Blizzard 2006

It's Cold!!
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Leo had a heyday in the blizzard - I had shoveled the sidewalk twice already, but it was coming down too fast to keep up with it. This time was actually the last time because it quit snowing about two hours later.... Notice the cars in the background and how deeply they're buried... My ambitious neighbors had just gone inside after shoveling their sidewalk and trying to shovel out their SUV

more photos here

Well,
this has been quite a storm.
It's my 3rd blizzard with the first one 1997 (22 inches)- that one kept me housebound for 3 days - my roommate snowshoed to her boyfriend's house - I was bored!! Once it quit snowing, I made a snowangel she was pretty with branches for wings and cut-out lips from a red pepper. She was the cutest little snow angel on the block.
The 2nd was 2003 (the BIG ONE - 36 inches)- that was probably the most devastating of the three because it had more snowfall and happened in the spring when trees were starting to bud - many branches were broken snapping power lines and tons of people were without electricity for days. I lost my phone line, but electricity stayed on.

Now the Holiday 2006 blizzard... 18 inches at my house - just a light dusting compared to some areas! This one has been hardest on DIA - you wouldn't believe the wind with this one. It caused drifts up to 12 feet high in some places - glad I didn't have to shovel that! I-70 was closed to the Kansas boarder until this afternoon trying to clear the drifts, and I know everyone had heard of the fiasco at DIA. I really feel for the travelers that have been stranded there since Wed and may not get out until Monday - some reports are saying it may take until Wed. I think I'd be renting a car!
I've passed the tiime by sorting my stacks that I never seem to have time for, knitting, talking on the phone, and shoveling.
I was working Wednesday when it started - I slid the whole way into work and I have a snow-friendly car - I knew it was going to be bad. There was so much nervous energy at work that day. I happened to be rounding at one of the local hospitals (only two miles from my house)- the nursing staff there were told that they could not leave until their replacement showed up, and if they were scheduled the next day, they must spend the night at the hospital or at a nearby hotel. If they went home and were not able to get back to work...big trouble. I just wanted to get everyone seen so I could get back home. I had left two pooches in my house - one of which (Lannie) saw the snow on the ground that morning and refused to go outside.
I got home around 3pm - Lannie refused a potty break until about 9 that night (probably close to 24 hours from her previous potty break) - she's really developed an aversion to the snow - I may need to get her a sweater and some booties -perhaps pink with rhinestones!

Flashback to earlier...Before leaving the hospital - I stayed a little later to help one of the docs - more moral support than anything... Anyway, he had a severe complication resulting in the need for emergency surgery for the patient... Unfortunately there was a blizzard going on outside. One of the three thoracic surgeons was in surgery, one stuck in traffic - standstill, the third not responding. Finally after 30 min or so of the poor pt receiving life saving measures, the staff working as hard as they could - the 3rd surgeon was found, arrived and took the patient to surgery. The doc I work with was devastated - understandably so... he was going to wait to leave until the surgery was over - very afraid that the paitient wouldn't make it and he wanted to be the one to tell the family. I haven't heard the outcome, but I really hope that when I return to work Tues that this guy's name is on our rounds list. I love all the snow, but this is really some of the scary complications that can come from it.

On to more cheery things. For some reason I LOVE these sproadic blizzards we get. I love shoveling - that's why I do it, even though the snow is still coming down in bucket fulls. On Thursday, all my neighbors were out shoveling at the smae time - it's the only time we really see each other in the winter. I like having the snow days from work - I mean really, in health care that is RARE! The one thing that hasn't been so good, is the eating... My pantry wasn't too well stocked and I've been in the mood to bake cookies - no eggs, flour or sugar...bummer! I did manage to walk through knee deep snow to get to 7-11 for chocolate chips, pretzels, milk and diet c*ke (must save the calories!).

Enough babbling... for more photos of the snow, check out Kittbo's blog. She's been out and about braving the roads. Seriously, you should check her's out - she has some cool photos of her view from her office looking downtown... Denver is beautiful when the sun comes out to shine on freshly fallen snow - stunning!!