Twenty-Year Storm

If the Wednesday dumping was not enough, along came Sunday's bigger and more blizzardy snowfall.

Once I finished my annual shower on Sunday morning, I went into the bedroom to mention something or other to Sue, but I found myself talking to an empty room. She wasn't downstairs either. No, she was out back shovelling. She had already cleared this ↓ path when I finally caught up to her. 

We don't use the bbq in winter, but we have propane cannisters under there in case we have power disruptions for our camp stove so it is good to have ready access. I really should have filled the actual bbq tank before winter set in, but my good intentions only serve to set me on the broad road to the hot place.

This little path is what she had cleared by the time I got down there, shovelling away even more snow after what she had done on Wednesday.

By the time I arrived, she was off the deck and digging out in the narrow space between the deck and the fence. The furnace and dryer vents are back there, and they should be kept clear. She was tossing snow back up to the shovelled deck because there was no where else for it to go, and I got out there clearing the path once more.

Look more closely at her hat.

There is also much snow accumulation in the well by the basement window. If it were to melt and flood into the house, insurance would not cover the damage. It is quite a drop down off the deck: too much for us, so I have asked JJ to clear it once the storm ceases.

We checked out front. The driveway blower had been by once and would come again later. The big machine can't get right to the garage, so we clear that part ourselves, but our good neighbours had already done it twice and assured us that they would come back again.

They live across the street but help us out in winter without being asked.

There is also a little path beside the garage to the front door. Although kind neighbours had cleared it twice, a little more snow had drifted in. Not a ton more had accumulated, but I cleared it again while I was out.

Sue wanted a record of the depth of the snow in the yard, so I posed briefly before we headed back inside.

The storm wasn't done with us, but at least we had managed one shovelling.

As I write this, Danica has told her workplace that she couldn't make it in. It is a fair distance, so they understood, and they know that she is very conscientious. Meanwhile, Jonathan attempted to beg off work, but it was unacceptable, even though the public had been advised to stay off the roads. His job is to deliver groceries to the parking lot to vehicles that have ordered pickup, and you have to wonder how many people will actually bother pick up their orders on such a day. He still could have refused, but Monday (today for you) is a stat holiday, and he wouldn't be paid for those holiday hours if he didn't show up for work on Sunday.

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It's past 4, Sunday. When I peered out the window around 3 o'clock, I saw that the contractor had cleared the driveway for the second time. I mean, I could tell that it had been cleared but it was already starting to fill in again.

I decided that I should also do a second pass. I went out back first; a lot more had fallen since mid-morning.

Back out front: you would have thought that we had never shovelled by the garage door. Too bad we didn't get a before picture.

The front walk was also really drifted in although it had been done thrice already. It really drifts in that corner.

I got to the point where instead of throwing the snow up onto the already high banks, I would walk it back to the driveway where the plow guys would eventually get it with the big blower. You can see me beginning to turn back toward the drive in the next photo. 

I am calling this a 20-year storm because that is how long we've been here, and I think it is the biggest, and as I write this at 4:30 in the afternoon, it isn't done yet.

Oh, and by the way, JJ didn't go into work, choosing to forego a few hours of holiday pay in addition to the hours not worked today, Sunday. We are not pleased with the grocery store over this treatment in such conditions when people were being advised to stay home.

It is just as well that Monday is a stat holiday since things will still not be moving well, and the schools would be shut regardless. Snow clearing efforts will proceed.

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It is now Monday morning, and all is calm, the storm having ceased early last evening. When I peered out the window at 5 this morning, I could see that the contractor had made another pass — his final one for this round. We are getting our money's worth this winter. It makes up for last winter when he had life pretty easy.