Snowmageddon in Retrospect

A STANDING OVATION to the men and women who were out in the snow and ice repairing power lines, cutting up and moving trees and branches, clearing roads, finding and fixing broken water lines, and running generators. Everyone who was out in the worst of conditions taking care of the rest of us, THANK YOU, for risking your lives and your sanity by doing your jobs.

THANK YOU to the Food Bank for delivering bags of food because people couldn’t get to the Food Bank.

THANK YOU to the people who made sure other people got to medical appointments.

THANK YOU to the people who checked up on the elderly, the disabled, and the snowbound, and asked what was needed.

However you stood by your island neighbor, THANK YOU, and I apologize to anyone I have not mentioned specifically.

Now.

There’s been talk about whether this was the biggest snowstorm ever.

It was not a snowstorm; it was three snowstorms. The first one was a sweet little storm, and then everything froze for a few days. Then at exactly noon on Friday the 8th the first few flakes of the second snowstorm began to trickle down.

I was going into the pharmacy to pick up a prescription at the time. I saw those flakes and thought, “Uh-oh.”

From there I went to the store for last minute supplies and drove home a little before one, by which time there was maybe a half-inch of snow on the ground. Once I was home, I hunkered down for the duration.

The power went out at midnight on Friday, which was not unexpected. On Saturday morning, nine inches of snow stood around my house, and we were all snowed in together.

The electricity came back on here just before five on Saturday afternoon, and to my amazement, so did the cable and internet. Now I had snowbound bliss.

On Monday the third snowstorm began in the late morning, and by the time that snow was done we had achieved the one-foot status here at Casa Tuel.

The first day of enforced confinement I had a touch of cabin fever. The second day, not so much. I put on my Wellingtons (rubber boots), grabbed the ski poles, and took a walk up to the mailbox. No mail, of course, but it was a good walk.

The third day I decided that leaving the house is highly overrated.

It only got better as the week went on. No need to set alarms to wake myself in the morning, no obligations, no guilt.

People in the Midwest and Northeast who always have snow and ice in the winter mocked us to scorn – wimpy Washington people, freaking out over a little snow.

Tuesday evening I happened to tune into the CBS News, not something I usually do. Their lead story was how winter weather was making it difficult for people in the Midwest and Northeast. Snow! Ice! Cold! Cars going out of control! The horror!

I looked at the TV and said out loud, “Aw, are you having a little trouble with SNOW?”

It was mean-spirited of me and I will pray for forgiveness. Soon.

Did I get bored? Did I miss being with people?

I was texting, emailing, or on the phone a lot of the time, so definitely not lonely.

As for boredom, I had books, magazines, and those good old rabbit holes, TV and the internet. I wrote. I slept.

Wow, did I sleep. I stayed up late reading, and I slept until I woke up, also late, but I had that unfamiliar feeling of having enough sleep. I felt rested, which has not happened often in my adult life, know what I mean?

For those of you who had to get out and deal with the snow for whatever reason, my deepest condolences.

There were times in my earlier years when I had to go out in snow and ice, going to, coming from, or doing my work. Usually I came out of it unscathed, but once, on the way to work, I hit black ice, flipped, rolled, and ended up with a broken back.

My husband had to go out in bad weather because he was a water system maintenance guy. He was dedicated to keeping the water flowing.

We are most fortunate and blessed that the people who keep us going during the hard times are dedicated to their work. It is no pleasure to go out into the roaring elements and stay there night and day until the storm is over and the job is done.

Thank a utility worker this week, or anyone who went above and beyond during the recent unpleasantness. We owe them.