It is November 24 -- the day before Thanksgiving. It is -3 (that's negative) degrees outside. AND IT'S ONLY NOVEMBER!!!! That is about 30-35 degrees below normal for this time of year.(View of Kathy Lake from my side deck -- it's definitely FROZEN)
Still there is no 24 hour "storm watch" broadcast on all of the local stations, grocery stores still have milk and bread, and the schools are open. Quite a change from Georgia. If we had snow and these temperatures in Georgia, the local stations wouldn't go off the air, and there would be film of all those "northern" transplants who think they can drive on ice, so we get "bumper cars" on the hills (actually I always think these are funny). The grocery stories (and Home Depot) would be closed because they would have nothing else to sell, and every school would be closed for a week.
I grew up in Ohio, lived in Michigan, and have lived through winter. But I must say, I was unprepared for this weather so early. I don't have a winter scarf or any snow boots. I called the propane company begging for help as I was sure I would run out of propane (I have 3 gas fireplaces that heat this house), and someone would find my frozen body in my house (but maybe not for a while as I don't know any neighbors). The nice man on the phone assured me they had the same readings as I had seen on my tank, and that I wouldn't run out. But I said.....it's suppose to get to 18 BELOW!!
The second call was to a man who had sent me a flyer for snowplowing. He was great and by about 1:00, he had plowed out my driveway. About a week ago, I spent 4 1/2 hours in a tire store waiting to pay $800 for a set of new, studded tires. But they don't work very well when you have about 5 inches of snow on the ground, and your driveway has a grade that would cause a trucker to downshift in a hurry.
I did buy a snow blower from the previous owner, but I haven't even read the manual, so I don't know how it works. And at -3 degrees, I'm not about to try to start it now. When we get back into the 30's, then I'll be come "snow blower proficient", and I can clean my own driveway.
Since the drive was plowed, I had to see if I could get out. I back my truck into the garage so I can get a running start up the driveway. I make it about 3/4's of the way, but then the grade gets steeper, and even
the studded tires were spinning. And on top of that I have to turn uphill on a snow covered road. Enough gas and spinning tires, and I eventually reached the top. I've got to try turning downhill and take the longer, alternate route out of my development.(Winter in Montana)
Since I was out of the house, I went to the grocery store (needed to make sure I didn't run out of Diet Coke with Lime). One of the clerks said he ordered the snow -- he moved to Montana in 2009, and apparently last winter they had mild temperatures and almost no snow. He was excited. I'd be willing to say he didn't bring the snow -- I DID!! Just by moving here.
Winter can be beautiful -- I'll give it that. The snow had fallen very thick on the trees, but when a breeze came up, there was a "whiteout". The snow would blow off the trees, and you couldn't see anything. I really like the snow better when it is on top of the mountains.
The good news is that I don't really want to go out when it is below zero, and I painted the ceiling in my bedroom. Today.....the walls.
I'm just hoping that we get back to the 30's SOON, and this snow melts and stays gone for a while. I'd like to get some outside Christmas decorating accomplished and not freeze to death. Very wishful thinking on my part!!!
(The View from my Family Room)
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