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The storm hasn't even hit yet and they've already announced that schools will be closed tomorrow. We journeyed out to get breakfast and some grocery items and it was pretty crazy. Mountains of snow everywhere, streets still only partially cleared, and people just as stir-crazy as us out and about. The grocery store was crowded and some of the shelves were empty. We had planned on going to Denny's for breakfast, but the parking lot was completely full and there was a line out the door. I heard a lady in Chick-fil-A (where we decided to go instead) say that Denny's was offering free Grand Slams, but there was an hour and a half wait to get a table.

We're back inside, awaiting the onslaught. The weather map shows a big chunk of blue coming our way, so it shouldn't be much longer. Kadie is dishing out some attitude - probably a direct result of being cooped up so long, but playing outside is only a partial option, since she can't go anywhere except for where we've cleared a path. She got a good 30 or 40 minutes of play time at Chick-fil-A this morning, and, thankfully, we cleaned her room the other day so she at least has room to maneuver in there.

We'd be happy to send some snow out west...we've plenty to spare.

We did get Kadie a kid-sized snow shovel that she has used (and so did I when I needed to keep the dog path cleared and didn't want to lift heavy shovels full of snow), but I think digging through two plus feet of heavy, wet snow is a little much for her. She dug a short pathway about a foot deep across the front of the house on Saturday or Sunday, but hasn't returned for her shovel since.

The snow started shortly before 2 pm and we're already a couple of inches deeper with the flakes falling fast and steady.

The storm warning is still in effect through 10 am this morning...then it gets upgraded to a blizzard warning until 7 pm. Yeah!

I shoveled a short path out to the grass just now to give the dog an area to squat and I'd say we have another 6 inches of snow since I shoveled the area last night around 9ish. The worst snow is supposedly yet to fall this morning. Gee, this is fun. With the snow stacking up at this rate, Kadie can still throw a snowball party for her birthday in June.

Good news is: we still have a nice warm and fully electric-powered house.

All Maryland schools have been canceled through the end of the week. The snow is almost up to the top of Kadie's slide - not sure exactly how high that is, but it's most certainly above her head now.

Unfortunately, unless you are a government employee, you have to take leave during these days. My leave time dried up as of Monday, so I'm having to take almost a full week of leave without pay (not great timing with the delivery coming up). I think Jeff is pretty much in the same boat, but he may have had enough to cover through yesterday.

"Mission essential" employees are still expected to report to work. Thankfully, neither Jeff nor I are considered in that category anymore.

It's pretty crazy. They're dumping dump truck loads into the harbor (I'm sure Al Gore is seething as we speak), but I really have no idea where they're going to be putting all of this. We get a bonus day with Monday - President's day - to hope for getting things cleared out, and at least that one is paid, but there are already rumblings of doubt that we'll be returning on Tuesday.

Latest news/totals: 20 to 30 inches of new snow in most areas. Blizzard warning has been extended from 7 pm to 10 pm. Winds are 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph. And drifts from 3 to 6 feet.

Final official snowfall count for this last storm in our area: 26 inches. It appears to have stopped falling, but the wind is still blowing.