<p>Schools around here got out early rather than cancelling. I got home early, and it was a mess on the roads. I’m hoping not to have a snow day at work tomorrow - even though I’m a computer person with a laptop, I’m not allowed to work at home. Makes no sense, but them’s the rules.</p>
<p>My d is school in Rochester, NY. First time in 4 years, the school sent out a message about the storm coming tomorrow! That’s gotta be some storm out there!</p>
<p>Our schools stayed open for the full day today.</p>
<p>I was out driving around around 2:00, it wasn’t that bad if the plows had been by recently.</p>
<p>I’m guessing we will be closed tomorrow, but who knows.</p>
<p>horrid. just left the house to go for a ride around the neighborhood with my husband. just to get out and about–took the dog along and stopped by the dog park. we were out of the car just long enough for him (the dog!) to take care of his business. back home. </p>
<p>what do you do with your pets? i had tried to open the patio door so the dog could go out in his little fenced area and once the door cracked open and the snow/sleet/wind came rushing through he turned around and made a bee-line for safety. hence the quick ride to the park…he’s good for now, but what do you really do when you just can’t go out and walk and they don’t want to go outside?</p>
<p>It only takes the dogs a couple of days to figure out they have to be really quick about doing their business. Until they grasp the concept of freezing their butts off, they usually go outside and then come back in without finishing the task. Keep a washable throw rug by the back door. Be careful of your dogs paws if the temp gets below zero.</p>
<p>Just shoveled the deck (again), about 10 inches of new snow. It was light and fluffy and pretty easy shovelling, or at least as easy as picking up 10 inches of snow and throwing it over the railing can be. But, wow, was the footing treacherous. Snow melting off the roof has been hitting the deck and freezing on contact. I just about went down a dozen times.</p>
<p>That’s why I chip ice off the driveway when it builds up to a level where salt is ineffective.</p>
<p>I spent some time working on the roof and then whacked at some of the ice. I wasn’t using gloves and my hands got numb picking it up and throwing it off the roof. Went back in, made some toast for sandwiches, did some work on the computer and went back out with gloves. Made good progress around the window and then went to eat sandwiches and added a third monitor to my computer. Will go and work around the other window in a few minutes. After working on the ice, I will shovel the snow down as far as I can and then use the snow rake to pull it off the edge.</p>
<p>And then I get to do it over again tomorrow.</p>
<p>And this weekend.</p>
<p>I don’t know what you can do about ice on wood. You can really use an ice chipper without concerns over damaging the wood and I imagine that salt isn’t good for the wood either. Perhaps a tarp to catch the water for runoff? Home Depot is probably selling a lot of shovels, hoes, snow rakes, salt, snowblowers, and picks.</p>
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<p>We have so much snow, for my labrador, it gives new meaning to the phrase, “freezing her butt off”. We used the snowblower to clear a path but she insists on going into the deep snow to do her business.</p>
<p>An article on preparedness - especially about the losing power kind. We did lose power for about 18 hours at our home a few years ago. If the town goes without power long enough, then water pressure can become a problem. We have backup in that we can stay at the kids’ apartment and we have other relatives in the area. It is good to have water, food, batteries, maybe a radio in the event of a power outage and some stuff in the car in case of getting stranded. I see a lot of people filling up their gas tanks before storms too - you don’t want to run out of gas if you’re stuck in slow traffic.</p>
<p>[Storm</a> outlook: Get fuel, water, lots of batteries - MarketWatch](<a href=“http://www.marketwatch.com/story/storm-outlook-get-fuel-water-lots-of-batteries-2011-02-01]Storm”>Storm outlook: Get fuel, water, lots of batteries - MarketWatch)</p>
<p>I’m not too eager to have the power go out. In the ice storm in 2002 November, we lost power for three days and it was NOT fun. No water, no heat (except we do have a gas fireplace and a kerosene heater…thank goodness). There was ice everywhere and snapping the tree limbs at night, it sounded like gunshots. It was also windy…and very cold. </p>
<p>I honestly don’t care if I’m stranded in this house all day tomorrow (no school…we already got the call), but I’d prefer to have power. I have a nice roasting chicken in my freezer but I’m afraid if I defrost it, I won’t be able to cook it…</p>
<p>Got an early closing at the college I work at today, 4 pm, which is great cuz it’s my 12-8pm day. Will probably get a delayed opening tomorrow–H already has it; the public school makes its call earlier than the college does, then I walk around grinding my teeth waiting for parity, which sometimes doesn’t appear.</p>
<p>Thumper–my mom lives in rural PA. She frets all winter about losing electricity, so this time she took evasive action and drove through the freezing rain to my sister’s rowhouse in Allentown, where mom’s car immediately got stuck getting into the driveway. Got pushed in by neighbors, but the alley is not plowed out, so she’ll never get out again.</p>
<p>But at least she has a lesser chance of losing power.</p>
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<p>I don’t really care that much. I’m the only one who goes out there and only to cook on the Weber grill. I know that it’s icy. If it gets too icy, I won’t go out there!</p>
<p>Last year when we had 4 feet on the ground, I had to shovel a little tunnel for my dog. He refused to put his butt in the snow and would sneak around in the house looking for a spot unless I prepared one outside. Maintaining that little tunnel was the hardest part of the snow. Well, maybe shoveling the snow off my deck was - it was over my head.</p>
<p>There are people on Lake Shore Drive who have been stuck there for over three hours in Chicago… people are abandoning their cars because they’ve run out of gas.</p>
<p>Always, always, always fill up before a snowstorm unless you’re staying home.</p>
<p>I have about 1/3rd of a tank but there are two gas stations within 1/2 mile. I don’t plan to go anywhere tomorrow.</p>
<p>OK, ignorant west coast person here… Do any of you think flights today will be happening at Newark? </p>
<p>S is on a flight from Europe through Newark today. I am freaking while looking at the weather report. Flight stats says the airport is open, and Continental says the flight is still scheduled.</p>
<p>I hope they land ok, and that they aren’t stranded in New Jersey. I know that airlines like to move people along the path as far as they can, but I wonder if flights will be leaving for the West Coast this afternoon.</p>
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<p>Well…if your son is lucky, his flight will be scheduled once this all turns into rain and BEFORE the temps drop again. </p>
<p>If I were a betting person, I would wager it’s a less than 50% chance he’ll depart today. But as they say…call your airline!!!</p>
<p>We are actually not even allowed to drive on the roads in our area. I have lived in Chicago or Maine my whole life and have never not been “allowed” to drive on the roads. ever. I mean, there have been times you’d have been a complete idiot to drive on the roads, but never not “allowed” to.</p>
<p>It’s kind of astonishing outside, with the wind. I could see how you could get lost. Just white on white on white, with trees.</p>
<p>Yea, poetgrl… I just got up and saw that on my WeatherBug alert. Never remember being told I’m not allowed to drive. I’m just incredibly thankful we still have power.</p>
<p>Believe it or not, H is out trying to make a dent in the drifts.</p>
<p>poetgrl,</p>
<p>Yes, it is weird being told that you could be arrested unless you are a first responder or medical personnel. I’m on a snow day, but H is staying home from work today because our county has put out that order (Lake, IN). A WGN reporter is hunkered down 3 miles down the road.</p>
<p>Our street has not yet seen a town plow.</p>