Snowmageddon 2011

It was snowing sideways

"There is no need to say near blizzard, or blizzard like conditions - this IS a blizzard!" - Meteorologist Katie Horner, KCTV5

The blizzard of 2011 hit us yesterday, or as some call it, Snowmaggedon!  The forecast predicted 20" of snow, then right before it started they knocked it back to 10".  Half way through it they upped the prediction to 14" or more.  I have no idea how much we really got because there is no way to get an accurate measurement.  I have a (tiny) patch where you can see the ground and another patch close by that is 60" deep.  The driveway is the most consistent and it has around 23".  There was more, but some of it blew into the yard over night.   You can walk out into the yard, stand in one spot, and get 6 different measurements.  The yard is full of mountains and valleys made completely out of snow. 

28" knocking on our front door

I had the best time laughing yesterday.  We laughed the whole way home from work at the crazy amount of snow being blown in our faces by the big semi trucks.  We laughed as we pulled into our neighborhood and couldn't even tell where the road was supposed to be.  We laughed when we saw the mound of snow in our driveway and decided to step on the gas and hope for the best (we made it). 

We laughed when we opened the front door and saw the wall of snow just asking to come in.  We laughed when we opened the garage door and couldn't get it closed because too much snow had blown in during the 5 minutes it was open.  We laughed every time Mya asked to go out and then didn't know what to do when we opened the door and she saw the wall of snow.  I laughed until I cried when Troy got stuck in snow that was up to his booty.  I laughed until I was gasping for breath when I got stuck in the same pile of snow later on.  We laughed when found a snow drift that was up to our chests. 

We shoveled a single path, just wide enough to get a car out (just exactly wide enough) and just as we were finishing up the snow plow came by and buried the drive way again.  We smiled, waved, and started shoveling again.  I tried to go to the grocery store today and passed a semi, 4 cars, and a large truck that had all slid off the road (they were still in their cars, so it was recent).  Got to the entrance of the store and was sad to see they had not plowed the drive yet and there was no way my car was getting in there :(  Ten minutes and a 40 point turn later I headed back home...where I laughed telling Troy about my wasted trip. 

Everyone I know has stayed safe during this storm and for that I am very thankful!  Thank you to the snow plow drivers, emergency responders, gas station attendants, doctors and nurses, radio personalities, and news reporters that went in to work when the rest of us were heading home.  At the gas station today I overheard two employees talking about how they had spent the night (at the gas station) because they couldn't get home last night.  I know many people stayed in hotels close to work so that they would be able to get to work today. 

I complained about having to go in to work for a half day yesterday, but there are so many people that have to report to work in the middle of a blizzard.  Thank you to all of those people who did a part to keep me and my loved ones safe.  Because of each one of you I was able to feel safe enough that I found many things to laugh about. 

Today is a good day! 

Our exit off the highway at noon yesterday