When Knitting Was a Manly Art

30 inches of snow on the ground. We haven’t been above freezing for more than a week. This is the most snow I’ve seen at one time since we moved up here in 1985 and it appears to have broken a 40 year old record. I’ve been stuck in the house since Friday night, but I expect to try to get to work tomorrow, if I can dig my truck out of it’s snowbank.

This is a satellite photo from NASA’s Earth Observatory

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We had a visitor this morning browsing on a Winter Hazel bush in the front yard and apparently not very afraid of dogs. Gina, our Great Pyrenees, was lying in the snow about 30-40 yards in front of her.

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Not so cold today, but more than 1 foot of fresh powder on the ground. Another no pay day, but the snow plow just passed and if I can get out the driveway, I should be able to get out tomorrow.

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The crappy weather continues.

I worked yesterday evening, though we closed an hour early. The ride home was slick and icy in the valley, but once I started to climb up to the ridge top the snow got deeper and the driving is much easier.

Today was a day off, but the snow returned full bore and I’m looking at about 6 inches of new powder snow. I’m scheduled to work tomorrow evening, but it look’s likely that I’ll call in early for the day off. The owners son is home from college for winter break and is available to cover the shift.

Some fun links from www.youtube.com

Nora, the piano playing cat

Nora – Part 1
Nora – Part 2

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High today 22.5F
Low last night 14.5F
Current temp 16.0F

I made a command decision last night and closed the restaurant at 8:30PM. The two of us working both had long and slippery drives ahead of us and I couldn’t see staying open for the extra hour. A trip that takes 20 minutes in fair weather became a 45 minute white knuckle drive last night.

I had already got my day shift today covered and spent the day in glorious sunshine but bitter cold getting things done around the farm.

The owner called late this afternoon and told me he had my shift covered tomorrow also. I *hate* losing the hours, but I decided to take another snow day off. Even with 4-wheel drive, it’s becoming one of the longest rides I have had to make.

Tomorrow is predicted to be clear and cold again, but Wednesday has another front coming in with an additional 2-6 inches of snow and it looks like we can expect below freezing weather through at least next Monday.

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The Pacific Northwest is enduring it’s first major winter storm and it’s cold and getting colder.

When I got up this morning at 8:00, the porch thermometer stood at about 32F. It’s currently a hair below 27F and is expected to continue to drop most of the afternoon. Light snow all morning, but barely 1 inch of accumulation.

I’m closing the restaurant this evening and am not looking forward to the drive down and especially the drive back up here tonight at around 10PM. There’s nobody to cover the shift and unless they decide to close before 3PM, I’m stuck.

I’m scheduled to work tomorrow from 10AM until about 6PM. It’s a 50/50 chance I won’t make it due to roads

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Ok, I blame All Songs Considered, an online podcast from NPR, for my spending too much money on iTunes, though some of these are from my CDs.

Currently on my 3rd generation iPod:

Band of Bees Octopus
The Beatles White Album (40th anniversary)
The Black Angels Directions to See a Ghost
Blitzen Trapper Furr
Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde
Boy Eats Drum MacHine Booomboxxx
Fatboy Slim Various
Feufollet Cow Island Hop
Gogol Bordello Various
Grupo Fantasma Comes Alive
Harry Nilsson Nilsson Schmilsson, Son of Schmilsson
Hayes Carll Trouble In Mind
Hindu Love Gods Hindu Love Gods
Holy Modal Rounders 1&2
James McMurtry Just Us Kids
John Hiatt Same Old Man
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Repentance
Liars Drum’s Not Dead, Liars
Madvillain Madvillainy
Modeselektor Hello Mom!, Happy Birthday
Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral, The Slip
Of Montreal Skeletal Lamping
Rammstein Mutter, Volkerball
The Ramones Loud Fast
Ratatat Classics, LP3
Robert Plant and Alison Kraus Raising Sand
Scooter Jumping All Over the World
Shel Silverstein The Best of Shel Silverstein
Super XX Man Vol XII: There Will Be Diamonds
Todd Snider Near Truths and Hotel Rooms, Peace Queer
Tom Waits Rain Dogs
TV on the Radio Young Liars, Return to Cookie Mountain, Dear Science
Warren Zevon The Wind
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis Two Men With the Blues

Along with a few onesie/twosie cuts of local bands and at least one Beethoven (Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, “Eroica” – Scherzo: Allegro Vivace)

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