It’s 10 below as I write this. I keep hearing weird house sounds that I now realize are the groans and thuds of a house dealing with sub zero temps. It’s unnerving.

A major storm is headed our way. I’ve poured over the various forecasts; some say as little as 8 inches of snow – some go for 18 inches. I don’t know where we’re going to put more snow.  There’s already more than a foot on the ground. Yesterday, I decided to check the level of heating oil and I was shocked to discover we had much, much less than I had thought. I suppose this is due to all the very cold weather we have been having. I ordered some more, but it won’t get  here until Thursday or Friday, so I’m trying to keep the thermostat at a lower temperature. Thursday is the snow storm. Friday, I’ll be digging out. Not sure how the oil truck will even get in the driveway.

My ‘adventure’ yesterday: Our gutters are filled with ice. The snow and ice create a dam that can bring water into the house. We’ve had this happen once before. I saw a hint of it the other day, so I started reading about the problem and everyone said you should get a roof rake to rake a couple of feet of snow from the edges of the roof near the gutters, which allows the ice to eventually melt in the gutters and away from the house.

I called Lowes. No roof rakes left. I went to Agway. They had roof rakes but they were really expensive. So I went to our local True Value where they informed me they had just sold the last two in stock. He said he’d had them in stock, untouched, for 3 years, and suddenly they were selling like hotcakes. But, I could rent one for $10/day. I just had to get it back the same day as someone had reserved it for this morning. Okay. I rented one.

I don’t know if you are familiar with roof rakes, but the end of it looks like a shovel pointed downwards, which enables you to rake the snow off the roof. There are a couple of extensions that you add to the main pole, making it very, very long – probably about 18 feet long. And awkward. And heavy. So I put it all together and started raking the edges of the porch roof. Every time I hit the wall of ice in the gutter, I would have to lift the rake and reposition it. Trying to maneuver the rake was tricky. Because it was so long and it had to reach so high, I could barely control it at times. I made my way around the house, though I couldn’t get to the highest parts of the roof. At one point, my struggles led me to fall backwards into a snow bank. So not only were my shoulders and arms sore, but I was wet in the bargain.

After I finished, I went inside to change and eat some lunch. Then I got ready to take it apart and return it to True Value. Two of the pieces wouldn’t come apart. I tried putting that section in the car to see if it would fit and it was too long. So I tried again. Finally, while calling True Value in a panic, I hit on burying it in the snow for a while and when I pulled it out, I managed to separate the two pieces.

Yikes.

I’m sore today. But I’ll probably have to rent it one more time after this storm.

I wish Don was here. And right now, I wish I still lived in San Diego. This has been a winter for the record books and I am beginning to hate it with a passion.

I’m thinking of everyone in the South and am praying your power stays on and that you stay safely at home. Send some prayers to the Northeast as well. We could use them.

Happy Wednesday.