Monday, February 25, 2019

Hibernation Update

We could still hibernate and frankly, right now I'm feeling like a lie down and possibly sleeping until the crocuses bloom....but I won't.  There's more snow predicted this week.  In fact, multiple snows.

Hanna's car was pulled out yesterday afternoon.  Our driveway there on the corner is glare ice; it was no wonder she got stuck there at midnight after the concert.  I pulled it out once with the plow truck and didn't get it far enough, then had to hook on again and pull it further up the slope until it was able to find traction on its own.


I worked from 3:30 yesterday until 6:30, blew out the worst drifts on half of the driveway and then went after it with the plow truck which I finally buried and had to use the 'blower to free it up.

It was all I could do to not be out there at 6:30 this morning but I told myself I'd wait until 8AM when the Wind Advisory with "dangerous windchills' were supposed to subside.  The upside of plowing was that I was able, in spite of getting stuck, to clear a larger area quickly.  The downside was that the piles I left had turned rock hard today, harder than even the drifted snow.  The blower was adamant about "let someone else do those piles" today.  I chewed through a couple of them anyway, even with the complaining from the Orange One.

So it's a bit after 2:30 and the job is done.  Not in the Premium category or even Deluxe, I settled for Economy this time.  Normally I give our parking area a thorough cleaning, enough for our very large garbage truck and the many FedEx and UPS trucks space to easily turn around.....they're going to have to use a bit more care, very possibly until June.

This was just past where I stopped with the plow truck yesterday.....


This the next drift, shoulder high and roughly 15 feet before I got to the next one.....


As I mentioned to friends, this isn't the romantic North woods fluffy snow.  This snow is packed tight, tight to the point of fighting back.  Those drift blades that I should have bought, contemplated buying but did not, have now been ordered.  There was a lot of tunneling today.

It's a bit after 3:00 right now.  I've had the van to our local convenience store for another 10 gallons of snowblower gas (I was essentially out), a coffee and a 12 pack of Extra Pale.  The first one went down easily along with some of that elk jerky.

And this evening.....


12 comments:

  1. It doesn’t look like you are doing a good job hibernating...

    Time to head south?

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    1. Richard, I've dug my heals in about heading south but I may have to reconsider.

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  2. I echo RichardM's question. What came to mind as I read your post and saw the pictures was perhaps making room in the stable for a bulldozer....

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    1. You'd think that with all of those wheels and horsepower in the garage, I'd be able to come up with something to deal with the drifts. Somehow not quite the right combination.

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  3. An old friend and farmer in Fisher, MN once one told me, "Keep the wood piles high, the larder full, a tall stack of books, and hire someone to plow your driveway."

    Good advice he never followed. I won't bother to tell you not to work too hard. Scott

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the advice Scott. We used to hire someone to do the driveway. Our problem was timeliness. He wanted to plow at 8am. I needed the driveway open at 5am. If he plowed at 5am, the driveway was full again by 9pm when Peg and the kids got home from music. Not having control was nerve wracking.

      The biggest storms an exception, most of the time I/we can handle it....but I do find myself dreaming of an easier and quicker task.

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    2. When we retire and commuting becomes recreation.

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  4. Damn, don't hurt yourself doing all that snow removal. I hear you have even more cold temps headed your way.

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    Replies
    1. Cold this week but melting next!! Wahoo!!

      Just not too much wahoo at once....

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  5. I bought a 700 hundred dollar Toro snowblower that worked for three driveway clearings. Then something broke. Then Sheri's knee broke. And it's been too damn cold to find out what's wrong with the Toro.These past few months have taken their toll on me Doug. My old man would probably tell me to suck it up.

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