Is It Over Yet?

On Groundhog's Day we got a snow storm. It was a big storm. We got about a foot of snow. Really heavy wet snow. That foot of snow was on top of a storm that had a good 6 inches fall plus all the other storms before that. It has been kind of crazy. People every where were warning about cleaning off your roof and the dangers of ice dams. Until I moved here I had never heard of a roof rake or an ice dam. Now I was calling around trying to find roofer to remove my roof top snow and ice dams as they were causing my roof to leak. And then, suddenly, it was 50 degrees out. Just last week, the Friday starting vacation driving home my car thermometer read 53 degrees outside. It was amazing. You started to dream. Dreaming of going to work with only one pair of shoes instead of wearing the snow boots and changing into nicer foot wear once you got there. Dreaming of not having to wind scarves around your neck and stuff the kids into snow pants. There were big slushy puddles to dodge around on a run and the snow drifts dropped down about a foot in two days. Then it ended. Just as quickly as it began.

It shouldn't have surprised me. It is only February. Those words were on the lips of people everywhere. It started out with just a temperature drop. Over thirty degrees in 24 hours. A reality check. All those puddles turned to ice and sidewalks became a skating rink. Then, yesterday, came the snow. Another big storm of about ten inches. Although it is hard to measure really because it was so windy it blew it all over the place. I am suppose to feel grateful for the wind, since it blew things around so much there isn't a lot of snow back on my roof. And I am grateful, but there is still some up there and new ice is forming and with it probably new ice dams.

According to the weather people we have a chance of setting a new snow fall record for February. Apparently we are on the cusp of beating the record set in 2008. They feel our odds are good since we are due to receive another storm on Sunday into Monday of a scant 2-4 inches, but just enough to push us over the record. I find them to be a little too excited about these records. For me I keep thinking the same thing, "Where am I suppose to put all this snow?" Just look at it...

piled everywhere.

Usually I can fit two cars in my driveway. Now, it is down to one. See that gate?

Most winters I shovel a path so that I can open it. Fat chance on that this winter. Once they shoveled everything off the roof and into the driveway, there went any chance of actually being able to use the gate.

The dog is another challenge with this much snow. This is his path.

It leads over to the gate which, if opened, would lead you to a wall of snow. it doesn't really matter to the dog. He hates the cold and snow and spends most of his day seeking out warmth.

It has been a long winter. We are all feeling it. The mail isn't helping with its influx of catalogs bearing models in, of all things, swimsuits. I stare at them in as if they are from another planet. Who could be thinking about wearing a swimsuit? It seems to far away to even contemplate. I was cleaning out my closet this week and came across my sandals. I stared at them wistfully. They look like foot wear from another life time. So, come on winter, is it over yet?