Let It Snow. OK, That's Enough. Seriously. Stop Already.

This is what it felt like my house looked like. It was actually worse. Not really. But I'm thinking of getting a plow attachment for my Mini.

This was the view out my front window Tuesday night. Kind of ominous!


The blizzard of 2011 was, I think, much more exciting for the media than anyone else. Barring a little anxiety over the power going out (which, thankfully, it didn't), I rather enjoyed it; although, my snowblower could have picked a better time to crap out on me. Over the course of the 2.5 snow days (woot!), I baked several loaves of bread, made pumkpkin bread pudding and pea soup in the crockpot (not at the same time) slept late, did a tiny bit of cross country skiing and snowshoeing, and learned that if the little screw-in gas drippy thingee on your snowblower gets clogged, the snowblower won't start. That little lesson cost me 50 bucks, but I'm grateful that the small-engine repair guy made a house call.

Then I got sick, which kind of put a damper on the weekend. However, with the snow days and sick days, I will get a six-day weekend, so it's not all bad.

Here are a few not-so-dramatic shots from the snowfall. I'm guessing we got about 20 inches or so. Hard to tell with all the drifting.

I had several cardinals flitting around the bird feeder -- this was the only decent shot I was able to get.


The squirrels quickly re established their favorite pathways.



This may not look all that impressive, but I shoveled this by hand after the snowblower died. I think the snow was about knee high and kind of heavy.


Shortly before the snowblower gave up...


Tuesday night, it was snowing inside and out. Think I might need to get a new porch door!


Most of the windows had that "winter wonderland" look about them.


The sights on Wednesday morning.




Friday I was finally able to return the skis I rented (to see if I wanted to buy them, which I did), though I have yet to try them due to the chest cold, which I believe is a special gift from my boss. Nice. What makes people think they are so indispensable that they have to come to work sick? Seriously. If you're that critical to the organization that it can't function without you for a couple of days, maybe you should be asking for a raise. Since I'm pretty sure I won't be 100% by Monday, I am totally taking the day off. Hopefully I'll feel well enough do the stuff I couldn't do while dripping over the weekend -- namely, skiing on my new skis and grocery shopping (note to self: add Kleenex to the list). And napping some more. That goes without saying.

This evening is superbowl 45 (?), which I don't feel obligated to capitalize, though I'm somewhat rooting for the Packers, even though Odie is, I think, still a Steelers fan. I like the Packers' colors better and their small-town roots.

Speaking of TV viewing, thanks to Netflix and Hulu, I'm catching up on Glee and Weeds. I also watched an old (1948) movie called The Boy With Green Hair, which stars Dean Stockwell (Al from Quantum Leap, one of my favorite cheezy shows) as the little boy. I wonder if that was one of his first roles.



The film was somewhat odd, but captivating in the way it delivered its message (war is bad for children). I suppose that was a brave message to impart for its time, given all the pro-war propaganda in that era.