While waiting out the Nor’easter on Thursday:
Scoutie in the tunnel.
Reading material, remote and coffee.
The remains of some soup and a banana. The tray is balanced on the wire laundry basket, which is now sans yarn. I’ve stored it in my All Things Creative Closet as I’m not crocheting at the moment and it was getting dusty.
Warm slippers.
The view outside at the end of the day yesterday:
Scout must feel she’s in some sort of sensory deprivation experiment. As she walks the paths in the dog corral, she can’t see over the walls of snow. She definitely seemed stressed yesterday and I don’t blame her. I’m stressed. It’s also slippery snow, which makes navigating it quite tricky. I wish I could make it easier for her.
As to your questions about shoveling, this property is somewhat rural. It’s not like it was when I was growing up and I lived in a suburban environment, with a relatively short driveway and paved sidewalks. We have a long, uphill gravel driveway. We have no sidewalks. We live on a little hill and there is a little hill in back of the house. When snow falls this heavily it drifts downhill and the piles of snow are even bigger than our neighbor’s across the street, who live on a relatively flat piece of property. Right outside my kitchen window, the snow is extremely high because it’s at the bottom of a hill. I’m going to have to shovel some of that out of the way before I rake the kitchen roof. It’s very daunting at the moment.
Paths for Scout must be shoveled so she can get uphill to the dog corral and move around the corral. Paths have to be shoveled out to the driveway from the kitchen door and the front door. Paths have to be shoveled to the shed and the trash can. Yesterday morning, the plow had created a wall between the mailbox, which was completely covered, and the street. It would have been impossible for mail to be delivered.
My neighbor used his snow blower on our driveway but after I tried to clear the parking area and the flat area by the shed (where I back the car up to head on out of the driveway) it was just too much on top of everything else I had shoveled. This snow was so heavy and wet. So I asked Bill to help me again. And Laura and I shoveled to free each other’s mailboxes. Laura’s daughter, who is adorable, also came to help. Poor girl, she wanted school to be in session because it was Valentine’s Day and she had her Valentines all ready to give to her classmates. That kind of thing is so disappointing to a kid. This danged storm has wreaked havoc everywhere, even with kids who don’t usually mind a snow day but sure didn’t want one on Valentine’s Day.
I came in for a while, then went back out and shoveled some more. The plow had been by again, so that meant more shoveling at the end of the driveway. Then I shoveled about 20 inches of snow off the car.
Tina and Noble dropped by at the end of the day with their roof rake, bless them. I’m going to use it over the next few days. I want to do some work today, but I woke up with such a sore back and achy right hand, that I’ll have to wait and see. Maybe a day off?
Don called me around 6:00, while I was making dinner, and asked me to do him a favor. Would I go upstairs and look for a list of phone numbers that he had left in the office? Achy, tired, and depressed, I sighed and said yes. He added that he thought it was in the top drawer of his dresser.
Okay. I trudged up the stairs.
I opened the drawer and said “The only thing I see is an envelope with my name on it.”
Then it hit me. He had left a Valentine for me.
That guy. He always fools me. He can concoct some story that I totally fall for, just like I did this time. That put a smile on my face. Love him. And boy, do I miss him.
Happy Saturday.
Sweet Valentine Surprise : ) I was hoping your neighbor would help …I remember he did last year when you’d had a very deep snowfall there. We’ve had steady snow and precip all winter where I am in Western PA but thus far nothing over 6 -8 inches has fallen at one time. So we have lucked out / seeing Scout within her walls reinforces that for me. Lately it’s been 3 one day, 2 another, 4 the next….so you can keep up with it. What you have been getting is overwhelming, especially with Don gone….
That was my other neighbor, Deb. Thank goodness they both have snowblowers! (We need to get one for next year.) It HAS been overwhelming and every muscle in my body aches. Very hard.
Claudia, I know that shoveling experience well. We shovel to the mailbox and all around it . We shovel to the shop, for Ted to putter. We shovel to the woodpile. The plow goes down the road and then we shovel all the crusty stuff out of the way again. Claudia, I always say, “my butt will never sag and I won’t have flabby arms.” But , that being said, doesn’t mean I am not sick to death of this snowy winter.:):) Please just use caution outside, scoot your feet when it’s slick. Take care, xoxo,Susie
Then why are my arms flabby, Susie??? Hmmm.
Like you, I am sick to death of this winter. It cannot leave soon enough.
I’m glad you are getting some help through this. Lifting heavy wet snow is very taxing on the heart. Be careful.
I am careful, Carolyn. But it has to be taken care of!
I am feeling your achy back and hoping that was the last of the snow. So much snow. Gotta love a man who leaves a Valentine for his wife! Hugs, Linda
And now my shoulders and arms because I was out clearing the edges of the roof. My body has now told me it can take no more. That’s it.
Claudia, I so understand the daunting and depressing quality of so much snow to handle by yourself. We have a “country” house up a long, steep, curving driveway which has been plowed for us, but even so sometimes we cannot get our cars up and down the driveway. Yesterday, I was stuck half-way up (or down) for over an hour while our neighbor helped pull me out of the snow bank I had managed to get into, but we couldn’t make any other progress. Neighbors are the best, and what is that old saying: Many hands make quick (I would say joyful) work. I hope you find many beauties in these long, tiring days to help keep your spring and summer spirit alive.
On another note, I have three Miniology magazines (2 of which are unopened) and wondered if you would enjoy having them as a distraction during this time of Don’s absence and the winter that won’t end. If so, just e-mail me your mailing address and I’d be happy to send them to you. If you’re not comfortable with that, no worries.
Oh, I know how that is, Nora! We’ve had trouble getting up the driveway in the past. So frustrating! I’m glad you had kind neighbors to help out.
Of course I would love those Miniology magazines! My goodness, what a generous offer. I will email you shortly. Thank you so much, Nora.
Your Don is a keeper. Oh My!
He is, Dottie.
Hi. Found your blog about a month ago. I live about 55 miles from Wilmington,N.C. inland. We had snow all day Tuesday and then Wednesday we had sleet and snow mix which was ice. Thursday was the melting and yesterday it was almost all gone and today we have rain. Our house was built in 1938 and we have been working on it off and on since we moved in about 13 years ago. Guess you could say it is a Craftsman style cottage. I can’t imagine having to shovel all that snow, Take it easy out there, be safe. I enjoy your blog.
Thank you for leaving a comment, Dorothy! I love Craftsmen style houses. We lived in one in San Diego for 6 years. They are so lovely!
He is just the perfect guy for you.♥
He is, Beverly, he is!
Aw, Don is such a keeper! Robert and I are apart this Valentine’s Day too and he sent me a video titled “look what I found”. He videoed the flooded path thru the fields. (We’ve had horrible floods in Oxfordshire) And I was looking at the video expecting some poor little creature to come swimming past and suddenly there were stones shaped like the letter “I” and then a heart and then “U”. And then I saw his freezing red hand he used to construct my surprise! Aren’t we the lucky ones. :)
Oh, that is so lovely, Veronica! What a romantic gesture from your beloved. We are very lucky, indeed!
Scout looks kind of claustrophobic. Poor girl. Don is a million in one guy. You better hang on to him.
Our driveway, while flat is 450 feet long. The township plow driver was forever plowing in our driveway. I don’t mean a little bit, he would leave 6 foot wide, 3 feet high pile of snow. And it was packed. We live on the end of the road so we got everyone else’s snow. Plus he didn’t like me. After many years complaining to the town board, he now cleans out the end of our driveway.
I know now you don’t know how you will survive this, but you will. I have faith in you, and in Scout.
I think she is claustrophobic. Don was saying it looked like a luge run in the Olympics!
How frustrating that must have been for you, Trudy – and then having to complain for years before something was done about it! I’m glad it was finally resolved.
Thanks for your kind words and your faith in us. xo
Alright…that last bit, with the card, put tears in my eyes…and I’m so thankful. I know yesterday you said you didn’t care about Valentine’s day…and that was understandable. How utterly sweet of Don….he gets 5 stars! Yes, take the day off…please! That is a lot of snow! Poor Scout! Hope you can relax your sore muscles today…take care! ;)
I know. Finding that card at the end of a horrible day was just what I needed!
Those photos are just shocking! How many inches is that on either side of Scouts path??? Thank God you have great neighbors and that you all stick together. My neighbors wouldn’t help at all. Bless Don, what a real sweetheart he is.
Lucky girl to have him.
Over 3 feet at least, Gina. Probably closer to four because of all the snow pile up from shoveling.
I agree with GinaE up there….those photos ARE shocking!! I’ve always thought I wanted to move north and have ‘real’ winters, but seeing this and hearing how God-awful it’s been for you has made me decide that Arkansas is really OKAY! You are one amazing woman Claudia! I think I’d have collapsed and begged Don to come home NOW. He must feel just horrible being away from you during this epic storm. But that surprise Valentine….what a sweetheart he is!
take care up there!
Well, yesterday morning when I was faced with all of that snow and was shoveling outside, I came in for a break and called Don. He wasn’t there, so I left a message. I’m afraid I was crying – it was so overwhelming!
Seeing your dog in the snow gave me a reference point. Now I can see how deep the snow is! Yes, get a snowblower next year. That will almost guarantee that you won’t have another winter like this for a long time. We bought a generator after Hurricane Ike and it’s been sitting in the garage unused for years now.
Yes, isn’t that the way? As soon as we buy one, we’ll have a mild winter.
What a gift! A great ending to a bad day. I llik at all that snow and since you say its wet im so hoping it melts sloooowly for you! Glad you are taking the day off.
Well I didn’t. I went out with the roof rake and worked on the edges of the porch roof and the kitchen roof. I had to walk through drifts of about 4 feet and plow my way, with my feet. I made a path. Exhausting. My arms and shoulders were screaming as was the rest of my body. So I’m in now. It’s SNOWING again. 1 to 4 inches.
I officially give up.
Oh Claudia! Im so sorry! Wish I was there to help!
Okay, that does it. I want a Don. (Not yours, just one of my own).
I have to say ‘a Don’ is a wonderful addition to your life!
What a guy -one in a million (maybe, billion)!
He’s a good guy, Susan.
That Don, sure is a sweetie!
He sure is!
Claudia, do you have any Epsom salts? A long soak in a hot bath, with or without Epsom salts, might help. Followed by a big mug of hot chocolate, perhaps.
On the subject of Don, could you tell the story (again) of how you met one another? How your eyes kept meeting across a room full of people? How he smiled at you every time you glanced his way? You have new readers who haven’t heard that story, and veteran readers who would love to hear it again. We could use a little romance this snowy Valentine week, to cheer us up! Not today; you need to relax…..
No epsom salts, unfortunately. But hot chocolate and a hot shower, yes.
My only worry about telling the story of my meeting Don again is that it might be a replay for too many of my readers?
Oh, what a nice guy your Don is! Hope today is more relaxing for you!
A bit, though I did quite a bit outside this morning.
Wow, what a creative lovey you have there, Claudia. Brilliant thinking – leaving his Valentine behind instead of mailing it. What a lucky girl you are [but you know that already]. PS – those might be the toastiest-looking slippers I’ve ever seen. My dad always put his upside-down over a heating register before he’d go out to shovel and plow. Makes them extra-toasty once you come back in. Take care & have a good weekend. NEXT week at this time a lot of the white stuff should be gone – temps forecasted in high 30s and mid 40s for several days beginning Wed.
He’s adorable and I feel like the worst spouse, since I didn’t think to do that for him!
Hey, unless you forgot him all together – which I don’t think is the case here – give yourself a MAJOR break. You were coping with frigid temps, never-ending snow and a house in chaos thanks to the Big Mattress Mistake. :>)
Living in So. California my whole life I can’t even imagine what that must be like! We’ve had warmer than usual temperatures this winter, in fact today is going to be 83. As good as that sounds we are in a drought and desperately need rain. I agree, you should rest today and hopefully the snow will let up. Your husband sure sounds like a sweetheart!
Drought is a terrible thing, Kady. I know how worrisome that is.
He IS a sweetheart!
That man of yours is so sweet! I love that you didn’t suspect a thing! Nice Valentine’s Day story. And that snow! You really got dumped on! I hope it clears soon. A dreadful amount of work. Take it easy. You will be glad if you do take a day off before you tie yourself in knots.
Thinking about you.
Tana
Tomorrow I’m going to salt the driveway and that’s it!
That snow is incredible. I don’t know how you are doing it, but at the end of the day a sweet reward from your hubby. xo Laura
My body is pretty sore, Laura.
Would you mind terribly if I had a teeny tiny crush on Don? What a guy!! What a sweet ending for such a rough day. I sure wish that stupid snow would just melt already … or that it would at least STOP snowing!
I know! It’s still snowing lightly outside and we might get more on Monday. I can’t do any more. If there’s snow on the roof, there’s snow on the roof. If the gutters are frozen, so are everyone’s.
Ok, Don is officially a sweetie! (Like you didn’t know that already.) I feel so sorry for you and Miss Scout. I would send you my weather if I could.
Little did we know when Don left last Friday what was in store for us!
Claudia, Your whole story left me in tears. You. Your Loved Ones, my Loved ones(in Ma.) Are continually in my prayers. -Judy A-
Thank you, my friend.
I am so sorry that you have had to deal with all the headache of all that snow—-and Don being gone on top of it all. At least I have the luxury of having the driveway plowed for me. It is about 250 feet long and down a hill. Plus we are on a cul de sac out back that we couldn’t begin to clear. It is something we had to add into the budget when we moved here-snow plowing!
Love that Doln left you the card-and I am sure you felt like muttering under your breath as you headed up the stairs- lol xo Diana
I did feel like muttering under my breath – thank goodness I didn’t!
Love the story about the Valentine card!! Take care, and be careful walking and working in all that snow! Jen
Thanks, Jen!
Oh Claudia. Such a winter. So much snow. It’s really unbelievable. Snow management is taking up all of your time, it seems.
Such a sweet husband.
Yes, I fear it’s taking up almost all of my time, Lorrie.
Thank God for good neighbors…we have one who’s helped us for years. Be careful while shoveling; last year during a Denver snowstorm, I decided to help by shoveling the front sidewalk. Well…I ended up with several dislocated ribs (who knew ribs could dislocate?) and it took several months of PT to finally get rid of the pain. Sleeping was nearly impossible because there’s no way to get comfy. So, take care.
I have very nice neighbors, that’s for sure.
You sure do have a LOT of snow, Claudia! It’s really noticeable in the picture of Scout walking her shoveled path. By the way, I loved Scout in her hat the other day – awesome picture! You had asked about putting a feeder on your bedroom window. As long as you can raise the screen to put the food outside, I think that would be a great idea. Our screen feeder is attached to the bottom of our window with 2 good sized ‘L’ brackets. It’s been up for years now and is very sturdy – even with the squirrels jumping onto it from the deck railing!
Are you getting more snow right now as we are? The winter that just won’t end!!!!!
Donna
I know you guys are getting it tonight. They sent Don and his fellow cast members home from rehearsal early!
What a sweetheart to leave you a Valentine :)
We’re in the high 50’s today and our snow is nearly gone. It couldn’t happen soon enough for me!
We’re supposed to hit 50 on Thursday. I’ll believe it when I see it!
Poor Claudia, I can attest to the fact that you are living in Nome, Alaska, having seen your driveway when we dropped off rake. It was formidable, indeed. And you looked plumb tuckered out. Your usual glow was missing and we felt for you. We made it to Hartford today just as their storm was whipping through. It was so bad and we were slipping and sliding so much in our trusty Subaru Forester as we made our way to a B&B in Simsbury that we looked at each other in the car and agreed to cancel a student showcase we were attending. Hopefully tomorrow we can make it down the mountain safely to attend our friend’s memorial. The Subie has more than 250,000 miles and has never spun out like that. We were very frightened. Stay safe, stay warm. Know there are lots of folks out here who care for you. We’ll get together next week for something fun! Don, you’re a prince! Scout, take care of mama. Fondly, Tina and Noble
Tina, Thank goodness you and Noble made it there safely! My goodness – more weather drama! Stay safe and snug at that B & B – just enjoy being away from home. I hope you can make it to the memorial tomorrow. xo
Oh my..poor little Scoutie..I know she loves snow but even she looks like she is becoming weary dealing with it..It started snowing again last night and into today here..I told him don’t bother to tell me when it is going to snow anymore..tell me when it is not going to snow..otherwise I will just assume it is going to snow..lol..now how did Don know that you would have a horrible day and pick the perfect way to cheer you..He is a clever one isn’t he?
She is not liking the snow tunnels and her leg was aching last night from the slippery snow.
Yes, Don is a sweetie. Little did he know how much I would need that card.
I was just scrolling through the comments and noticed someone else mentioned Epsom salts. I know the last thing you want to do is go out to the store, but next time you do so, the Epsom salts would be a worthwhile purchase. They really do help with body aches. Add some drops of lavender essential oil to the bath along with the salts and you will be totally relaxed. I love the ending to your post – about Don and the Valentine’s Day card. That’s awesome.
What a sweet guy to think of leaving a Valentine tucked away for you to get even though he isn’t there to give it to you in person. Such a romantic gesture. Shoveling all the snow must be exhausting. I remember having to play “beat the snowplow” with our own steep gravel driveway years ago. If we didn’t beat the snowplow then the car didn’t get out of the driveway. I know exactly what you’re going through and I know it isn’t enjoyable one bit. Hugs to you!
Don is a special catch for sure..Hope he’ll be back soon..
I just can’t conceive this kind of weather. I’m in my 50s and I’ve never been in snow in my entire life. It looks like you’re trapped. I’m trying to find a word for what I believe you call the snow drifts…it looks like the Crisco in the can my mother would cook with when I was a little kid; kinda fluffy. i’ve always heard that shoveling snow is one of the most strenuous things to do EVER. What a time for you to be alone! My husband is from the Midwest and he says that when the weather is that severe and so cold, everything hurts if you’re outside…your face, your bones, etc. He says one of the most freeing things for him, living on the West Coast/Pacific, is not having to wear all those heavy layers of clothes. But I’ve always wondered about dramatic changes of seasons and what it would be like to be surrounded by fall colors, snow at Christmas, etc. LIke a lot of things, it’s a trade-off.
The weather certainly has been unrelenting, Claudia! For man and beast alike! I sympathize with poor Scout as I know from experience that my old legs get very achey with the effort of walking on the slippery packed down snow. And you must be exhausted, I’m sure. Please do take care and rest when you can. I’m so glad you have help with it all from kind neighbors. I’m lucky that way, too. Thank goodness! Your surprise Valentine certainly was a lovely way to end an otherwise wearying day!