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Snowy day
A week has scampered past since my last post, eh? Time does seem to fly. It has been a rather active week in this household.
On Monday, I drove down to Pennsylvania to pick up the lad. It’s a long trip, but I like to drive. There was a lot of traffic—way more than on the a weekend when I usually make the trip. As a result, I was able to drive much more slowly than usual. No one was in a particular hurry. I was curious to see how much fuel I’d save with the reduced speeds. Just curiosity. Turns out...quite a lot. Usually it takes 3/4 of a tank of gas to drive one way. This time, it took 2/3 of a tank. Driving there, anyway. Coming back, there was less traffic and speeds were a lot faster. Even in the slow lane, I had a few people ride my bumper flashing their high beams. New Jersey, naturally. So, I had to pick it up to around 70 mph, which was still slower than most everyone else. Going the speed limit or slightly less in the slow lane is simply not tolerated down there unless the traffic zeitgeist says so. Nevertheless, the round trip only used a total of a tank and a half of gas (my gas tank is 10 gallons). Quite gratifying. Anyone who suggests that driving more slowly doesn’t use less gasoline is misinformed.
In any event, we didn’t arrive home until just a few minutes before 3AM on Tuesday morning.
Ever since my kitchen has been a flurry of activity. The lad has been cooking his heart out. I am in severe danger of calorie overload. I’ve informed him that for every tasty and rich dish he prepares, that’s one extra mile we have to walk each day. He’s agreeable. I must say, however, that having someone cook for me is divine, gobs of butter notwithstanding.
This afternoon we’re snugged in while the weather rages outside. I’ve been treated to a concoction of bananas in some kind of decadent sauce, wrapped in a pastry and baked until bubbly. The wood stove is fired up and toasting us gently. The wood racks are overflowing. I believe the lad is doing something computer related in his room and here I am. Pretty soon I should start a hearty soup/stew on the stove, but I am so not hungry. The thought of food doesn’t appeal to me at all. I can’t even work up any enthusiasm for preparing something against the time that I am hungry. I’m not sure I’ll be hungry for the rest of the day. Or tomorrow, for that matter. I’ve been fed much too well this week. I need a day of fasting.
The snowstorm started about two hours ago and has accelerated to sideways snow and near-zero visibility. At some point, I suppose we will have to start shoveling to make room for the next snow storm on Sunday. By the end of today, we may have a foot or more of snow on the ground. It also sounds as if there is another storm in the works for Christmas Eve. There doesn’t seem to be any doubt that we will have a white Christmas this year.
I’m curious to see when the first snow plows will make the rounds. We still have rush hour coming up. The local powers-that-be have already stated that snow removal will be less frequent this year. And, on weekends, fergeddit. There are slim pickings in the coffers this year and it sounds as if we will learn to cope with a lot more snow on the roads than in years past. I’m not enthusiastic about that, given the way people drive around here. And I am supposed to drive the lad down to his Dad’s house tomorrow. Not sure if I will yet. The weather forecast suggests snow into tomorrow with another snow storm on Sunday. It seems like a lousy weekend for travel, especially with the plows parked in their garages.
Meanwhile, the little birds outside are on the deck, scratching in the snow trying to find the seeds I tossed out this morning. They’re brave little souls. I’m surprised that they are out—the wind roughs them up and knocks them around pretty thoroughly. But they are determined to have that last snack before bedtime. I wish that I had a protected/sheltered place for them to eat. Will have to think about that a little bit and devise something for them. My two little indoor birds would like to tell them that it’s quite lovely on the inside with food and water provided daily, heated perches, fun toys, and temperatures warm enough for luxurious and exuberant baths. On a day like this, I don’t imagine it’s very enjoyable being a wild bird.
It’s everywhere!
It takes very little snow to paralyze Seattle, so when we get 3-5 inches and the thermometer gets only as high as the perfect temperature to turn streets into solid ice, it’s a huge mess. Dozens and dozens of city bus routes simply aren’t running, so I couldn’t find a bus that got me any closer to the office than about a mile away (we’re at the top of “First Hill”, one of the steepest of downtown hills).
And we’re battening down the hatches for much worse storms over the weekend. Excerpts from the winter storm warning:
ALONG THE I-5 CORRIDOR NORTH OF TACOMA… INCLUDING SEATTLE AND EVERETT… STORM-TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES IS EXPECTED.
A MAJOR DISRUPTIVE WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT MOST OF WESTERN WASHINGTON LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY…
.A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL SPREAD PRECIPITATION INLAND OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON STARTING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY. A COMBINATION OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS… HEAVY SNOW… STRONG WINDS AND ICE BUILDUPS ARE EXPECTED.
What the forecast doesn’t say is that we’re due for very high winds ... this morning I heard about 40-50 MPH sustained on Sunday, though they’re backing off from those numbers now.
I hope I don’t lose power ... my condo is all-electric.
[cruelly, my captcha is “hot"]
I read a news report that said a couple of Seattle buses collided, with one hanging off an overpass somewhere. Sounds rather unpleasant out there. When was the last time you guys had any measurable snow? Mountains, yes, but downtown? I do hope you don’t have to cope with ice and high winds. That’s the kiss of death, right there. Being all electric, that’s not a happy prospect. Many folks around here still have no power from the ice/wind storm last Thursday night. On my trip out through the middle of the state on Monday, it was pretty shocking to see the devastation to the trees along the way. Good luck! Hope you have some candles?
I’m basically completely unprepared. Didn’t lose power in last winter’s (or was it the year before’s?) big windstorms. I hope that’s not a case of pressing my luck. I think I’ll have a window of opportunity to get stuff tomorrow morning.
The bus crash story was just the most harrowing of many. Here are links to the news story, the photo gallery (popup), and some video.
Oh, looks like maybe we’ll be spared the worst of the winds—we’re the light green 20/30 gusts area on the east side of the Sound. I guess the howling winds to our east will hit the Cascades and go over top of us here.
PS. Hi to the lad.
9° this morning, at least a foot of snow where it did NOT drift and more where it did and yes, another coming tomorrow - supposedly another foot. The first of our houseguests is flying in (or hoping to) tomorrow night. The next round of them are driving here on Tuesday which looks to be the only decent day all week. A white Christmas it will be this year!! If the lad gets sick of cooking for you send him down, I could use a little help in the kitchen....;)
...and look at this, more snow this morning!! Have been sitting here with camera in hand hoping to get a picture to send, but so far not working. My cat is sitting next to me with her nose pressed against the slider. The birds and squirrel have been busy eating seeds I threw out on top of the snow.....I did it for two reasons. One cause they are hungry and two, to amuse Dusty cause she is so frustrated at not being able to go out and play~! A few minutes ago I looked over and it was hilarious, there she was tail twitching, whole body twitching, nose against the glass and on the other side was a little squirrel with its nose almost on the glass doing just about the same thing. It was too funny which is why I grabbed the camera, but now of course they aren’t getting so up close and personal..........
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow....as if we have a choice. We shoveled out a foot of snow yesterday and looks as if we’ll shovel out another foot of snow today. It’s coming down with gusto this morning. And the heaviest part hasn’t even started yet. My goodness. Winter has definitely arrived.
I have realized that there is one advantage to not having as much snow plowage this year....the snow plow doesn’t sock my driveway in anywhere near as thoroughly as before. And definitely not while in the middle of shoveling. Small mercies.
My squirrels are miserable this morning. They can’t find their peanuts. They know their peanuts are under the snow, but they haven’t had much success in finding them yet. Poor little guys. I probably should put a plate or pan out there with the peanuts in plain view. Until that’s also buried.
Abbie made the mistake of dashing out the door yesterday. I’m ordinarily very careful about leaving the door open, since she likes to escape at every opportunity. But with a foot of snow on the deck, I wasn’t too concerned. Sure enough she dashed out the door and dashed right back in again as soon as her feet made contact with that icky cold white stuff. The look on her face registered her utter horror. I don’t think she’ll try that again until spring.
Poor little birdies. I always am so worried about the little animals when the weather turns foul. Althought we never get anything like you do here in So Cal, just rain.
It really can stop snowing now. Really. Global warming, bring it on, I say! LOL. I was out there yesterday at 6 AM shoveling the freaking stuff so GC2 could be to work at 7:30. It took me over a hour to shovel us out. They kept the roads here plowed pretty well. Even for a chicken like me!
I planned for all this snow and having to stay cooped up for a few days. Bought tons of flour and baking stuff. Figured if I can’t leave the kids and I could bake away. Did not quite work that way tho. Computer froze up while I was trying to leave a comment here and went down hill from there. Spent way too much time trying to figure it out. Still not sure what was happening. The electric mixer fried out. Just bought it the day before. Ran out to exchange it before we could continue. Sigh. By the time we finished it was time to start picking people up from work and dropping one off to work. Then it was time to start dinner. After that I was to pooped to bake!
We have lots of cookie doe in the fridge.
Oh HELP! I think my puter (I am on GC1’s laptop) Call me when you get up please. I need to pick your brain a bit. It keeps freezing up on me. I am not even sure I can get it to run long enough to re-install windows, Urrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggg, I need this three days before Christmas? It took me five tries to leave that last comment and I didn’t even get to finish it lol. Between the computer and snow I am about to jump the cliff! Tell you all about it when I talk to you.