THURSDAY - THE DAY AFTER

[Colliemom]

Good Morning Everyone,

It is 6:35 a.m and -10 here at the 45th. The big winter storm is now history. But it left a big mess behind. Most areas up here, including here, got dumped with at least 12 inches of snow. And with winds gusting up to 25 mph, that snow also got whipped into drifts. Needless to say, in some areas and maybe here too, some businesses didn't open yesterday. Our county bussing system was even closed. 135 school systems were also closed and a number of them remain so today. Some areas in the west central part of the state saw a mix of freezing rain/sleet and snow and have as much as an inch or more of ice accumulation.

So out came the blowers, plows and shovels and we went to work. There was a little lull about mid mornng, so I went and blew out my drive and the "girls" potty area as they were wallowing up to their tummies trying to take care of business. Also cleared off my deck of all but one deep drift, so they can at least get out the door. The private plow drivers cleared drives all day, the county put the big wing plows back on and went to work trying to keep the main roads open despite the drifting snow. By mid afternoon, it looks like we were getting a handle on it, at least aroound here. The main roads were not the greatest, they were plowed and sanded, but with the snow coming down, they were getting kind of slushy in a way. I did go to my meeting with my financial advisor and there wasn't a lot of traffic out. But that's what I hav e4 wheel drive for and he is only 6 miles up the road here. On my way home there was a bit more traffic, so people were starting to move around.

Meanwhile I noticed the country plow was starting to work the side roads and by the time I got back home, my road was all plowed. So today is business as usual up here. Schools are in session and all's well except for mop up operations. I will haul out my blowers again this morning and go over everything one more time as we did get about 2 or 3 inches of snow after I did the drive yesterday morning. And I need to get my neighbor cleared out as she's snowed in pretty much. So much for the last big snowstorm of winter. Not unusual for March. Has happened before. We can still get a little snow in April, but not like this. Maybe an inch or so or just wet snow that doesn't amount to anything, but winter is over. Going to start warming up next week again, so will melt this away eventually. The poor robins are going to be hard pressed to find food right now.

Sounds like everybody's keeping busy, making plans to go camping or dreaming about it. I know I am. Starting to pick up some staples for the TT as things go on sale at the stores. Will take the cover off when it warms up next month and start getting things ready to roll again.

LJ, been enjoying reading your blog. You certainly are having some adventures and enjoying every minute of it.

Kimberly, good luck with your business. Hopefully some offers wlll come your way today.

Laura, you will do fine with your "teenage boarder". Take her on a camping trip. She would probaby love it. Different environment.

For those of you along the east coats, looks like this storm is moving that way, but you might wind up with rain instead. But I wish you luck anyway.

Well, I am going to check on posts here and catch up. Eventually I will head outsdie and get busy on the snow again. Girls will be happy as the road is plowed, so that measn't walk today. This storm just took care of our walks anyplace else but the road for now. Rats. Oh well.

[Nasoosie]

GOOD MORNING SUE, AND ALL!

Sue, it sounds as if you have cleared yourself out in no time at all! That heavy wet snow is no fun to move around, and does a lot of damage to early buds on lilac bushes and other shrubs and trees. I will miss seeing my lilacs this year back at my northern house. I guess I will have to be happy with my roses and other flowering bushes down here. I see that it is just 1 degree above zero back at home this morning, with snowshowers in the forecast. I hope to be swimming down here this afternoon. I get to sleep with all my doors and windows open, and the early birds wake me up at dawn, which I like. I am charging my new Bell and Howell solar-powered squirrel chaser to see if it will keep those wiley critters from this house's soffits!

I hope the weather is getting more spring-like for others in the country. I got a very sad emailing from National Wildlife describing the slow demise of many poor polar bears as they are losing their ice and starving to death, not only just cubs, but mothers as well. It breaks my heart. I doubt there is anything we can do about it, but......it kills me to read about it.

Coffee is hot, and I now add some decafe to my strong real stuff to try to prevent the spacey feeling I get from concentrated caffeine! Stop by and tell us what's up!

[Bethers]

I put on 420 miles yesterday - stopped where I'll probably be seeing the last rv parks for the rest of the trip (open ones, that is). Will either do another 400+ today and get to my destination, or stop at a Walmart or similar. Problem - it'll be in the 20's overnight tonight where I'll stop - brrrrr. LOL How high and how bad the winds are today will make the decision. So going to go get on the road just in case I can get all that distance or not.

Have a great day, all.

[Redetotry]

Well, I'm glad I'm not visiting you Sue! The temps dropped overnight here from seventies to forties so that's cool enough.
I'm up and have my bread baking in my tiny bread machine. My DH is having problems with his computer so guess who gets to call for help. What's with the disappearing act that is happening, he has switched to Windows 7 and while I was trying to figure out what was going on I would barely touch the mouse and poof, I'd be on a totally different page and couldn't get back to what I was working on. I checked everything for virus but nothing showed up, I finally had to give up before I tossed the thing out in the yard! Hopefully I'll have enough patience to get it straightened out today, he gets restless without his computer. Is this the issue several have been talking about on here that they get their post ready an it goes away? Seems to me the more they 'improve' a something the more problems you have, am I the only one who misses Windows XP?! I'm starting to be more content with my Mac.
Beth good luck on the road today, if you have to stop before your final destination hope you can find a good place. Soos enjoy your new swimming pool. I bet you are glad to be going swimming today rather than shoveling snow. Stay warm Sue, spring will come.

[dayspring39]

Good Morning... wow Sue that was some spring storm for sure... hope that is the last big one for this season... Soos I agree it is wonderful to wake to the birds singing and breezes blowing... Beth take care on the road... you went a long way yesterday...
I turned on the water heater and will do dishes and get my napa salad ready to mix... will not mix it until just before we eat... hope it turns out I have never made one before...
I have a lot of things to do before my departure north the end of next week... I will go slow as the weather is not real good in the north yet... maybe the warm will follow me... who knows for sure...
May you all have a good day...
Kathleen

[Liz]

Good morning all.

Wishing you safe travels, Beth. It'll be warming up in PA soon, so it'll be easier to bear the cold awhile, knowing it's short-lived.

Have an appt. this afternoon at 6 p.m. to view & perhaps sign an agreement that will allow me to move on while awaiting the closing. I'm soooo ready to do that moving on part.

RV cleaning on the schedule for today. Not much else. Hope everyone is warming up from late winter/early spring storms.

[Paulette]

Raining here (MD) this morning and cooler but thank heaven's NO SNOW! Although we may get some flurries tonight I think they said. Come on Mother Nature! Let's get on with Spring.

Beth, if you are coming up 95, I am about 4 miles off about 25 miles north of Baltimore. You are welcome to pull into my driveway for the night if you get here and just don't feel like you can make the rest of the journey. I know you will be close to your destination by the time you get here, but the offer is there. I'll send you a PM with my contact information. Safe travels to you today.

Sus, you have no idea how jealous I am of your winter home! What I had envisioned for myself when I retired. Well, I've retired but having a kid in school has put the kebosh on my nomad plans. Ah well, everything happens for a reason!

Hope everyone else has a great day.

[khenrie]

Good morning! Spectacular sunrise here this morning. Wish I had a better camera to share it with you.

Sue, it sounds COLD up your way. We were freezing here this morning - in the low 20's - but when your mind is set on spring that is COLD. Nice thing about March snow is you know it won't stick around too long.

Nasoosie, I'm jealous of your warm temps and your dip in the pool. Thankful for my hot tub!

Beth - I wouldn't have followed your comment on the temp and where to stop overnight yesterday, but today I get it. Randy was messing with the furnace last night and either forgot or decided not to turn the electric heater back on when he was done. Brrrrrrrrrrr is right. Downright frigid in the RV this morning.

Our renters moved in last night. Had fun introducing their 2 cats and 1 dog to our dog and cat. Went well - though I'm not sure all the pets would agree with that. They will be fine in a couple of days. More furries to love on!

Off to a productive day of teaching, taxes and hopefully filtering offers!

Have a great day!

[Irmi]

Hello everyone!

I got here later in the day than intended but have been trying to get end of the month bills out to the customers where I work. Even though business is slower than usual, this is one of the busier times of the month at work.

It sounds like between everyone here, there is all types of weather across the country. Here in MD, the rain has currently stopped but it is cold, about 39 degrees and very damp and overcast. It is supposed to clear tomorrow with some sunshine but only in the low 50's. Hopefully March will go out like a lamb.

Yesterday I started with the symptoms of what I thought was going to be the awful cold that seems to be making its rounds. I immediately started on the Zicam Mist, and Vitamin C tablets and the sneezing, sniffling, sore throat and headache are gone in 24 hours. I'm going continue taking the Zicam and Vitamin C for a few more days to be on the safe side.

I hope everyone is having a good day. Please stay safe.

[BarbaraRose]

SO Frustrating! Lost my post! When I hit "submit", I get a page that says "Oops, this page appears to be broken". Of course, I forgot to copy my post again

So, where was I? Oh yeah, I love Zicam! I take it as soon as I feel a cold coming on and it is gone the next day!

Finished filing my taxes on-line last night and that cost $55 to file with TurboTax, so that took care of my funds for my day trip to Palm Springs today

Still no responses to our ads for a roommate yet Between my job situation and the roommate situation, I haven't been sleeping well. Making me very nervous! Will just have to hope and pray it all works out somehow...

Have a safe, warm and happy day!

[Acadianmom]

I don't miss Windows XP because I'm still using it. My laptop has Vista but I seldom use it so it doesn't bother me. I hate to have to change something so as long as this computer will hang on I will too. I was having problems with the AVG anti-virus freezing up my computer every time it did a scheduled scan. I tried every thing suggested and couldn't get it fixed so just restarted my computer if it froze up or stopped the scan if I was on. I noticed a couple of days ago it stopped doing that. They must have fixed the problem at AVG.

Went and got my hair cut this morning, I couldn't stand it any more. I will start chopping on it and really get it out of whack. I ran some errands and went to Wal-Mart. Bought 2 tomato plants that I'm going to plant in a big pot. They never do any good but gives my DH something to look at. I wanted a Wisteria vine and some Blueberry bushes but don't know where I could plant them that they would survive.

Soos, here we can buy Community coffee they call Half-Caff. I started using that so I wouldn't be drinking so much caffeine. Wish I could go swimming like you do. Our last above ground pool fell apart and I would have to join a health club to swim. In college 3 of my PE's were swimming and life saving. We had an indoor pool and would swim for exercise all the time. Sure miss that.

Martha

[Bethers]

Aw, Paulette - sorry I didn't get hold of you sooner - could have come that route and stopped there today. Instead I routed myself around DC to the west. Then today with the bad weather - wind and rain - I decided not to try to get all the way to the cg and went even a bit further west to stop somewhere with a cg open where I will have only about 180 miles to go tomorrow. Don't like the place, but I wanted electric and have it. So it's working. I could have stopped sooner - but really wanted to have a short day tomorrow. Would have gone another 60 miles (or up to I should say) if I could have been sure I could find a cg open.

The one I came to is in Front Royal - is considered a resort - and believe you me, it is NOT a resort. Spaces are crammed in next to each other. I had asked for a pull-through (didn't want to unhook the car) and got one. hahaha - if my rig was any longer, I would have had to unhook anyway. But, I got electric and first thing I did was plug my electric heater in.

I'll get to LIW tomorrow and don't expect to see temps much above 40 for the next several days - nights into the low-to-mid 20's. Brrrrr. Will be how I started the winter in KY. Coming full cycle. Kind of fun. I'll get to experience a northern spring. hahaha - mud. LOL And you might not guess it from what I'm saying - I'm really looking forward to this summer. I like these folks and enjoyed working there last time. 2 gtg's up there this summer (Lori's and mine for any of you still undecided's) and I'm guessing lots of other mini-gtg's will happen. And I love that area. So much to see and do. Before I know it the season will be over. So, I'm going to enjoy every minute - including the cold.

[bluepinecones]

Morning is long gone for sure but thought I'd check in just to see if any problem with posting.
Not much interesting to report from around here.
Mother nature has provided what little excitement there is. We had two earthquakes this week - both very minor. Does make one a bit uneasy no matter how minor and they are relatively rare around Huntsville. Then last night there were strong thunderstorms, high winds and tornados dancing around. No serious damage in town but some in southern TN. Missed all the prime time shows on TV last night as all the local stations preempt network shows when tornado warnings in viewing area. Nothing but weather and graphics of the projected storm paths. That lasted for over 4 hours last night. All was calm by bed time.
Got up this morning to Dogwood winter (apparently the dogwoods don't know Easter will be late this year) as the temps really dropped following the storms. There is even a chance of light frost tonight in parts of the area.