Frightful

This is the view from the porch this morning as I ventured out to do snow removal. See the trees way in the back? They are just before you get to the road--about 150 feet away.
Here's how the process went. I floundered to the shed through knee deep snow. Once at the Coffin Microbrewery, I discovered that the door opening mechanism was frozen shut. We are talking four things that have to release on a span of at least six feet. Back through the snow to get a hammer. Bang, bang (repeated several times). Finally broke the handle free and then needed both hands to try to swing it out. Bigger bang as the door broke free (luckily not at the hinges!). Now I needed to move my big lawn tractor to the side to get to the snowblower. Not an easy feat at the best of times, but now made a bit trickier by there being a flat rear tire on the mower. I mean realllllllly flaaaaaat. And cold. No rolling of tires now. Being ever resourceful, I found a shovel with a flat edge and used it as a pry bar to move the mower inches at a time to the right and toward the back of the shed. Fiiiiiinalllly got it out of the way--sometimes by lifting the rear end and moving it to the right. Jimmied the snowblower to the front--did I mention there are metal shelves on both sides of the shed, there is a cap on my snowblower and I have an extra 4 x 8 foot piece of drywall to help things along? Ran the extension cord from the house to the shed for the electric starter. It whirred just fine--just did not catch the flywheel. Pulled the starter rope to see if that would help engage things. No joy. Tried and tried. Finally gave up. Called my brother for help. (I hate being the weakest link--but....) He came down and tried to start it--no luck either. (Okay, I felt better knowing it wasn't just me!) So back to his house he went to get his snowblower. He snowblowed, I shoveled and we finally got the drive cleared out. He took my snowblower and his back to his house on the back of his pickup. I told him mine knew it was not going to Disney and liked riding on his truck as the consolation prize!

We had some good east wind and my wreath is filled with snow. When I went to let Lynnie out that morning, the drift against the door was over two feet tall.

And all this was before 2:30 pm! With more of the same weather and winds predicted for the rest of the week, with a Nor'easter for the weekend, I stocked up on groceries, dog and cat food and gassed up the Jeep. It's not like I can't keep busy--let me see, which of the over 120 unfinished quilts should I pull out first?

Hugging myself to stay warm,
Sharon