Memories of snowstorms past

I had about six inches of snow to clean up this morning, practically a light workout after last week’s 18 inches or so and giant plow-induced drifts at the top of my driveway.

For some reason, however, I felt like someone had run over me with a truck when I was all done. Fortunately, it appeared to have just been early morning exertion combined with not eating much for breakfast — I did last week’s work after lunch — so a little bit of rest and a small plate of pasta had me feeling like new again.

Freaked out by the forecast

We’re supposed to get a snowstorm later in the week.

It’ll be a pain, especially after the plow dumps snow at the end of the driveway, but neither of us has to be anywhere that day, and the snowblower ran fine when I used it a couple weeks ago.

But then I saw a forecast of 14 to 20 on the local news, and 24 to 36 down toward Cape Cod, where we used to live.

The week gone by — Nov. 1

This time, it was just an annoyance.

It was just something to make you say “Really? Snow? In October?”

This time.

Friday: It could always be worse

Valentine’s Day passed fairly quietly and uneventfully.

Suzi and I went to dinner and exchanged cards. It was cold, but that’s all it was.

Unlike five years ago.

Miracle on a winter’s morning

Because to a certain groundhog in Pennsylvania named Phil, “early spring” is apparently defined as “nearly a foot of snow on March 4,” I had the snowblower out this morning.

Everything was going fairly smoothly, and I was just about wrapping up when everything stopped with a “thunk.”

Waiting … hoping school would close

To all the young folk out there, your old pal Bill has an admission to make.

When people my age talk about walking to school uphill both ways in the snow, we’re lying.

Walking was only a last resort when the chains on the tires of the school bus wouldn’t suffice and there weren’t enough wooly mammoths to go around.

Because we never canceled school for snow.

Ever.

Small adjustments, big results

My wife didn’t like her pancakes much.

Her problem was that they sometimes came out a little burned, and while I don’t have a problem with slightly burned pancakes, she doesn’t like them, plus she just likes doing things the right way.

And now, we hunker

The snowblower is in the garage, and the shovels are nearby.

The gas cans — even though they’re actually plastic — are full. The salt for cleaning ice from the driveway is at the ready.

The grocery shopping is done.

Yes, a snowstorm is on its way.

Now, we wait.

And snow it begins

We’re getting a snowstorm tonight and into tomorrow morning.

It’s apparently already causing problems on its way to Massachusetts.

This shows how bad conditions were on #GWB outside #NYC Thursday afternoon. Drivers were stuck for hours after a series of crashes. It looks like a blizzard on the upper deck! #WCVBstorm https://t.co/SYLmIutqSY pic.twitter.com/sldL72oN9Y

— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) November 15, 2018

Awesome.

Winter is going to end soon … right?

“Don’t look outside,” my wife yelled from upstairs as I ate breakfast and read the newspaper this morning, therefore, of course, ensuring I would do just that.

And when I turned my head to the right, there were giant snowflakes falling on my front lawn.