Snow Storms In February

[Sasha]

It's round two of the snow storms this week. We had 30" this past weekend. It's snowing again now and another foot is expected tonight thru tomorrow. It's been beautiful and even exciting at times. But, it's also been physically challenging to shovel and even walk in. It can be challenging on the nerves when driving and being concerned about power outages. My mother's power went out for 12 hours and we could not pick her up because the snow was too deep and no roads had been plowed. I was in a panic at that point. I need to learn how to relax during those moments. We've had some really fun moments too. I hope to have more, but my nerves feel a little jarred at the moment. I don't handle this much excitement well.

It would be nice to hear some snow stories from some of you who are experiencing the same thing. I hope all of you are safe and warm.

Sasha

 

[kers]

I hear ya. I'm excited until I feel stuck or trapped, and then I'm paranoid as all get-out. Every time a branch breaks off a tree I hit the ceiling...and the icicles forming on my heat pump from the dripping off the roof scared me so bad I had to turn it off. Snowbound with PTSD is as stressful as everything else, lol.

 

[Sasha]

You understand Kers. Thanks.

 

[Lisa]

We had snow in te UK - the worst in 30 years, from the 1st week of December through to January. It's still snowing on and off now, but there's been a break so it's all cleared away from a couple of weeks back, and it's not settling like before. Before.. we had an entire solid month of the stuff coming down most days and just adding to what was already there, and it didn't leave the ground, and the amount caused the as-usual ill-equipped UK to run out of grit and it caused absolute, total chaos!!! We're just not used to extreme weather like that for us -- however I have seen the news and what some of you guys are having is just nothing compared to what we had!!

I sympathise, however. I couldn't get anywhere, all the transport was closed for a while, power had gone out with some homes though not for me. Every day stories were on the news relating to the difficulties snow was causing, some were trapped. There were a group of people snowed into a pub for a couple of days over New Years, due to another blizzard and extra snow (that sounds good to me though!). Things like walking to work (on the better days) was an absolute nightmare as it was so icy everyone was falling over. Cars that attempted to go out when the grit was down, ended up caught in another snow flurry, sliding everywhere. Then it cleared up, and rained, and turned to black ice! It was -11 one morning at 10am and I have NEVER seen real icicles! Guys were going around chipping some of them off as they were getting dangerously big and falling...

Now... most people just have fun. I complained, all the time about it! I don'tknow why but after the first week, it just caused me some anxiety. I live in the sticks where I have been finding it difficult to get around anyway (as it takes so long by transport) and it was just not possible, or feasible, to make a journey to see friends who are already 2 hours away by transport... so in the snow when there was transport going slowly, it would have been a nightmare. So I started to get that trapped feeling, and I think I remember at one point actually panicking and thinking 'it's never going to end' - I mean oh, how dramatic of me, but it goes to show... it does get to you! I must say I did panic when I actually got lost in the snow when the first blizzard came down so fast... in a very hilly place... where I was looking to meet friends in a pub that I didn't actually know where it was... So I thought you might appreciate some empathy on the panicky feeling...

Having said that... I did make an igloo and that was cooool!! (Well, I say igloo - I dug a hole through a mound of snow and called it my igloo...) And the 'fresh' bright white was really refreshing on my eyes for some reason. That did raise my mood in the mornings. The other good thing was how much people helped each other out. People were shovelling paths on the street, shop doorways for shopkeepers, people were helping each other up and I must say... I just don't see so much of that on a day to day basis (people aren't always falling about everywhere on a day to day basis). People in the town heard about so and so who fell over and hurt themselves, and seemed concerned. As dramatic as it sounds, it hit this area pretty badly (all of UK badly) and there was a sense of crisis, the world coming to a stop (most people couldn't go to work, no schools were open), and a community spirit?

 

[kers]

Sasha, I also found that watching the local news was a major trigger for me. I enjoy watching the silly reports ("It's still snowing, yup. Still bad roads. Yup, people are still stuck.") but it's all the warnings that sent me into a tailspin. They have been heavily focusing on roof collapses and fires, and it sent me into a real tailspin: "Was that noise a regular creak or a roof collapse creak? I'm cooking, but is that smell normal? is something on fire?" I had to turn that stuff off and stop reading the local news. It was too much.

Putting on DVDs I like and curling up under a blanket with all the lights on (and the window shades shut) has helped. I hope you are doing okay today!

 

[Sasha]

Hi Lisa, great post. Thank you so much for telling your own story! Your story really tells it all and I remember hearing about the terrible conditions in the UK and other parts of Europe. Pretty awesome that you made an igloo, that was something to feel good about : ) You were quite far away from your friends and family. That must have been really tough. And like both you and Kers stated - the news tells so many stories. While it keeps it interesting because you can relate, it can become a little much when warning after warning dominates the TV. I have noticed that people are a bit less demanding over the past week. I guess we all get to a point where we all throw our hands up and do the best we can.

Some State highways are closed due to the blizzard conditions, which is probably safe, one area said they will arrest drivers on the road. It's been snowing since this time yesterday and it is still coming down - but now with 25 mph winds, up to 45-50 mph gusts. I tend to be in a low mood during the winter months anyway, but this - well, it's a bit overwhelming. They are calling for more snow this coming Sunday & Monday. Had to cancel my therapy appointment yesterday. Thank you again for sharing your own memories of cabin fever. I may have to try the igloo - tomorrow. Right now there is pork tenderloin in the slow cooker keeping thee house smelling good. I think I'm going to search my TIVO now for something good to watch. Hope you all are well

 

[amethist]

We have snow again here in the UK, and guess what, no gritters out LOL.

Well ain't that a surprise. No it's not, it's the norm. Oh well looks like it could be a snow angel day today. At least I do not have to trek to work through it all, I never even got to have a snow day with the last dumping of the white stuff.

Amethist

 

[ISupportHer]

In Ohio, they are saying this month's snow accumulation is a new all time record. Nothing like what some areas of the country endure but yet quite a challenge here at times. Lots melting but after the last shoveling of the driveway, the snow on the side was waist high. We have mail boxes at the curb here and some of them are or were peeking out of big snow piles.

Is it spring yet?

ISH

 

[Grama-Herc]

Well, we did not get any snow in *this* part of Florida but it is sooooooooooooo cold. All our tropical plants are dieing and the produce crops have been impacted. We are not use to cold spells this long. It did snow in the upper section of Florida. Does that count?:dontknow:

 

[Lisa]

amethist... LOL. I'm with your mood on that!

Sasha... Did you make that igloo? :D

 

[Sasha]

Amathist - I hear there has been some pretty bad weather out in Europe this year. Hang in there and when you feel up to it, a snow angel is a great idea : )

ISupporther - The mailbox thing is pretty funny (probably not for the mailman though). It gets especially bad when the plows keep plowing in the areas
that you've spent so much time digging out. It's been a pretty bad winter overall and you guys have been getting a few storms yourself. I was feeling a bit cooped up and anxious. It was getting old real quick. Sounds like you understand, thank you.

Gramma- Florida is a big concern. I was reading an article about a huge amount of tropical fish that had died on a personal tropical fish farm in southern Florida. All of his fish died, froze. Big loss of money there, not to mention all the citrus and other crops, plus dissapointed tourists. I think we will all be so happy to feel those first warm days. I can tell the days are already starting to get a little longer. (I'm not all gloom today). And - moving the clocks forward next month will be a big help to most of us. My goal - to be a snow bird or all together move south like you.

Lisa - I never made the igloo, but, I did go sledding in our front yard!

Well, I made it through the winter, thank you to all of you for your support as I never do well during the winter months. March is only a week away. March sounds so hopeful, can't wait to see life on the trees and the flowers to sprout once again.

 

[anni]

I only browsed the thread because it said snow in Feb. We had another inch last night- with the 33 plus still melting and icing up the eaves. I love winter but even I've had enough now.

Funny but someone said Europe was having the worst snow in 30 years, and I remembered I'd BEEN there ( England) for the big snow 30 years ago. The horses had to get moved and they had never seen the stuff and kept trying to lay down in it while we were riding the big ninnies from one stable yard to the other. Noone had chains, either, except some students from Monaco who made us pay them to borrow the things. 30 years! That post took me back-plus wow am I getting old....

Hope everyone's weathering this dreck. I think I'm going to get the rake out today, scrape the snow back and peer around hopefully for any sign of crocus and daffodills.