The last storm never materialized, the cold has broken, rain has fallen, snow is melting (but at 34 degrees, not too fast) I would have been tempted to say our problems were over. But apparently the thaw was significant enough that instead of the snow creeping down the garage roof like a glacier, it let go all at once like an iceberg calving. This created enough momentum to bury 2/3 of the driveway 2+ feet deep. But no longer soft snow, no, now in true avalanche fashion it is set up like...

Hello from snow country! This is Melody, now this site is back to recognizing me as Dave. It can't seem to make up its' mind, last week, it was recognizing me and not Dave. Oh well. Dave went down and took Mom to the store. She is beyond having cabin fever, we are giving her kudos for not walking in the snow. It appears to be trying to rain out there right now, was supposed to snow again, so hopefully the roads will be better soon and she will be able to get around. I am using this time to...

Drove Bubba to work last night, and when we came out at midnight (17 degrees) the door locks were all frozen and we couldn't get the key in to unlock. Had to go back and find the security guard who then located a lighter with which to heat the key -all of which would have been more convenient if I'd had some gloves with which to hold the key. It was a little reluctant to start, but at least the glow plugs are working now. If we put an actual plow on the front, we'd always be running in...

Snow here is completely a function of elevation. 23 inches here and counting (more coming) Got Bubba down the hill today plowing snow with the bumper. Then I couldn't get back up. Tried several times, and finally had to settle for the spin, slip, hop, method, gaining a few inches at a time. Had to dig out the gate again today, and then it wouldn't close because the electric eye sensors were submerged in snow. The neighbor cleared the driveway today with his cat, so now all the challenge is...

Well, the snow has finally quit for now. The forecast is for 3-7 more inches tonight. I gave up trying to use a ruler early on. I'm guessing we have 18 inches now. I had to shovel out for the gate to be able to open, after I snow plowed with Bubba a few times.

Everyone should join in a mass strangulation of Mom, who went to church, came out to find snow, went BACK inside for another choir rehearsal, finally got done by 1:00 or so, THEN tried to drive herself home, slipping and sliding...

This morning the web site is back to its most recent normal and I log in as myself. Obviously there is cyber-subversion going on at night.

Then there are the semi-constant"updates"presumably from Microsoft, but I don't even know that for sure. I prevent them when I can. It irritates me greatly that there are people in my computer,"updating" it with neither my knowledge nor permission. Wouldn't need to update the damn thing if they did it right to begin with. Grumble, grumble. Nor...

Well, it's official. With a week to go, this is the wettest month ever, a dubious distinction if ever there was one. No snow yet, but probably not far away. We're beginning to travel with the chainsaw in the car, so we can cut our way in or out of the driveway. If this weather keeps up we'll be able to cut next year's firewood courtesy of the neighbor's trees falling across our driveway.

Cat wars continue but show some signs of easing. Cricket still has her nose way out of shape over...

The wind is howling, the house is shaking, the rain is blowing sideways in gray sheets as once again we are in storm mode. This isn't nearly as bad as the big storm last Feb. (now trees are uprooting, then, they were just shearing off in 100 mph blasts) Wanted to check on the boat, but found trees across the driveway again. Started to cut my way out in a lull, but the saw ran out of gas, and when I started to attend to it the wind returned. Backed up the hill in a hurry, but the car got...

If ever there was a month to make you appreciate the rest of the year, it's November. Dark, gray, rainy, and cold enough to be miserable but not enough to snow. Maybe that's why they have Thankgiving now - because it has no other intrinsic value at all. It's pouring rain, my seeds are washing away and my roads are eroding. The new cat has thus far racked up $118 in value, only to develop an attitude that he's going to intimidate the other cats. I don't understand it, but even Cricket wants...

Several days ago, as I started down into the woods with the chainsaw, I scared some animal who took off down the road. It was about the size of a cat, but ran more like a rabbit. I considered a fox but it was dark colored. Didn't think any more about it.

Yesterday as I started out to cut wood, there on the downstairs deck sat a small charcoal colored cat, 3/4 starved, and so exhausted it could barely keep its eyes open. It was clearly at the end of its rope, but crawled off into the...