Snowy Weather

Snow is to be expected this time of year but the timing and delivery is variable. On average, we get 6-7 inches of snow in December but the average is essentially useless for predicting the type of weather you are going to see. I’m not sure what the range is but I’m guessing it is pretty wide.

Well, we are likely to end up above average this year based just on yesterday and today. We’ve had no snow the entire month and then it started last night and dumped about 4 inches. Took a break and then started up again this afternoon when we expect another 4 inches.

I think I wrote a couple of posts back about looking forward to the first good snowstorm because I could just sit home and watch it without having to worry about going to work. That was mostly true. I did enjoy getting up and not having to worry about trying to get my driveway cleared off in order to make it into work at a reasonable time.

But I did want to get the last of the Christmas gifts mailed out so I went out mid morning to shovel and clear a path so I could drop the boxes off at the place that sends them on their way. I even ordered a last few gifts for my wife so Christmas shopping is nearly done. I’ll make one last sweep in the days before Christmas to get a few things for my wife. While shopping is done, wrapping is not and that will have to wait.

We do hire people to shovel our driveway but there is no guarantee when they will show up. I think the place we use has to prioritize the professional parking lots first and then they get to residential areas as time permits. It is late in the afternoon and they are working on the parts I left (I only shoveled enough so I could get the car out).

Since I’m now retired, I’m debating whether it is worth continuing to spend the money to have people do this. I mean I am in better shape than I’ve been so clearing the driveway isn’t as bad as it used to be. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it is certainly no picnic. But I think it was a nice little workout. I did miss getting to the gym this morning so it was nice to get in a little exercise.

Tomorrow will be a little different. I have no reason to leave the house during the day. I do have a lesson to get to tomorrow night. That means I can wait for the guys to show up and clear off whatever falls between now and when the snow finally quits.

I’ve always said that I like snow until I have to go out in it. Funny because as a kid, we couldn’t wait to go play in the snow. Somehow being wet and cold wasn’t an issue then. Now it certainly is. Still when the world is covered in snow, it just takes on a whole different look. Like the snow covers up all the imperfections in the world. Of course that only lasts until they salt the roads and start throwing brown slush everywhere. Then it just looks dirty and ugly and you want it to be gone.

The current weather forecast is for a cold day on Wednesday but then temperatures should be above freezing for several days. Which just means this snow will soon be a memory. Funny how something can cause so many problems and then just disappear. The long range forecast suggests we’ll have a “green” Christmas which is really incorrect since the only green is in the few evergreens we have around the house. I guess “brown” Christmas just doesn’t have the same ring to it.