Monday, March 7, 2011

I'm just glad I have today off


The view from my front window. (I was going to go outside and take pictures of this little blizzard, but then came to my senses.)
The initial forecast was for 4 to 6 inches, but it was updated later to 1 to 2 feet. We're currently close to the 2 foot mark and it's still snowing hard. Sideways, I might add. Snowstorms are soooo much more thrilling with high winds.

It's been a nasty couple of days all around. March is a cruel month in Vermont. February brings feelings of doom and despair, but March is full of Epic Battles as Winter senses its demise in the lengthening days and brings in the heavy artillery.
I had Saturday off, so volunteered to do the errands and grocery run. Rain was predicted for the early afternoon, so I wanted to get out and going before the mayhem started. Unfortunately, I'd made it almost to the top of the driveway on Friday, so I had to back the car all the way back down.
I do not have good backing-up skills. In point of fact, when it comes to reverse, I totally suck. While my hand-eye coordination is perfectly good for normal usage, it totally deserts me as soon as I move the gearshift to 'R'. I don't understand this, but I accept it to be true.
And while I can usually manage to back down the driveway in seasons other than winter, without courting a trip to the breathalyzer, the white on white of snowbank/non-snowbank makes for needless added complication.
I backed right up into the snowbank and got stuck.
Madman heard the sound of me trying to work the car loose, with tires-spinning sound effects, and came out and got the snow shovel. (I'm pretty sure he was already putting his boots on as soon as I started the car. He knows me.)
It took him a good long while to dig the car out. Never let it be said that I'm not thorough in whatever I undertake.
Finally he got the car free and back out into the driveway. Then he offered to back it up the rest of the way down to the road ("Oh, please, would you?") and turned it back over to me as he hiked back up the drive. (Which was very very kind of him, and also? Saved him having to come out and dig me out again...)
Two hours and three grocery stores later (one of the drawbacks of small town life is small town grocery stores - not one of which carries everything we need) I got home in pouring rain and made if far enough up the driveway that the three trips to carry groceries weren't as awful as they could have been. (*sigh*)
It rained all night and was still raining on Sunday when we got up. The packed snow of our yard and driveway was now a huge sheet of water and slush with a solid ice layer under it.
Madman had plans for the morning, and I didn't have to be at work until midafternoon, and since my car was blocking the driveway anyway, he used it instead of his own, parking at the bottom of the driveway when he got home so I wouldn't have to back down again.
Walking down to the car, however, was a recipe for disaster. Watery slush on top of ice is slipperier than greased owl ...umm... snot. I kept to the edges of the drive, hanging on to whatever branches and small trees I could catch hold of, as I babystepped/slid down that long long ramp.
Finally, I reached the car. Hallelujah! At that moment, I realized I'd left something off the checklist.
I always keep my carkeys in my coat pocket.
Madman had used my car that morning. Which involved using my carkeys.
There were no carkeys in my coat pocket.
I looked back up the driveway and felt tears welling up in my eyes.
Cellphone. I called Madman. When he heard the quaver in my voice as I said I couldn't face walking back up, he said he'd be right there with the keys.
He came down quicker than I would have dared, and I was off to work.
The rain turned to snow a lot earlier than predicted and the ride home was treacherous, involving slow speeds and white knuckles.
At least the driveway was now hike-able with all that fresh snow on top of the slippery stuff. I parked at the bottom and gladly trudged uphill, thinking as I went that the snow should taper off soon.
I didn't know at that point about the change in forecast...

12 comments:

Erika said...

That sounds downright grueling!!!

Lanea said...

Eesh. I see spring coming around the corner.

jessie said...

If I had to deal with a long, steep driveway on top of everything else, I don't think I'd make it through winter. It's going to be close as it is.

Hang in there!

Anna M said...

We passed 2 feet sometime this morning and I believe we are at 3 feet now (without drifts). Wes broke the snowblower last week. I have no earthly idea how we are going to clear the driveway unless it's just wait for it to melt. We managed to shovel a small area for the dogs, shelted by the suburban, but it's drifted over now so have to do it again.

This is definitely the worst winter snowstorm I have ever seen and that includes my childhood here and winters in the mountains in Colorado.

Cookie said...

Oh no! I'm so sorry that you're still struggling with winter over there.

Anonymous said...

I can totally empathize with the driveway hill. Ours is a hill that we have to ascend to leave the house, which means we have to do it from a standing start, no room to get up (much) momentum. Slightly melting snow/ice/slush is the absolute worst.

But spring will come, I promise. (I just cannot say exactly when.)

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Ugh - Saturday it rained all day and got rid of most of the snow here. But then overnight into Sunday, the fickle weather gods dropped the temperature and I woke up to a freah 6 inch coating of snow...what's with that?!?
But you definitely got it worse.

Dorothy said...

I'm so sorry, but I really did have to laugh about the backing up thing. I am in exactly the same boat!! I can't believe I can knit incredibly complex tiny lace, but can't back up a car worth a dang! I've been watching the snow on Corgi Hills Farm's Facebook. Oh my! Stay safe!!

Bullwinkle said...

Oh dear. (Maybe I should post more signs of spring?)

Madman (which is a great nickname) is a sweetie. I'm glad he's there for you. So sorry about the snow though.

staceypea said...

Our two-and-a-half feet is on top of three days of melt. I'm starting to think that if this new stuff EVER goes away, we may all drown.

Also, I could join you in sewing carkeys to our index fingers. I'll bet it'd only hurt for a minute...

Diane said...

And what bright mind decided to put Daylight Savings Time in the middle of March when it's still winter!!!

Your snow looks pretty but I'd be sick of it by now too if I were you.

Laurie said...

Ugh. All I can say is it is enough inadvertent exercise to keep you young and fit. Madman is SO good.