I Pity the Fool Who Wasted this Day

I did a lot more walking when Hershey was still around.

No matter what the weather, twice a day, at least, I was strolling with the mutt. On the weekends, up at the lake, I was motivated to hike around one of the lakes at least one day of the weekend. Then came the winter of 2013-14. And yes we all agree it sucks. Makes no difference what part of the country you are in, with very few exceptions, all we have done for the past 2 1/2 months is complain about the weather.

And why the hell not? It's been brutal. Last year I think I missed one weekend of walking at the lake, this year I think I walked once. But today was different. Today is a blue sky, breezy, temperature in the high 40s kind of day, and after the past month, it felt good to soak in the sun for an hour.

There's a lot of snow up here. A lot. even with the wide open spaces, you still run out of places to put it. Driveways, our included, are half the width they are normally. Homes with garages have front stairs covered with snow, as people take the easy route of entering their homes through the garage instead of front door. No one has the energy to clean it all, there's just too much.

The community is usually filled with wildlife. On the walk, I saw one herd of deer, all huddled together, a few squirrels and that was it. There is no food for these creatures, and it will be a long time before there is. It's a hard winter for them too.

The plan was to walk around the smaller lake being it's been a while, but I got caught up in the day and blew right past the street where I should have turned. Taking my time, the trek around the big lake wasn't too bad. A light breeze, sun on my face, and music in my ears.

I ended up the walk with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes singing "I Played The Fool." Maybe Johnny, but not me though. The walk was joyous. Can't wait for spring to do it more often.

Snow? NO.

It's snowing. Again.

Yes, we're all bitching about the weather. We are sick of it. After the the first snowfall, everyone goes out to shovel and there is a great camaraderie between the neighbors. Everyone smiles and talks as we take short breaks between moving another few shovelfuls of snow. You know, those breaks that you hope will keep your rapidly aging heart from exploding.

After a few storms, neighbors get a lot less neighborly. We're tired. We are not happy to be outside lifting another six, eight, ten inches of snow. And while the first couple of storms had nice light, fluffy snow, the last two have been wet, heavy snow. You know the kind... the snow that puts even more strain on your rapidly aging heart.

Now the neighbors barely grunt at each other as we push, plow and pile the snow higher and higher. If we were in the middle of a summer's heat wave, and the temperatures were in the 90's this much, people would be freaking out and beating the crap out of each other. We are at a breaking point, and if we weren't so damn exhausted, I'm sure there would be violence. But, who has the time or energy for that?

So now we wait for the lull in the storm to start cleaning up, because this one is a two-parter. Oh yeah, it's gonna come down all day, stop for a while, then start again sometime tonight, which means there has to be a plan. When do we start cleaning? Do we wait for it to be entirely done? Well, it might turn to rain for a brief period before turning back to snow, so that makes it even heavier. But, if it turns to ice after you clear the snow, well that's another can of worms. It always ends up to be an audible on the field. You go with your gut, there is an inner voice which yells out "hey, time to get your ass outside."

That's when you see all the neighbors digging out of their houses, all about to take on the same task as you. At this point, I doubt there will even be eye contact.

This Is What Happens When You Listen To A Rodent

Are y'all happy now? Just like every year, you put your faith in a freakin' rodent. And most years his prognosticating is ignored after two or so weeks have passed. But not this year. This year the furball screwed up big time and no one is too happy about it.

Did I mention how much I hate Ground Hog Day? I once knew someone born on February 2nd and always thought with the exception of being born on February 29th, there wasn't a worse birth date. Because it's all about the ground hog.

This year the Pennsylvania rodent, the one who seems to have the most clout, was yanked out of his nice warm home and waved around like a grand prize in county fair. Where's PETA when you need them? Well the human idiots in their long coats and big hats decided that Phil had seen his shadow. Or maybe he didn't, but anyway, the human idiots declared that spring was right around the corner.

So here we are on March 24 and it's snowing like a bastard over half of the country and I will be shoveling the white stuff tomorrow. Happy I am not.

Apparently neither is Michael Gmoser, an Ohio county prosecutor, who has filed an injunction against poor old Phil for the misrepresentation of an early spring. He goes on to state that the rodent has committed an unclassified felony when he emerged from his burrow and didn't see his shadow. Or maybe he did.

Are you fuckin kidding me? This prosecutor is wasting court time with this? First of all, Phil didn't do anything, it was the human idiots doing their yearly grandstanding. They should be held liable for any ill-advised weather reporting. Or better yet, why don't we all just get lives and let Phil live his in peace and quiet.

If we would stop thinking a sleeping ground hog held the balance of a few weeks of our lives in his rodent hands, we could just go back to listening to the real weather forecasters with all their radar and dopler and forecast models. Because they're always right.... er, no they suck too.

Oh just look out the damn window. See any flakes yet?

Pretty, Yes... But It's sNOw Fun

Snow.

Oh it's so beautiful. Yeah it is unless you need to shovel it. Unless you need to dig out your car from almost two feet of it and unless you need to travel in it. Then..it sucks.

It snowed all night and yes it did look beautiful as I got ready to walk the dog. Oh yeah, that's another time when snow isn't so beautiful. That morning walk before anyone has shoveled their sidewalks and you have to walk in the street. Only the dog doesn't like to walk in the street and it's tug-of-war time.

There are still strong winds and the sun has yet to make an appearance. Usually the time when people are digging out is one of great camaraderie. A few inches of snow, everyone smiles at each other and discusses the clean-up process. Not so today. The gray morning and the mammoth undertaking that awaited did not exactly put a smile on anyone's face.

The sidewalk and stairs are done, soon it will be time to find the car under the mountain of snow in the driveway. Once that's done, people who live in the snow zone know that's about the time when you start to get antsy. We've been in the house since yesterday, the roads are cleared, the car is cleaned off...where can we go?

It's also about that time, when the dog starts to follow me around the house and I know where I'll be going next. Apparently, she gets a little stir crazy too.

Boots on.

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The Blizzard of 2013: Weather We Want It Or Not

Cell phone is charging, beer is in the fridge. I think I've done all I can in anticipation of the "Blizzard of '13."
ugh.

I'm sorry but is someone in charge not paying attention. This is the Northeast. We have already had one natural disaster for the year in the form of Hurricane Sandy. We are now in waiting mode for the biggest Nor'easter of the century...or so they say. Three days ago we were predicted to get a few inches.

Enough with the drama. People have plans, we don't need this shit

Yesterday afternoon the ace weatherpeople said the snow/ice mix would begin very early in the AM. So I battled the zoo at Shop Rite last night instead of dealing with the lunatics AND the weather in the morning. Guess what, so far...nothing.

Oh, it's coming, I don't think they're wrong about that, but now it seems the timing will eat into a lot more of the weekend than we first thought. So, we sit and wait and look out the window for the signs that the most recent Snowmaggedon has arrived.

Now, let us pray to the technology gods that we don't lost power or internet.

Happy shoveling.

.

No Snow? Who Really Gives A $#@&

And there you go.  Everyone has been bitchin' that there hasn't been any snow this winter...not counting the Halloween surprise.  Personally, I've come to enjoy not freezing my butt off in January...not to mention no shoveling of snow.  But here it is, Friday the 13th and it's snowing.

Sure I understand the economy as fragile as it is, needs cold weather states to be inundated with snow.  Me?  Not so much.  I quite enjoyed walking yesterday without my winter coat...now I gotta think about boots, a hat, a scraper and whether my car defroster is gonna work.

Just need to keep my eye on the big picture.  Yankees P's and C's report to spring training February 20th.

To hell with winter...baseball baby.