Posted on 01/28/2014 10:47:39 AM PST by Celtic Conservative
OK folks, this whole winter is getting out of hand. I write from the frostbitten thumb of the enchanted mitten, otherwise known as Michigan. I went to go to lunch a couple of hours ago and it was -1 out with a strong south breeze that puts the wind chill at about -30. I shudder to open my next heating bill. I should be able to tell it from the other mail by weight alone. We have absolutely smashed the January snowfall records (at approx. 38" if I recall) and there still a few days left to bulk up the record a little bit. we are in the top 5 for coldest January on record and are on track to reach even higher. I also have the county road commission on speed dial. For the second time in a 2 week period the plow has absolutely decimated My mailbox. I found my mailbox 2 houses down with My mail scattered about it in a 15 foot blast radius. And in the middle of all this one of My fur-babies died (kitty). I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm just venting and maybe looking for just a little commiseration. So how are you holding up in this frigid season?
here in Southern Calif., we’ve found the Decemeber and January heat very oppressive.
I miss it, very much.
I miss hearing The Growler - the county snow plow that you could hear 2 miles away, during the calm of the morning.
The left blade tip height was 6 ft, and the right blade tip height was 10 ft. “She” threw snow at least 30 ft up -— where it stuck on the tall oaks and pines.
In our case, we were lucky ... but also, *everybody* knew to plant flags marking mailboxes etc.
One year, it snowed 10 ft. and a barn that stored our sailboat, collapsed. Then, the county would “pave” the ever-heightening “road” with a combination of dirt and sand.
So the thickness of the snow on the road, was about 3ft. and on top the county would spread the “grit.” It worked, and you got used to driving on it.
Everybody dug tunnels to their homes. Similar to what Upper Penninsula folks regularly deal with in most winters back then. (I’ve not been up there for a long time.)
We also dressed the part. “Slacks” with liners. Goggles everywhere (I still wear them in winter - to protect from dry eyes and debris). I had a flight suit from the USAF, especially designed for high altitude service (still have it).
Even my lowly Ford Pinto wagon had the factory engine block heater, plus traction-lok axle.
I especially miss the abundance of wood stoves and wood.
Hahahahaha!
I gotta call him up and gloat. He grew up on the west coast of Michigan where they reguarly get socked by lake effect. He hates winter with a passion.
CC
You thought the leaden winter would bring you down forever...
Me and my friends try to shake cabin fever by going on a few camping trips in the winter. We can do temps down to 15 degrees or so without much trouble. I normally like winter and look forward to it for that reason.
But when it is this cold, I don’t even like to reach out the door to get the mail, much less be out in it for a whole weekend. So, there’s been no camping this winter, and it’s really aggravating. I’ve been either at work or shut inside the house for days on end. And, it is driving me crazy. The walls are closing in, the wife and I are cranky at each other, and my son is making me nuts.
Can’t camp, can’t shoot, can’t do ANYTHING.
Three weeks of it is enough. I just want to see a day above freezing, for heaven’s sake!
Lived in Atlanta in the 80's. Snow there is a combination of hilarious and terrifying.
One of the guys here says everyone in North Carolina must subsist on milk sandwiches when there’s snow or ice, because they all rush to the grocery store to buy bread and milk.
On the other hand, earlier today my Walmart had plenty of bread and milk, but was out of eggs.
What do May flowers bring?
In June; you won’t remember it.
Just be thankful we have globull warming or it would be a lot worse.....
hippes and libertarians with rolling papers?
I don’t entirely hate winter. I love the perfume of woodsmoke early in the morning. Enough people around me heat with it so i get to smell it all the time. It’s just about unspeakably beautiful too, right after a snow. the whole world looks to be made out crystal glass. And there is something incredibly clean and tidy about winter. I guess working outside as I do affects my perception of it sometimes.
CC
Pilgrims.
Nobody studies history anymore...
All I know is... if that stupid groundhog sees his shadow in a few days and we get stuck with six more weeks of winter, he’d better lay low.
Am watching 50 foot waves crashing on Waimea Bay, Oahu.
Frightening!
Only a few days until February 2, when if the groundhog sticks his middle finger out of his hole that means six more months of winter.
Pilgrims, mostly.
CC
Yep! Just last night as the temperature hit -18, we were about 40 degrees BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURE for this time of year.
Absofreakingly unbelievable how bad this Winter has been. I'm working from home today for the second time this week, sixth time this winter due to our office closing because of the weather.
Worse yet, it's the second time in two weeks I've been trapped indoors with my family for four consecutive days. Kids are driving me crazy as I figure out why some species eat their young.
Make that almost nobody studies history...
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