If I had to...

I could get out.

Yes, that is an opening into the street in the distance. It took about 15 minutes to shovel through to the street. 

It's not really wide enough for the Jeep to go through but, at this point, I don't care. I've made it to the street and that's all that counts. I found today's paper, too, which was quite a surprise as I called them on Thursday and told them not to deliver until Monday, when I felt I would have the driveway open. We'll see if I get the Sunday paper now.

I have a spot shoveled for the recycling can on the north side of the drive and, after an hour and a half, this is all that's left. 

I can finish that in the morning. The clouds of noon time vanished and again, it was a gorgeous day. I probably wouldn't have gone anywhere even with the drive open. 

What I've found interesting as I shovel what the snow plows shoved into the drive is that there are two layers of snow here. You can sort of see it in the above photo. 

The plows did not come by very often during the height of the storm so I think this represents a pause in the plowing. It struck me as almost like an archeological dig. Get below this one line and you're in the Ordovician period, or something. 

The snow is not that hard to carve into chunks, even at the bottom. There is a small line of ice right at the street, but that will melt away once I remove everything above it and expose it to the sunshine. Another nice sleep, as I've been getting, and I'll be completely free by noon. Afternoon can be spend liberating the front steps. 

I'm cracking open my last beer.

Beverage: Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat

Deb

I'm beginning to hate these clothes.

I come in at the end of a day of shoveling and I just pile them inside the bathroom door.

Two pairs of socks, a pair of sweat pants under a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. I looked at the pile this morning and shuddered. It just doesn't make sense to dirty more clothes. 

I remember when I went to court for the divorce pronouncement. I went through my wardrobe and selected a jumper and turtleneck. When I came home, I washed those and promptly gave them away. I decided when I was picking what to wear, that whatever it was would always be associated with the dissolution of my marriage so I picked something I didn't mind giving away. 

I look at this pile and think, "These clothes will always be associated with the great blizzard of 2011." I will just toss them in the wash. There are worse things than being divorced. 

Beverage:  Orange  Juice

Deb 

Sidewalk Reached

As I told myself last night when falling asleep, the sidewalk wasn't that far away and I could certainly reach it in an hour and a half of shoveling. I did.

There was brilliant blue sky and bright sun to shovel this morning although it's clouding up as I type this.  It's getting harder to toss the snow even as the snow depth is going down. My back and right shoulder tend to protest about an hour into the shoveling. But where I ended today is close to the end. 

This afternoon's shoveling should halve the distance to the street and tomorrow will just be breaking through that mound heaped by the plow. 

I shoveled a "nook" to store the recycling can for next week. It's off to the right. 

I doubt that I'll have the energy to carve a spot off to the side of the drive to put the recycling can or the garbage can so I will shovel a spot to take them Wednesday night. Then, I can pull out of the drive in the morning on Thursday and drag them into the drive. I don't anticipate shoveling the sidewalk any time soon. 

What I shoveled this morning is from my hat and ear muffs to the end you see. It's warm enough that I could take off the head coverings and not get chilled. 

I had some difficulty getting dressed this morning. 

Both of them have been lying on the sweater since I came in yesterday afternoon. Maybe it's comforting? 

So, two hours of rest and I'm back at it. 

Beverage:  Orange Juice

Deb

I'd like to lie in the sunshine, too.

According to the updated weather, it's supposed to be mostly cloudy tomorrow, although warmer than today. I won't be the only one missing the sunshine.

Oh to be a cat in a house with windows.

Beverage:  Gunpowder Green Tea

Deb