This time last year

The weather was a little different a year ago.

We had snow last year.  So much snow, starting right after Christmas.  Snowdrifts were over my head.  It was a nightmare.  I posted these pictures January 27, 2011:

About a year and three weeks ago

About a year ago

Today? It was about 50 degrees. I like this year much better. So far. I’m not counting on anything.  But if for no other reason this year is miles and miles better than last.  So far.  Sort of.

Also a year ago was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the loss of the shuttle Challenger. Seems like a long time ago, and seems like it just happened.

 

Uncle!

This isn’t the same picture I posted last time, of my vanished car (I’m starting to think having a white car in Connecticut is not such a good idea).  You can tell it’s not the same picture because THERE’S MORE SNOW THIS TIME.  This was 7:00 this morning. 

I hate this.  I really do. 

It seems like ages ago that I took this, as the first flakes of the first storm fluttered down:

Thursday, Jan 6, 2011 – it begins

Oh, look – grass (she said longingly).  The car there is my sister’s.  And – for those who still think snow is magical, they’re right:

Thursday Jan 27, 2011 – it continues

- -It made my sister’s car disappear.  You can’t see it from here any more.  You can, barely, see the top of my brother-in-law’s Blazer, but not the car.  For those further south than we are, imagine trying to drive, and trying to turn a corner, and having that snow plus everything dredged up off the roads piled on the corners.  It was just starting to get to the point where it had worn down a little, and it wasn’t so much a matter of taking one’s life in one’s hands any more … Oh well.  Wish me, and all of us, luck. 

 

Oh, and for those people who are just delighted by all of this crap, then good for you.  Don’t say it in front of me, or you can come and fix my house.  

 

It seems like half the branches on the white pines at the side of the house are down.  We were lucky – we only lost power last storm for six hours or so, and that was on the one warm (40′s!) day we’ve had this month.  Lots of people have had it much worse.  Still, it cost us $350 we don’t have – and trying to get someone here to clear our driveway would cost us more than we could afford if we could actually get someone.  Which we can’t. 

 

Did I mention how much I really, really hate this? 

 

Mom keeps swearing she’s not going to complain about 90 degree weather ever again.  I can’t guarantee that.  But I can say I will definitely remember this, and stop complaining pretty quickly. 

 

I used to love snow …

I don’t any more.

It’s pretty and all – -

But while I didn’t have to go out in it today – not that I could have if I was supposed to – I will tomorrow, and I was driving home in last Friday’s little winter &^#! wonderland.  I don’t have four-wheel-drive – and I saw people who did fish-tailing.  I hate this stuff. 

And so does Daisy.

She went out – so brave! – and right back in again; she hasn’t, er, done anything yet today.  Poor baby.  We’ll shovel her out.

I don’t mind kids praying for snow – I did the same thing.  It’s people who are supposed to be adults getting all happy about it, whether so they can ski or go snowmobiling or whatever … Dandy for you, but I don’t want to hear it.  People die in this stuff; it’s inconvenient at best; you want to rejoice over 24″ of snow, go to Maine and do it.  So there.