Is This The BIG One For the Year?

If the National Weather forecast is correct the storm headed our way and due around 5:00 PM will provide us about 34" of new snow over the next two days. March/April usually give us at least one or two of these storms so we are prepared. We expect to lose power for a few days, and so we are ready with reading material, candles, and food that can be prepared without having to open the refrigerator. We don't always measure storms like this in inches but if they cover the windows half way or all the way.

I remember one such storm where I let the dogs out in the morning and they plunged right into the new 3 feet of nice light fluffy snow. You could see the snow moving where they ran but you couldn't see the dogs until they poked their heads up. It was one of those funny moments and they had a great time playing and burrowing in the snow but were anxious to get back inside. Watching them was like that game you play at carnivals where the little animal pokes its head up and you try to hit it with a soft mallet. Of course we don't hit our dogs but it reminded me of that game with their heads poking up in different locations.

So today will be spent getting ready for the storm. Lots to do but we have the resources to do it. Imagine what it would be like if the city or town where you live if you suddenly got 3-4 feet of fresh snow. It would be paralyzed for days. Chaos would ensue and it would be on every TV station in the country. The governor would call out the National Guard and the Red Cross would be setting up emergency shelters and FEMA would be on hand. Here, we just say; Oh well, it may take a couple days to deal with it but we don't require any outside help, just give us time and we will handle it.

This is why it is not a good idea to travel this time of year. Once I went to visit my son and daughter-in-law and the weather was a nice pleasant clear day in the 60's when I left. When I came back four days later we couldn't get home with out walking through waist deep snow and the power had been out for two or three days. It is foolish to try to travel - even going to town -this time of year because this is normal weather and we are used to it. Another time Carol was flying out to visit our daughter and the weather was nice when we went to bed but when we woke up the snow was as high as the hood on the Toyota. We had to break through snow drifts to get out and get her to the airport. I was barely able to get back home after dropping her off. Best thing to do this time of year is stay home and deal with the big storms.

So the rest of today will be used in preparation and anticipation of the storm. If we aren't on the computer for a few days, well that is just normal for us as we lose power usually when we have a storm like this. We deal with that also, just part of living in the mountains. And then sometimes the prediction is totally wrong and the storm either misses us or the guesstimate is wrong.