[Perna]

I live in Maryland in a tiny townhouse. I'm 59 and my husband is 66 and it's taken me two days to shovel 3/4th of my sidewalk to the street, but the street hasn't been plowed (was partially plowed once but not my cul de sac). The county commissioner made a canned phone call to tell us they're doing all they can, don't bug us :-) and you shouldn't go out tomorrow.

Did I tell you I live in a tiny townhouse and only bought food for an extra 2-3 days, not a week? We're expecting another half foot of snow Tuesday into Wednesday.

I have a four wheel drive vehicle but it's across the street in a parking pad (same street that hasn't been plowed). I waded over to it this afternoon to see if I could do anything (what do you do with three feet of snow on top of an already high windshield and roof? Where do you put it even if you are strong enough to lift it?). I almost got it stuck (and me asphyxiated with the snow as high as the exhaust pipe) and finally gave up.

I was beginning to get seriously stressed but the neighbor on my right was coming home (has been stranded elsewhere) and got stuck in the road and I saw his son out there trying to unstick him so went out and the neighbor on the left opened his second story window and we started talking and he can get out/has been out and said he'll drive me up to the grocery store tomorrow morning!

Woo Hoo!! But I'm still worried about logistics, getting my car out, cabin fever, etc. I'm glad I'm retired but it is no fun being older/weaker. Next year I'm going to have to see if I can figure out how to store more non perishables come November.

[perpetuallysad]

Oh I am so glad your neighbor is going to help you out, Perna. I would be freaked out if I was stuck in my house. I'm glad you have a helpful neighbor.

[Yoda]

I can so relate. I got my car stuck in the snow in January two miles from home. Fortunately a neighbor with better tires drove me home and even gave me a bag of cat food. I am going to start stocking more cat and horse food and made a list of people food that I can stock for snowy weather especially ready to eat food for when the power is out.

I hope you get your vehicle out of the snow soon.

Forty days until spring...

[darkrunner]

Hi Perna,
I agree, weather this time of the year can be very stressful.
It took my H and I three hours to shovel the 2 feet of snow from our driveway. My back is killing me today.
Schools are closed tomorrow and they are still saying the roads are bad, but I have to make it to work somehow tomorrow and I am very nervous.
Anyway, I just wanted to say...I can relate to what you're feeling.
Take good care...

[skeksi]

Perna, I understand! I had to stop watching the news as I was getting very stressed by the warnings about roof collapses. Now I'm afraid to go to sleep in case my house falls on me. Seriously!

Weather like this can be hard because when you are stuck, you can feel powerless. Finding someone who can help you go get food was a great idea. Knowing that you are equipped for being stuck helps a lot. Please, take care as you shovel out! It's a big job. I hope your neighbors are able to help you a bit with the shoveling, too.

[lorna]

Nice neighbors are the best!! They always are there when you need them

[elliemay]

Originally Posted by Perna

I live in Maryland in a tiny townhouse. I'm 59 and my husband is 66 and it's taken me two days to shovel 3/4th of my sidewalk to the street, but the street hasn't been plowed (was partially plowed once but not my cul de sac). The county commissioner made a canned phone call to tell us they're doing all they can, don't bug us :-) and you shouldn't go out tomorrow.

Did I tell you I live in a tiny townhouse and only bought food for an extra 2-3 days, not a week? We're expecting another half foot of snow Tuesday into Wednesday.

I have a four wheel drive vehicle but it's across the street in a parking pad (same street that hasn't been plowed). I waded over to it this afternoon to see if I could do anything (what do you do with three feet of snow on top of an already high windshield and roof? Where do you put it even if you are strong enough to lift it?). I almost got it stuck (and me asphyxiated with the snow as high as the exhaust pipe) and finally gave up.

I was beginning to get seriously stressed but the neighbor on my right was coming home (has been stranded elsewhere) and got stuck in the road and I saw his son out there trying to unstick him so went out and the neighbor on the left opened his second story window and we started talking and he can get out/has been out and said he'll drive me up to the grocery store tomorrow morning!

Woo Hoo!! But I'm still worried about logistics, getting my car out, cabin fever, etc. I'm glad I'm retired but it is no fun being older/weaker. Next year I'm going to have to see if I can figure out how to store more non perishables come November.

Disasters like this can bring out the best, and unfortunately the worst in people (luckily it's usually the best). I'm so glad you have good neighbors.

We don't get much snow where I live, but when we do it is truly a pseudoarmageddinsh event. Because it happens so infrequently, we don't have the infrastructure to deal with it, and can't justify the expenditure. Basically, like you, we are stuck.

However, try to remember that this too shall pass. It's a temporary situation, it will end, and life will return to normal. It's a bump, albeit a big one, but just a jostle.

Preparing a disaster kit is a great idea, of course I'm a PTSDer and I just sit around and mull over worst case scenario all the time. Hypervigilant much? I just hate to feel out of control and there is nothing like the weather to reinforce that control is just an illusion (IMO).

It'll all come round and you will be free again. Until that time, steady as she goes. Steady as she goes.

Mother Nature certainly is a powerful reminder of our frailty.

Perhaps a humorous reminder:

[pegasus]

Sent you something, hope it cheers you up!

((((((((( Perna ))))))))))

[billieJ]

Dear Perna ~ I live in TX, US, so I can't identify much with that much snow, although that was a storm like that when I was living in OK. What I do identify with is the atrocities of being older and weaker. I am the same age as you and FEEL the same age as your husband! It is hard. It does seem to offer an opportunity for neighborhood closeness, and I applaud the neighbor who helped you. Hopefully you will find an opportunity to return the favor. Possibly you could form a small advocacy group to get your street plowed by the city? billieJ

[elliemay]

Originally Posted by TheByzantine

Mother Nature certainly is a powerful reminder of our frailty.

Perhaps a humorous reminder:

Oh lord, how old am I? I actually remember that commercial (and hoping the cougar would eat her - I was very dark, even as a child ).

It seems to me that mother nature like to fool us more often than not.

[Perna]

Thanks for all your good wishes. My husband and I woke late the next morning, 8:15 and I was having sinus issues so woke him to go down and be ready to go to the store with the neighbor and he got downstairs in time to see the neighbor inexplicably drive off by himself. But the snow plow came. . . and got stuck, LOL. He had to call a big, yellow, meanie machine that looked like a praying mantis to get him out and that vehicle did a really good job of finishing the plowing, down to cement and half the parking pad across the street, putting the snow on the "island" in the middle.

The neighbor came home and dug out the tracks of our Ford Explorer 4-wheel drive and husband and I got up to our local grocery store which is large and well-stocked. So, I got enough stuff (2-1/2 dozen eggs and a pound and 3/4 of butter, etc. :-) to last to this weekend for sure. Today's been hard, another blizzard. Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia ain't equipped for this stuff.

My other neighbor's 20 year old son (he use to mow our lawn in the summer but doesn't always live at home anymore so can't be counted on) came to the door this morning while I was standing looking out and he was on his way to buy a snow blower, if he could find one, and told me not to worry about this particular mess. His mother's a nurse and he has/had to get her to work. Haven't seen him since, hope he/they are okay (he has a huge Dodge diesel truck).

I took this about an hour or two ago; I just went out to shovel and there's definitely over a foot of new snow:

[BarbGStar]

Just joing in at P.C. I completely understand the weather stress. We're also very grateful for some wonderful guys who come around and plow our driveway whenever we have a big snow. We still have to shovel a long ramp, but it's much more do-able when the rest is done.

[trixielou]

i live in west virginia but in the valley 20 miles east of charleston. from where i live u start going up in elevation so in this state whatever elevation is nite & day. last nite we had some strong winds & white out conditions here & there. i was out driving & did a donut on the main road on a curve. everything was snow covered & was snowing so hard. here in the valley though we havent had the big snows like u guys (although i wish we would get one) im 35 & hubby is 47 just a long winter with 2&half year old stir crazy & hubby has now been put on low earnings. hey on the upside i have tulip sprouts in my flower bed seriously i like the weather channel & ive been watchin all the snow you guys are getting seeems like they would have national guard given out food of course my body could take a piece of bread & make it last a year! winters have been so mild up until few years ago i guess we got spoiled. u guys are a little older but like everyone said its good neighbors help. well--spring solstice not too far away.