On the way to work this morning.

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The secondary roads still covered, ice on the trees and wires.

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Just got back to work after 2 days of closing. It's really quite rare; in our staff meeting Monday we were reminded that we "never close." HA HA.

Had plenty of food in the house, but needed cigarettes (I know, bad habit.) Walked the mile or so to the nearest gas station, waiting for a car to slide off the road and run into me. I could have driven, but I wanted the steps for our "10,000 steps a day program" we are running. Walking through the drifts, still snowing and blowing...it was great exercise. Well, lost the pedometer somewhere in the snow. Natch. I liked the walk though. Saw all the ducks on the river, and a Blue Heron.

Found out we were closed yesterday, so promptly got to the store to stock up on beer. As much as I hate-love this job, I felt pretty spoiled the last two days knowing there are people who have to go to work no matter what the weather. Wolf, you have my greatest respect!

I enjoyed the time. Shoveled my carport and sidewalks, talked to my many elderly neighbors. If I ever won a smallish lottery, I would just pay off the place I have, get a decent car, and spend my days writing and piddling around the house. AND get internet so I don't miss you all for two days! :)

I did wonder if you were snowed in, but no point in asking as you only access at work!

Borrowed Dads loader this morning to punch our way out. I was only a couple minutes late for class...

For some reason I read this as "borrowed dad's loafers" and I wondered how his shoes were better at getting at snow than yours. :blush:

I used to work at a place that "never closed." Somehow the governor declaring a state of emergency and ordering all non-emergency vehices off the road put the kibosh on that.

I understand the concept behind "never close." As a higher education institution people should know that in some jobs they DO have to make it in no matter what. But my point has always been that we are a commuter college; we have young and old students from a tri-county area, many in very rural parts of the counties. There are actually students who wouldn't dream of missing a class, and many of them don't have nice 4 wheel drives with heated seats. I worry about those people tryng to make it in.

Plus, I wanted the day off with pay! :)

Our maintenance guys spent 14 hours trying to clear the lots and drives...just couldn't keep up. That's the only reason we closed.

Yep, me too. It's too hot right now and my lawn is brown and crunchy.

The ice on my driveway is roughly 2" thick. This has been a nightmare for some, not for me so much because I do have the 4x4...

But yesterday Katkeeper called from Harrisburg and asked if I would come up there and chip off some of the 3" thick ice on her driveway so she could get out. I did, stopping at the nearby hardware store for some gear and salt.

On the PA Turnpike there were tons and tons of trucks, especially FedEx; I must have passed about ten double trailers heading west and about twice that heading east... and hundreds of trucks. Turns out they were all avoiding the parallel highways 100 miles north, where I-80, I-78 and I-81 were hosed beyond comprehension. Smart truckers with smart route management were probably getting to NY and the northeast via the toll road, which had been well managed and was in good condition.

Until one of those trucks got in a tangle with a minivan, and the result was a good 3 hours of backup eastbound. I was in the last hour of it...

Some people were stuck in their cars on I78 for 24 hours.

Explain to an ignorant Brit:

Hosed in this context means?

Screwed. Out of luck. In trouble.

buggered

Thanks - I sorta guessed, but thought I'd check to see if it had a more specific meaning...

Round here ice hockey's so big I wouldn't put it past 'em to hose a road and make a new rink.