Winter in Wisconsin 2011-2012

I can honestly say I haven't minded Winter this year! Which is an amazing statement, as I usually hate Winter.But this year, it's been mild. Some people worry about it, but I don't worry about things I have no control over. And I can't control the weather. I can influence the weather. I have Weather Fairy's that will help me from time to time, but I haven't bothered them much lately, as I'm rather satisfied with what's provided.

What has been Wonderful about THIS Winter is how blue the sky has been. Usually Winter is a ubiquitous grey. It makes me SAD with seasonal depression. I'd have to take Vitamin D3, sit under sun lamps, and it didn't really work, just took the edge off. This winter, with the sunshine and blue sky I've been happy, cheerful, content!
Winter this year has come in very small doses. It will be pleasant for days, then give us a brief snow (less than 3" accumulation) and a few days of real cold. Then it goes back to being pleasant. I've been able to walk to work lots of days! I've been outside more this winter than in the previous 8 Winters combined.
The whole country has had unusual weather this Winter. Is it a sign of global warming? long term trends? the end of time? I don't know. All I do know, is I'm enjoying it!

Oh What Fun It Is To Ride....

Guess I'm obsessed with the weather. Could be because this is as much weather as I've encounter in many years. Beginning in September, people kept passing the comment, "Yeah, it's going to be the warmest winter on record." I heard this so often, I'd begun to believe it. NOT!

Today we were back to cold and snow. The temperature at noon was 17 degrees! That's below freezing folks. To put it another way, it's -8 degrees Celsius. Pretty Damn Cold in anybody's book. I took Hot Chocolate (the mint chocolate from Trader Joe's made with whole organic milk) to Loren after I got off work and sat in the car with him while we drank it. With the car running and the heater cranked as high as it will go, it was still cold. My feet were chilled and we were putting some serious fog on the windows. Two people came to buy christmas trees while I was there. They both were pretty quick about selecting the tree, paying and getting back in their car. Can't blame them at all.

Driving to work this morning (6 degrees at 5:30am) I encounter black glacier. Black ice is a thin coat of ice not visible to the eye. The glaciers are big thick sheets of frozen ice and snow that are so dirty they look just like the road. I was driving along when I noticed the car ahead of me do a little jiggle. I'd just begun to wonder what thatwas all about when I felt my car doing the same little jiggle. I'd encountered the Black Glacier. It's like driving the kiddy cars at the amusement park. You think you're driving the car, but then the car begins to steer itself as you come to the corners. These glaciers are so thick and powerful that they push your car along their edge and you hang on and hope you aren't pushed into something/someone. Oh what fun it is to ride....

Sunshine!

It is cold again today, but the sun is shining, so it feels totally different. Sitting in my car I was warmed by the sun and felt quite happy. It wasn't warm enough to melt any of the snow, so the snowplows are doing what they can to push the lumps of frozen ice and snow out of the streets.

Many of the side streets are snow packed. Only the main roads are clear, and you don't want to be on the inside lane. The wall of frozen snow is right on the lane edge, so there is no leeway. When the left turn lane comes along, it is so narrow that you're sticking out into the regular traffic lane. Sometimes the wall of snow blocks the view of the oncoming traffic and it's potentially dangerous to make the turn.

There is so much snow that I see dump trucks filled with snow taking the excess out of town. Got to make room for the snow coming tomorrow.

Digging Out

I love snow, with certain qualifications: 1. I don't have to be outside if I don't want to be outside. 2. I'm not inconvenienced by the presence of said snow.

Today the snow met both qualifications and I'm not enjoying it. In fact, I've cursed and cussed and ranted and raved until I'm blue in the face--under the totally red, cold face that is the result of being outside and inconvenienced.

It took me 30 minutes to dig my car out! Up and down the street people were digging, revving engines, and spinning tires to try to get their cars on the road. The snow was wet and heavy and crusty. Perfect snow for building snowmen, but who has time? I'm afraid that my back is going to ache tomorrow. I'm not used to that type of physical effort. I understand how many people find their way to the ER after a snowstorm. I saw many people outside working up a sweat, if not a heart attack, as they cleared sidewalks and driveways. I'm grateful we have a landlord for such tasks (and he has a machine!).

Madison has a "law" that everyone has to park on one side of the street each night, and we alternate sides so the snowplow can clear the road. Last week, when there was no snow, and no snow in the forecast, we (and several people on our street) got a $20 parking ticket for being on the wrong side of the road.

Last night, even with the heavy snowfall, we were all parked properly. Woke up this morning to find the snowplow didn't come by! So, tonight we have to move our cars to the unplowed side of the street, with the big frozen chunks of snow in hopes that the snowplow will come by tonight to clear the other side. I'm not holding my breath. I'm also NOT paying the $20 ticket. I wrote a letter contesting the ticket. I'll let you know what happens.