Snowstorm Destiny is supposed to be done doing her thing and should be on her way out of the area around midnight, so they say, but I'm awake at 1AM and it's still snowing a little.
I'm not sure what the totals will be on the actual snowfall, but as of 10PM tonight, though it was still snowing, the moon was visible when I went outside to shovel off the back porch. I heard estimates of anywhere from 10" to 14", judging by the snowbanks, I'd say we're on the high end of that.
Carl opted to stay home from work Tuesday and I didn't blame him. He's sixty-one now and has put almost forty-three years of work in the same place (that's almost a record, nowadays). He's getting tired of risking life and limb in a blizzard on the fourteen mile drive at five o'clock in the morning. I could tell he felt guilty and restless, though.
Joel made it to and from work, but he said his roads weren't great, either. And now the wind is picking up, so Wednesday morning will be a hoot on the roads, too. All of the recent snow has been super lightweight, and it sifts through cracks in the garage doors, making drifts inside our buildings, too. I can about imagine what the driveway will look like tomorrow morning despite the fact Joel plowed us out at six pm on Tuesday.
For some goofy reason whenever we have a big snowstorm I find myself in the mood to bake. I don't need the calories, believe me, but today I cranked out ten dozen chocolate chip cookies. And, as usual, I will be dispensing said cookies to anyone and everyone who shows up at my door just to be rid of the temptation. Such an exercise in futility, but it was wonderful to have the smell of fresh baked cookies in the house.
I should have gone skiing afterward to burn off some of those cookie calories, but the snow is so light that I'd be over my knees in powder. From past experience, I know my skis would eventually get crossed and since I wouldn't be able to see my feet, I'd fall over in a heap.
When I first started skiing back in 1979, I remember reading that the best way to get up after a fall was to lie on your back in the snow and put your feet straight above you (with the six-foot+ skis still attached to your boots.) Now that you look like a helpless upside-down turtle wearing skis, tuck your knees close to your chest and roll forcefully over onto your side, propelling yourself with enough force that you end up with the skis back under your feet where they belong, and simply stand up. Oh, yeah, you'll have to bend over now and pick up your poles, too. But that's ok, because you'll be on your feet. Uh-huh.
I tried that maneuver a few times, but have rarely been successful, mostly because I'm not twenty anymore and also because I've eaten too many of the aforementioned cookies over the last six decades. I end up rolling around in the snow, looking like I'm having some sort of medical emergency.
No, I opted not to ski after the mesmerizing sight I witnessed earlier in the morning in our backyard; a gray squirrel was clinging to the bird feeder, stuffing his face with black sunflower seeds. I startled him and he made an impressive five foot leap to the ground only to completely disappear in the snowbank. He was nowhere to be seen. After a few seconds, the snow started to move and his nose reappeared followed by the rest of him as he alternately hopped and sank his way to safety in the powder. He just kept popping out of the snow like a jack-in-the-box.
If the squirrels are having a hard time, I will wait for better conditions. The roll-over-to-my-feet technique isn't going to work in this stuff.
I really do admire this youngster, though. He's just as sprightly as the squirrel:
(And, you can see why xc-skiing burns calories, even chocolate chip cookie ones.)
I'm not sure what the totals will be on the actual snowfall, but as of 10PM tonight, though it was still snowing, the moon was visible when I went outside to shovel off the back porch. I heard estimates of anywhere from 10" to 14", judging by the snowbanks, I'd say we're on the high end of that.
Carl opted to stay home from work Tuesday and I didn't blame him. He's sixty-one now and has put almost forty-three years of work in the same place (that's almost a record, nowadays). He's getting tired of risking life and limb in a blizzard on the fourteen mile drive at five o'clock in the morning. I could tell he felt guilty and restless, though.
Joel made it to and from work, but he said his roads weren't great, either. And now the wind is picking up, so Wednesday morning will be a hoot on the roads, too. All of the recent snow has been super lightweight, and it sifts through cracks in the garage doors, making drifts inside our buildings, too. I can about imagine what the driveway will look like tomorrow morning despite the fact Joel plowed us out at six pm on Tuesday.
For some goofy reason whenever we have a big snowstorm I find myself in the mood to bake. I don't need the calories, believe me, but today I cranked out ten dozen chocolate chip cookies. And, as usual, I will be dispensing said cookies to anyone and everyone who shows up at my door just to be rid of the temptation. Such an exercise in futility, but it was wonderful to have the smell of fresh baked cookies in the house.
I should have gone skiing afterward to burn off some of those cookie calories, but the snow is so light that I'd be over my knees in powder. From past experience, I know my skis would eventually get crossed and since I wouldn't be able to see my feet, I'd fall over in a heap.
When I first started skiing back in 1979, I remember reading that the best way to get up after a fall was to lie on your back in the snow and put your feet straight above you (with the six-foot+ skis still attached to your boots.) Now that you look like a helpless upside-down turtle wearing skis, tuck your knees close to your chest and roll forcefully over onto your side, propelling yourself with enough force that you end up with the skis back under your feet where they belong, and simply stand up. Oh, yeah, you'll have to bend over now and pick up your poles, too. But that's ok, because you'll be on your feet. Uh-huh.
I tried that maneuver a few times, but have rarely been successful, mostly because I'm not twenty anymore and also because I've eaten too many of the aforementioned cookies over the last six decades. I end up rolling around in the snow, looking like I'm having some sort of medical emergency.
No, I opted not to ski after the mesmerizing sight I witnessed earlier in the morning in our backyard; a gray squirrel was clinging to the bird feeder, stuffing his face with black sunflower seeds. I startled him and he made an impressive five foot leap to the ground only to completely disappear in the snowbank. He was nowhere to be seen. After a few seconds, the snow started to move and his nose reappeared followed by the rest of him as he alternately hopped and sank his way to safety in the powder. He just kept popping out of the snow like a jack-in-the-box.
If the squirrels are having a hard time, I will wait for better conditions. The roll-over-to-my-feet technique isn't going to work in this stuff.
I really do admire this youngster, though. He's just as sprightly as the squirrel:
(And, you can see why xc-skiing burns calories, even chocolate chip cookie ones.)
3 comments:
Yikes, that's a lot of snow! Baking makes the kitchen feel and smell warm and inviting. Had I known that you were dispensing cookies, I would have knocked at your door:) I feel old and tired just looking at that energetic youngster. Happy baking.
Maybe some day you will be cross-country skiing with Audrey, and showing videos of her. I eat way too much when trapped in the house too.
"ten dozen chocolate chip cookies"... dear lord, that's a lot of cookies. I know a lot of people at work who'd jump at the chance to sample them.
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