Dig Out!

So as mentioned in my previous post we got some snow. Okay, that's an understatement we got two feet of snow! I did not make it to work today but the beauty of my job is I can work from home so I did. After I heard Jim (the plowman) come by late morning I went outside to finish digging out. I didn't realize how much snow there was.

I geared up with my boots, snowpants, hats and gloves. It was slightly overwhelming as I didn't know where to start. I decided to start with the Cheesman's car (the people i'm house sitting for). I started with an ice scraper/brush and I realized that would take until Christmas! So I grabbed a shop broom. Back and forth I pushed the broom over the vehicle. Everytime I tried to take a step to move I would nearly fall over. The now was up to my knees! It was hard to walk, even stand since the snow was like cement holding me in place. My upper body could move but my feet were securely planted.

Brushing it off..I thought I'd never get done

My car!

That's deep!

I had just finished the hood of the Cheesman's Subaru when I moved to the windshield. With each sweep across the windshield the snow was like a mini avalanche sliding onto the hood--it seemed like I was not making any progress. I began to laugh. Like really laugh. I'm not sure that the situation was funny but sometimes things humor me, and this was one of those times. Pictures just do not do justice of the snowfall so I took a video. (see below)

I continued with the Cheesman's Subaru and managed to clear off the snow. I backed it into yet, another snowbank and left it there. I then proceeded to work on my car. This time the snow was deeper since all of the snow from the Cheesman's car had been pushed over the side into a large pile where I had to now stand to clear my own car. 

One down, one to go

Two cars out...now time to plow out the area.

 As I was clearing off my car the pile was getting deeper still and then I realized that it was up to the middle of my door. I tried to get the drivers door open to drive my car out but, as luck would have it, the snow would not allow me to do so. Moving snow once is bad enough but I had to scoop it a SECOND time to get it away from the door of my car.

I parked my car up on the road and Jim Sampson arrived with his truck and plow. He informed me that he could only get the main area so I would have to scoop the snow from the sidewalk and front of the car manually. I grabbed the very large snow scoop (I call it a "Yooper Scooper" since that's what Adam called it on his internship in Marquette, MI).

Hooray Jim showed up!

What it looks like after it's plowed out...still snow but significantly better.

Snow, and snow, and more, snow pushing. It was 18*F outside but I was sweating! An hour and a half had passed since I ventured outside and the end was in sight. Jim plowed one final path up and out the steep driveway. I walked up to my car (parked on the road atop the steep driveway) and parked it back in front of the garage. For the first time in a long time my car did not scrape snow on the undercarriage. I then parked the Cheesman's car back as if nothing had happened.

All done..until the next storm

I walked up the steps to realize I had not cleared them so I took the smaller snow shovel and scooped off the steps and deck. I was tired, hot, and sweaty. On the plus side I got in my workout for the day so for the rest of the night I can just kick back and relax. Oh Alaska, how I love you so!