Early Snow

What a mess. Last night western Massachusetts got buried under 14-24 inches of snow. Normally us New Englanders freak when we hear there's snow. We run to the nearest grocery and stock up on grocery carts full of canned goods, just in case the powers out for more than a day. To say we tend to overreact is an understatement, but this time we blew it. We didn't believe them. It's October! We get flurries, not blizzards! Wrong.

I slept in the campus parking lot last night because it was already snowing pretty heavily and I didn't want to drive to the other side of town. I woke up to a fully buried car and a winter wonderland. The leaves are still on most of the trees so the added weight of the snow snapped branches all over town. Roads are closed, traffic lights are out, there was one gas station open this morning accepting cash only, but they've run out of gas. The grocery opened on back up power, which means minimal lights and no perishable food. It looked like the apocalyptic films, bare shelves, grocery carts blocking isles. A lot of people haven't gotten their first oil delivery yet so families were coming to the grocery for the heat. One woman told me it was warmer outside than in her apartment.

There are a lot of things I miss about sticks and bricks dwelling: Walking around in my underwear, having a place that's yours and no one else, putting a pot of tea on the stove and curling up with a book. But when the power goes out everyone's on my side of the fence. No TV or computers, no stove or microwave. Bet there are a few people tonight who wish they had my handy dandy tin can stove.

If you're in the northeast, hang in there; It could be a week before we all have power again. If your in a warmer part of the country, pat yourself on the back.

 

For a good time listen to this guy (note the accent) update us on the weather as of last night. He's a town or so away from me so I'll be interested to see the aftermath pictuers.