that you said this Chuck. After my Hubby came in from doing the morning chores at 1:00 this afternoon. I jokingly asked him what took so long? He said it was because he and my son had cleaned out the driveways of 5 of our closest non-farm neighbors. It makes me all fuzzy and warm that they would think about the neighbors instead of their hungry tummys. My hubby was on the skid loader and my son used the snow shovel. They had both gone out at 5:30 this morning and neither of them ever eats breakfast before they go out to do the morning chores. I feel just a little guilty that I opted out of the milking this morning. But very proud of my guys.

The lazy one in the family :roll:

Kathy

I don't care what the preachers say, I say that farmers are "God's Chosen People."

Feed them well, tonight!

M

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 3:15 pm

On 2003-02-17 16:01, mvhplank wrote:

I don't care what the preachers say, I say that farmers are "God's Chosen People."

Feed them well, tonight!

M

Thanks M,

I have a big Beef Roast in the crockpot cooking.
They'll be getting American Stew tonight, Beef, Carrots, Potatoes and onions. They are gonna have to eat store bought bread with it though because I don't have any cornmeal to make cornbread muffins. I can get out the lane now, but I don't want to chance the roads to get to the store, which probably isn't even open because the TV says alot of the factories and even the Mall! (God forbid!) and most of the Dr. offices are closed today.

I hope you will be able to get your lane opened soon. It's no fun being snowed in. Take care and keep warm.

Kathy

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 3:46 pm

Well, it's pretty much passed by us here now. For those who don't know the area, Philadelphia is in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania, right up against New Jersey and Delaware. It's hard to say how much we got, because it's been blowing around so much, but I think it was at least 20 inches. I went out and shoveled twice yesterday and once more today, and I'm starting to get pretty sore.

They were saying that if we got as much as I think we did, it would be the second biggest snowfall on record in this area. Of course, the biggest (30 inches) was just back in '96, so this ol' Georgia boy's been through both of those now!

We actually seem to be getting through it all pretty well. Today was a holiday anyway, so I didn't have to try to go to work, and the streets are pretty well plowed. I can tell you, though, I don't want to have to shovel this much snow again anytime soon!

Steven

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 4:00 pm

Actually, there have been worse storms on record, but not necessarily in this month. Hyperbole is the weatherman's and the news reporter's best friend. I remember a 3 footer when I was young, and other mega-falls, including the new years day one about 6 years back.

I'm not saying this isn't significant, but The Weather Channel and radar forecasting has gotten people nuts.

edit:

Just looked through some historical stuff...I yield the fact...its pretty bad, even comparatively. I think my perceptions are a bit skewed because this is so cold compared to what I remember as "bad". This stuff isn't the backbreaking heavy stuff. Its two fluffy feet.

When I was in Indiana the problem usually wasn't so much the depth as the fact the the winds kicked it into phenomenal drifts. In Texas when I lived there the issue was that it would fall as super cooled water and freeze on the roadways. Here in CT I'm much more concerned in March when its a bit warmer, and that hideous layer of ice builds up on the trees and wires.

Okay, its deep, but....it just doesn't feel as bad as the news is making it out to be.
_________________
Tyghress
...And I go on, pursuing through the hours,
Another tiger, the one not found in verse.
Jorge Luis Borges

[ This Message was edited by: tyghress on 2003-02-17 17:15 ]