Ya want to build a snowman???

Enjoy!

Snow.. yet again.

Here we go again.. except now there’s that added precipitation… ice & sleet.. you name it!  This time Atlanta and the surrounding metro area was NOT going to be underprepared.  The governor, mayors and all canceled school early, got the word out that no one should be out on the roads.  They had road trucks out early treating roads and going all the time.  The power companies got help from surrounding states and had tons of folks standing by to restore power.  It was great.  Very much how we remembered it was after the first hurricane.  Folks learned and acted accordingly.  The ice was the big worry this time around.  We had more sleet than freezing rain, that’s where it comes down as rain and freezes on contact.. that’s the stuff you worry about most with falling trees and stuff.  We were lucky.  I figure we had about 1/8” of freezing rain, then .75” or so of sleet then 2.5” of snow on top.  Yea.. all three.  We did not lose our power and were lucky to be home together.  David and I went out early on Monday (storm came in strong Tues night) and got food and anything we thought we’d need to take care of us. 

It was not fun to be cooped up again.  Robyn and David were home Tues, Wed And Thurs.  David’s school was already off for him on Friday, today.  She went back today.  The roads were fine when I took her in and it was a nice day to watch the rest of the snow melt away.

So Tuesday night is when the ice and sleet came down.  Again we had more sleet than anything else.  Then Wednesday night we got snow.. lots of heavy wet snow this time.  We were able to build a snowman and toss snowballs.. Last time’s snow was powdery.  It wasn’t as cold this time around either; which was good.  The melting was robust on Thursday.. most of the trees were ice/snow free by the afternoon..  which was a huge relief. 

We hung out in the house, did some baking and watching the Olympics!  We did get to do some sledding and play in the snow before it began to melt.  Robyn didn’t last too long, after about an hour, she was done, cold and wet.  Can’t blame her for being miserable.  We don’t own clothes that are water resistant… so the snow goes right through to her bones.  Only her jacket kept her dry.  I’ll have to keep a look out for that sort of thing at the thrift stores for the future.  Or make them myself. 

Here are a few pictures from the last few days.  And have a Happy Valentines day!

Ice part of the storm

Ice frog

You can see the ice layer, then the snow on top.

zoomed in on the chimney, you can see where the heat from our fire melted up top on the chimney then refroze as it dripped down.  Pretty cool.

ZaiJian

~Donna

Snowmageddon2014 or whatever they are calling it.

Here’s how it went down for us.

All day Monday we watched the weather forecasts..  Yes snow.. no snow.. dusting.  It was all over the place.  At the 11pm news the north metro was downgraded to an Advisory..  (which I later learned is NOT a downgrade..anyway) It was still being said that we would maybe get an inch.  School was not cancelled for Cobb County.

Next morning Robyn went to school.  We were upgraded to a Winter Weather Warning, but still not much snow and not till later in the afternoon, like it wouldn’t start till 2pm or so.  David was home.  He did not have to go into work until later.  They were having rehearsals for the Middle school play “Pirates of Pezance” and he was working a late day.  Around 1045am or so it started to snow, and we received an automated call that school was to be let out early at 12:30pm.  Hindsight, we should have looked at the radar at that point and left to get Robyn.  David’s assistant called him and said, don’t come in they were cancelling school for the day as well.  Whew.

We ate some lunch and left the house at 12:15pm to go get Robyn.  From our house to her school it’s 3.5miles and usually takes 7-8mins.  After an hour and a half, we had only gone 2 miles.  As we crept closer to her school the traffic just stopped moving.  At this point we were .5 to .7 miles from the school.  I gave my big jacket I got for our Alaska cruise to David and he left me with the car.  He had his cotton coat and the snow was just coming down at this point.  Mine was waterproof.. and because it’s just huge on me, it fit him perfectly.  I was wearing my slippers!!  Who knew this was going to happen!  He left me at 1:52pm and got to her school by 2:07pm.  Luckily we had sent her to school in her warmest coat with gloves, hat and the works!  I pulled the car over to the side by the entrance to a neighborhood.  Word had gotten to me that the road was impassable to her school.  The hill was ice and cars were stuck and could not get up the hill.

David and Robyn arrived around 2:25pm or so.  She told me that David slipped and fell on his butt and she didn’t!  He was ok.  We headed back home.

 It was slow going, but it was going and we were home just before 3pm.  We were VERY lucky compared to most folks in the area.  Stories from family, friends and neighbors about 12+hrs to get home were not uncommon.  There is one good thing about being unemployed!  Guess God has kept me jobless for that day.  Anyway we were able to get out and play in the snow and then stay warm and cozy at home.  They cancelled school for Wed, Thurs and Friday as the snow hung around and became black ice each night.  Friday it finally warmed up to where most of the snow was gone.  The roads had been treated.  Only those lawns and areas that didn’t get direct sun still had snow on them.

We learned that we need to make our own decisions regarding school and snow.  We can’t rely on the government to make timely decisions.  Many folks here learned lots.  Warm ground, plus snow plus cold air temps.. makes for nasty ice.  The snow would hit the roads then melt, but then freeze soon after because it was soo cold.  Georgia just isn’t used to this stuff; we are equipped to salt/scrape roads.  Why should we? This only happens every few years?  There is that possibility we’ll see it more often with Climate Change, only time will tell.

So that’s our story.  We were able to play in the snow some, had some warm fires and were VERY blessed to be home together.

Here are some pictures and video from last week.

David arrives with Robyn!

backyard

Four Snow Angels, Mommy, Daddy and Robyn did one, then Robyn did another. She said that one was for her sister!  awww

Looking out from front door at our block.

The frog on the patio!

From our front door.

first snow angel!

Snow!

Sledding with Grace! 

Miss cutie!

ZaiJian

~Donna