We have had the mildest winter since DH and I moved the family here. No Snow! While the mid atlantic states had blizzards and record snow, we had nothing. Zip. I saw green grass last week. Our winter carnival was heavily attended but the town had to peel snow up from the water treatment plant fields and spread it on the Pinnacle for sledding. Needless to say the snow sculpture contest was a bust.

Things have changed...

We've had over 20 inches at the house since yesterday and we have another 7 to 15 inches due before tomorrow night. It's wicked heavy wet snow too. If it weren't so wet, we would have had a foot more. The roads are really bad. I've never seen them so bad here. It's coming so fast and so wet, even VT plowers can't keep up. The main roads are drivable but the back roads are in tough shape and the power lines and trees are very stressed . I came home from work and found my driveway unplowed. While only 8-10 inches had fallen since I left for work this morning, I couldn't get into the driveway because the street plow had left a 3 foot berm and my Toyota Matrix may have wanted to explosively accelerate over it but I knew it was only asking for trouble. No big deal. I can get my blower and clear a manageable path for the car. I parked the car on the road at the top of my drive and hoofed it over the berm and down the drive for 300 yards to the house. Ok I was in my work clothes and quickly realized how deep the snow was as it packed into my boots. Trudge. Trudge. Trudge. Made it to the house.

I quickly changed into snow clothes and started the snow blower, while considering how much longer the driveway seems in February. It took me about 40 minutes of mostly uphill effort but I cleared the berm away. Panting I said to self; "Yes! I am strong woman but glad this challenge is over". I headed the blower back to the house. While I was heading downhill, the Gad Dern snow plow came and filled my driveway up again! Another 3 feet of snow piled at the top of the drive! I was devastated. It really whipped my butt getting it cleared the first time. (Hence the small victory dance when I finished) I was truly devastated. It was almost a classic moment as I stood there with the snow blower idling, snow swirling around me, dripping sweat and icicles while shaking my head and watching the plow refill the driveway I'd only just cleared. Oh, and it plowed my parked car in too. I think we all know that moment when we just have to suck it up and start over. I faced that moment tonight.

Then my knight in a shining yellow tractor came. My plowman showed up about 5 minutes later. I couldn't have been happier to see a man if he'd been Santa Claus carrying a life sized chocolate rabbit. Effusing apologies, he made fast work of my driveway. I couldn't offer him more. Water? Coffee? Hot Chocolate? No? Are you sure?

Life in a small town.