THE SNOWPOCALYPSE IS HERE!

In the 11 years I have lived in the Northwest, there has been a few snow storms. Most are basically a non-event. But the snow and ice storm of 2003 was awful. A December storm brought several inches of snow but then we had freezing rain and the snow had an inch of ice covering it. I lived 2 blocks away from work and ended up helping cover for people who just couldn’t make it in. Another storm in 2008 brought snow a few days before Christmas. That started out fun with Karaoke at the Abli and walking home in the blizzard was truly a lot of fun and one of my favorite Portland and Rex Hamilton memories. However the next few days of taking the bus to work was miserable — standing in the freezing waiting for buses and the Max. This winter, we had a small storm mid-December and that was my first time driving my truck in the snow. Took it slow and things were fine. Thinking that would be it for snow for the year, I didn’t bother to get anything to put weight in the back of the truck. Stupid!

Already 5″ of snow on Thursday night

But this is one of the worst storms I can ever remember! Even when I lived in Colorado. And it is even worse because Portland and Vancouver don’t have the tools to deal with it. It started on Thursday morning, catching most people off guard and resulting in horrific traffic problems (dozens of accidents and a 30-car pileup where a man was killed). By the time I left work Thursday night, the roads were basically empty of cars but it was still slick and scary. There was 5″ on the back patio table. But Lily and I had fun shoveling the sidewalk.

Friday, the snow had stopped for my drive in and the plows had been working all night, so not too terrible. And I filled the back of the truck with what ever I could find to add some weight — big flower pots and a few cinderblocks. But the snow started again Friday afternoon. That drive home was also a nail-bitter but I took the time to stop at a 7-11 to get some supplies. I am ready to hunker down and wait it out.

Snow on Saturday morning. About double from Thursday night.

Saturday, I didn’t have to work (sad for those who do — especially Marsha, who was suppose to be on vacation but decided to postpone it and then switched with me Tuesday for Saturday so I could work on our software upgrade — sorry Marsha!). Snowing hard all day and the inches are mounting.

The snow and cold didn’t seem to bother Lily. But once she was done with her business, she wasn’t very interested in being outside anymore. “Come on Mom. The couch is waiting!”

Then around 4:30, the heavy snow changed to sleet and freezing rain. Everything is getting covered in a layer of ice. I had been very feebly considering going to a birthday party but that sealed the deal on staying put. I don’t know what is about being forced to stay in, but I always feel the need to bake. I had some leftover cookie ingredients — a.k. white chocolate chips, coconut — from my Christmas-time baking adventures, so cookie time! Spent the rest of Saturday night curled up watching movies and worrying about how people at work would get home — All public transportation was canceled and there was a half-inch of ice over the snow on the roads.

White chocolate chip, coconut cookies. I didn’t have any regular white sugar (I know, super weird), so I used raw sugar. Gave them a nice molasses note. Yum! If only I wasn’t out of milk. Sad.

Sunday, the rain and snow had stopped and things were starting to melt. Big icicles hanging from the eves and trees. Lily quickly decided she did not like walking on the ice-covered snow and dropping through the crust. After a progress report from people at work — one stayed at a hotel, one sleep in the lady’s lounge at work and the rest braved it, but everyone was safe and drama free  — I foraged through the freezer for food to cook for dinner. Bratwurst with caramelized onions and tomatoes over pasta didn’t turn out too bad but I wished I had ground the caraway seeds instead of keeping them whole. Oh, well. Not bad for punt.  By late Sunday night the big thaw was officially on but I stayed curled up and watched season 4 of Downton Abbey. Looks like I survived the storm.

That said, there is a reason I don’t live in Colorado anymore — Snow, I loath you!