The last time we had any measurable amount of snow was in mid-December (about a foot). Since then, pretty much just flurries now and then. We haven't had a winter this dry for a long time. WE'RE supposed to be the Great White North, but instead, you guys are getting walloped! You may have a few more broken canes in the spring, but, like everyone says, the snow will insulate and give much needed moisture to your soil. Hope you are all o.k....be careful not to overdue the shoveling. You wouldn't want to put your back out just before spring. Judith

Gee, Kat, why didn't you just shovel it all onto your grass? LOL! Should I stop making "helpful" suggestions! Shoveling it ANYWHERE is hard enough! Sorry to hear yours all landed in the Wrong Place! MANY years ago (back in the early 70's!) I lived in a little house in far south Aurora, and we got a storm like this last one, but even more snow and even more wind, and the way it happened to blow between the neighbor houses it ALL seemed to wind up RIGHT in front of our garage! It went all the way up to the roof, and if the snow had been hard enough we could have walked up the Snow Mountain and walked straight onto the roof! When we first went out after the storm and saw it, it was hard to really believe there was THAT much snow there! So I do know where you're coming from! It was kinda like: Could we possibly dig a tunnel thru it to drive the car out of the garage--rather than having to shovel it ALL!!! As near as I can tell I wound up with about 15" total. When I finally got out to measure it today I was getting 14", but the sun had been shining on it for quite a while at that point, and there was no question that it was well into the process of "settling down!" But one thing I know for sure; there is a LOT of moisture in it, and it really is gonna do a great job of watering everything. When I looked out the front door last nite about 12:30, trying to figure out just how hard it was still snowing, I noticed some flashing lites at the end of the block, and then I heard, Beep, Beep, Beep! It took a minute to figure out what was going on in the middle of the nite, but there was a city plow out there plowing the residential streets. When I looked more closely--over the shoveled pile along my walk, I discovered they had already plowed the road in front of my house! I thought that was kinda nice of Thornton--even if I don't need to go anywhere! And with the sun today now the plowed part is bare and dry again. Lots of piles, still, along the edges where people have shoveled their walks and drives--and shoveled out their cars that were parked on the street! By the end of the week we're supposed to be well back up into the 40's and maybe even back up to the low 50's so I'm guessing that even most of the piles will be gone by next weekend if they're in the sun! That's the kind of snowstorms EVERYBODY should have! Shhhhh! Don't tell anybody else about out Miraculous Disappearing Snowstorms or everybody will be moving here! We need to keep this to ourselves! Do any of you remember the March Blizzard of 2003? Funny story! I was working in San Fran at the time, and commuting back and forth, and the Blizzard happened when I was on the west coast. Being in the Airline Business, needless to say I was hearing plenty of stories about how bad it was and about all the flites that were being cancelled. The total (official) snowfall was just short of three feet (in about 24 hours I think it was), and when I had days off and was able to come home again it was on the third day after the storm, and I REALLY wanted to come home so I just made up my mind that I'd shovel my car out of the parking lot--no matter how long it took, and find some way to get home! I got back to DIA and onto the parking lot bus, determined that I was just gonna change into my Survival Clothes that I had in the car and start shoveling, and then we got to the parking lot! Except for the humongous--and I DO mean humongous, piles of snow where it had been plowed, all the cars and roads in the parking lot were DRY! I almost fell over! When I got out onto the two-lane road I took home (for those of you who don't know, DIA is out on the plains, halfway to Kansas!) the road was completely dry--and there were huge 6-8' piles of snow ALL along the road--I couldn't see over the top ANYWHERE! It was like being in a maze where all you could do was to keep going the way you were going! I felt like I was in an hallucination of something! Got back more into the Metro area and, except for the piles along the streets, you could hardly tell there had been a blizzard. I've lived out here since '64, and I KNOW how fast it melts, but even I could hardly believe what I was seeing that time! This IS the place to live! Skybird

the worst fall is for your feet to shoot out in front of you and then falling on your back possibly banging the back of your head. I had one of those 'grand' falls 10 yr ago. I found myself laying flat out backsidedown and slamming onto an icy sidewalk. It had snowed a small amount ahd hid an icy patch. I was striding along with a bag or groceries in each hand and down I went. It was started by a slippery heel on my boot. The tread was worn away on the impact edge. I tensed while in the air and landed hard. After impact, I found it hard to breathe. I thought I had the wind temporarily knocked out of me, but the ensuing pain with each breath told it was more. It was; I had am internal rip, a hernia. I did not slam my head, but had a serious injury anyway. It took 6 weeks to heal and I still have the hernia - Ugh! These days when the footing is slippery, you'll see me walking like and old man. I'll be leaning forward to bias the direction of a fall should one occur. In extreme cases, I may look like a hunch-back. Its bad posture for walking exercise, but beats the alternative of landing flat of my back. Watch the heel contact area of your footwear. The impact patch should have good tread. If it is smooth, it can suddently turn into a water lubricated bearing surface and it will do this without warning. Walking in deep snow ( 8 inches or more of depth), the hazard of falling is lessened, but walking is much more difficult. It requires a change of technique and do not expect to travel as fast. That's about the depth to break out snowshoes for a hike on the trail. It takes some practice to use snow shoes, but it makes it possible to walk in really deep snow. For the first time out, do not go far away from your home or shelter. It is great exercise, but exhaustion can set in quickly and you do not want to be very far away from 'home base'. After you become more accustomed to travel by snow shoe, it can be a good source of enjoyable winter exercise.

You must be so proud of him, Dorothy. He sounds like a great kid. I remember reading when he was admitted to Dartmouth. I get so sick of people talking about how bad the youth of today are, and it's just not true. There are many examples, of which your Grandson is one, of fine young people. I recently read an article on how great merino wool is for warmth purposes, especially when traveling. It's a wicking type of material but unlike synthetics it doesn't retain odor and needs to be washed infrequently. I found some at TJ maxx and love it. He probably won't need it for DC, but he will for those long winters at college. Good luck.