“I believe we should all behave quite differently if we lived in a warm, sunny climate all the time.”
During the night, the temperature plummeted, and the rain turned back to snow. We got a couple of inches, a couple of dangerous inches, just enough to hide the ice underneath it. My road had been slush. Now it is frozen. When I went to get the papers, my neighbor drove by ever so cautiously, and his car made crunching sounds as it was driven over the ice. When I got back to my door, the push knob on the storm door would not work. I pounded it with my fist but got nowhere. I was freezing. I then got a little desperate and pounded so heavily I hurt the edge of my hand, but that got the knob to work. I opened the door and ran inside, happy for the warmth.
We have sun and blue skies, but nothing is melting. It is just too cold.
Last night wasn’t a great night. Miss Gracie had stomach issues so I had to give her more of my spider plant fronds. At 4 o’clock, she seemed a bit better so I decided to try sleeping on the couch. Gracie jumped on with me and fell asleep. We woke up at 8. Just a while ago she again was gulping so she got the last three long fronds. Now she is fine and sleeping beside me on the couch. I am exhausted.
When I was a kid, I still had to walk to school in the freezing cold. I remember walking by the field at the foot of my street and fighting the wind blowing across. The layers weren’t much help. I think it must have been a bit like the Siberian steppes during a Russian winter. The cold seeped to my bones. My face was red and raw. Sometimes we walked backwards to avoid the wind in our faces. We didn’t have the comfort of down jackets. We layered. I wore snow pants under my skirt and knee socks inside my boots. My mother even bought me some pink underwear which went down as far as my knees. I wore a hat, a knitted one which tied under my chin. Winter was the bulky season.
Watching the news, I saw a man commenting about the foot of new snow in Boston. He was asked about walking on sidewalks and the street. He said it was treachery. I thought about it for a bit and decided he might just be right.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
February 3, 2015 at 11:34 am
Kat,
I live in the middle of nowhere on a class six road. One cold night while Jamie was working, I took Nixie out (a puppy at the time so it was frequent.) I was in nothing but a flannel night gown and slippers. It was negative 5 with a wind chill. She did her business quickly. I reached for the doorknob and realized I had locked myself out! Nearest neighbor is a half mile walk. I started trying all my windows, but had to pop out the screens first. Found one unlocked and crawled in. Never so cold or scared in my life, with the puppy crying the entire time. I have never locked myself out since! Glad you got in OK.
Erin
February 3, 2015 at 11:52 am
Erin,
I was frantic to get inside and it wasn’t even night which is so much colder. I can understand being cold and scared especially with a puppy.
The lesson learned: bring my phone and the car keys because in the car I can stay warm until help arrives.
My back door has closed and locked on me a couple of times. Luckily it was summer so my front door was open. All I had to do was go through the gate. I have since stuffed the lock with paper so it won’t lock when it has a mind to.
Great story!
February 3, 2015 at 12:36 pm
Hi Kat,
I locked myself out once, just after I got my new porch door. Fortunately it was in nice weather so no worries about hypothermia but I was in my jammies so not dressed for public viewing. I was considering climbing the old and dangerous ladder to the second floor and popping the AC unit on my bedroom window when I discovered something disturbingly wonderful about my porch screens. They are easily popped with a random nail that I found on the ground. Lift the screen, reach inside, unlock the front door and walk right in. I keep a nail hidden by the door. I also try to remember to bring my spare key set with me when I run out like that.
If I were you, I’d secrete a little hammer or rock by that door so I’d have something that would deliver an authoritative punch to the button. 🙂 Glad you were able to get in.
Plenty of snow up here. I think another 14 inches but it feels like 114 inches. I am tired of snow. More on thursday.
Enjoy the warmth.
February 3, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Hi Caryn,
My sister in Stoneham had the exact same sentiment. No More Snow! She wondered where they would put all this new stuff. The corners are all filled and the piles on the sides of the road are huge.
I will bring my phone with me for now on when the day is icy. I was determined to get in so the pounding became ferocious.
We got maybe 3 inches of new snow then the rain came but it snowed again last night, and we got maybe a couple of inches. I know the north shore was inundated.
Be careful in the snow!
February 3, 2015 at 4:49 pm
I only shoveled the absolute minimum of pavement today. Maybe I will clear out some more tomorrow but maybe not. I think I am done with snow this year.
February 3, 2015 at 5:32 pm
Caryn,
We are expecting 5 inches on Thursday. I am going to scream!
February 3, 2015 at 2:39 pm
I’ve only locked my self out once, well not really because I had forgotten the door keys when I drove to my summer cottage. It wasn’t winter either, it was a rainy spring day 🙂 But I sure wasn’t going to drive the 75 miles home to get it 🙂 So I went to the back side of the cottage where I had the toilet window, the smallest one and cheapest to repair. The problem was that it was two yards up the wall.
So I brought the wood chopping block, rather wobbly, and climbed up on it. I broke the window and (since I was much more physically fit back then) heaved myself up through the window (after opening it of course). The problem was the window was so small that I had to go down on the inside head first 🙂
I managed to get one hand on the compost toilet I had there to break the fall towards the floor which I managed to do with the shoulder first 🙂 I got a few smaller cuts from the broken glass but nothing worse. That’s the last time I’ve forgotten any key 🙂
Cold and 8 inches of snow on the ground. The roads are slippery because of all the ice beneath the snow but I’ve been lucky so far to be almost alone on the road to and from work. I’m glad You managed to open the door!
I was just outside filling the bird feeders and had only my rubber boots on and no socks. The first thing I do when I come in is to hit my two smallest toes on my left foot really hard into a package with fire logs. It hurted like h… and now it feels like I might have broken at least the smallest toe 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
February 3, 2015 at 3:11 pm
Christer,
Twice the door locked me out. Somehow the lock was engaged. Luckily it was in the summer both times. I have windows which face the deck so I could give those a try. The problem is the one window I could get through has all sorts of stuff in front of it including plants.
That was quite an accomplishment: getting through that window without major injury.
Winter caught up with you as it did with us. Boston has almost no snow but has, in the last week, set a new record.
Going around corners means slipping so I have to be careful. The main roads are down to pavement but not any of the secondary roads.
I hate hurting my toes. Broken toes take forever to heal.
Have a great evening!
February 3, 2015 at 2:56 pm
winter is the reason we left Minnesota. last week we planted an apple tree in our back yard. i’m having a hard time getting my mind
around living in gardening zone 8 instead of 4…
February 3, 2015 at 3:23 pm
greg,
This winter, in one week, has made up for the lack of snow all winter before this. We were being smug and got quite the comeuppance.
I am too settled to move. I just stay cozy and warm until spring!
February 3, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Your weather (Boston / east coast) has made it into our main TV news again. I guess we are just jealous that you have all this beautiful snow 😉
I hope Gracie is doing well and could catch up some sleep.
February 3, 2015 at 6:15 pm
Oops, meant to say: YOU could catch up some sleep. Well, Gracie probably needed it too…
February 3, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Birgit,
I took a nap but it was interrupted a few times so I figure early to bed tonight.
February 3, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Birgit,
Well, we set a record so that is definitely news.
More snow is coming Thursday but Boston will get less than the Cape. We’ll get 5 inches or more.
Gracie is snoring beide me on the couch.
February 3, 2015 at 7:18 pm
18″ of new snow yesterday and -12* last night in upstate NY. Brrrr….
Full moon tonight! Enjoy: http://youtu.be/iDpYBT0XyvA
February 3, 2015 at 7:39 pm
Jay,
Fire and Ice
BY ROBERT FROST
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
I do love that song. I am reminded of the film n American Werewolf in London, particularly the movie scene.
Stay warm!
February 4, 2015 at 4:30 pm
I feel for all of you. This global warming, climate change is a royal pain! This time last year we had had around 35 inches of snow which is a lot for us–this year we have had less than 6 inches. BUT the cold temps have been horrible, wind chills very low. Watching the weather and reading you Kat, I am grateful I live in the middle of the map, rather than the extreme North. Keep warm and dream of Spring!