Cold as Ice

Technically it is not yet Winter, but don't tell anyone in NE Ohio that. 

710 said Wednesday he'd be coming home early if it started snowing. Yes, there were 'warnings', but nothing I saw made it seem like any storm would hit us.  .....and it didn't. 

Well, it did, but after we went to bed. It was spitting rain while I grilled out, but no flakes. 

Wind would keep me up most of the night. Starting around 02:00, we were getting sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts of 60+.  I just kept thinking 'downed trees' and 'power lines'. 

We woke up to snow, but not a lot. I'd say 2" worth. I could still see parts of the drive. Yet almost all the schools on the east and south sides of town were already closed. It seems everyone was staying in and working from home. Daycare was notified Shep would be staying home as well. 

The a.m. dog walk was fine. It wasn't horribly cold or anything. The ground was a little slick, but that stood to reason if rain turned to snow, ice was in there somewhere, right? 

After I toweled him off, I just thought I'd do a quick clean of the drive and walks. 2". pfffft. I can do that with a shovel, I don't need no stinking snow blower. 

Let me just say due to that rain-to-snow thing, yes it was only two inches, but heavy AF. And not quick. 

I totally get why old guys get heart attacks shoveling snow. 

I cleared as best I could. My antidepressants might be working better. I had wind and falling snow, but I did not curse at the elements as I did with the leaves a week or so ago.  

Progress!

All I really did was expose a LOT of ice. But now we could see where we were going to fall. Well - could. New snow has taken care of that. Still it's lighter, fluffier snow. 

I was drenched. Gloves and hat just filled with sweat. I had to change clothes. 

After lunch we took Shep for a short jaunt. Somewhere the temps dropped. Whatever the actual temp said (16?), the weather apps said it felt like 3. I think they were being generous. 

We are in 'winter storm watch' mode for another day, but make no mistake, winter has arrived. 

Song by: Foreigner