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Snow Report from Lilly’s Valley

This most recent snow storm, which lasted here from Thursday at dinnertime through Saturday around bedtime, dropped somewhere between 3 and
4 feet of snow her at Chez Champion of My Heart. The much-needed moisture is
great. The stability of our various utilities in recent days and other
weather-related drama — not so much.

This is my version of what my friend Sharon Anne Waldrop calls, “You know you live in the country, when …” Usually her examples are cute, like realizing while you’re at the post office that you still have eggs from the hen house in your pocket or stopping to help a neighbor round up wayward horses because you happen to have spare harnesses and rope in your car. I certainly have those examples too, but today, I’ll share the sometimes frustrating side of living in a relatively remote area … while trying very hard to work from home:

  • Wednesday (which was a warm, beautiful) no
    power, ended up having to take notes during phone interviews by hand
  • Thursday, monster snow begins
  • Friday, monster snow, inadequate plow equipment,
    and no internet connection
  • Saturday, monster snow, no phones, car nearly
    off the embankment of own driveway
  • Sunday, snow finally ends, but no internet connection

 

In the midst of the snow clearing drama on Saturday, I’m sorry to report I took no photos. Imagine one tired/hungry/frustrated spouse (after 2+ hours of struggling to get my car unstuck on his own). Enough said?

Ultimately, it took like six people, three shovels, one snowblower, and an ATV with a plow to clear the steepest part of our driveway (near the main road) enough that we could get another vehicle in to pull mine out. We tried using Tom’s truck to pull mine backwards. No luck. I just slid further down the hill. We tried our neighbor’s Suburban to pull it from the front, but it nearly got stuck too. Finally, one of the old-timers came up the road in his ancient, 40-ton snowplow, tank-like thing with big metal treads. He cleared more snow, then pulled my car to safety.

What an ordeal!

More snow videos coming later this week, but for now, I’m at the end of my patience for things going wonky on the technology front. I have very simple needs: food, water, shelter, wood, electricity, phone, internet … and, of course, warm pups.

A little sledding perks a girl up too!

(I shot this Sunday, after a 60+ degree day greatly reduced the thigh-deep snow.)

Roxanne Hawn

Trained as a traditional journalist and based in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA, I'm a full-time freelance writer for magazines, websites, and private clients. My areas of specialty include everything in the lifestyles arena, including health and home, personal finance and other consumer interests, relationships and trends, people and business profiles ... and, of course, all things pet related. I don't just love dogs. I need them in my life. Seriously.

Rox - April 21, 2009

Ah, yes … that reminds me. We also did not have satellite TV for a while because the snow encrusted our dish.

Roxanne Hawn - April 20, 2009

Ha ha. Very funny. I was mostly trying to goad myself out of a foul mood, so I thought … what the heck, let’s go sledding. I figured any little thing I can convince Lilly to do that might be a little scary (like something that moves … aka, The Teeter) is a good thing.

In fact, I think in the future I would use this sled technique like a buja (sp?) board for a future agility pup. At one point, Joy wanted me to teach Lilly to ride in a shopping cart, but Lilly is afraid of stores and carts. We did try the wheelbarrow once, w/o much luck.

I guess being somewhat on the ground helped.

Elayne - April 20, 2009

If I come over to your house will you pull me around in a sled? I’m wondering who’s training who here.

You should try my method of snow removal which is have a nice warm cup of tea and wait for the sun to come out and melt the snow, I don’t need to go anywhere that badly anyway do I? Unless of course there’s an agility trial to go to the next day, then I’m out there busting my back like an idiot.

Samantha - April 20, 2009

No power and no internet connection? Gosh, that must’ve been cold.. and boring, for all of you!

Looks like Lilly made the best of it with the sled. I’m totally trying that next winter with Marge. That’s really great.

Go warm up, cuddle with the pooches.. you deserve to after what sounds like a nasty clean up!

Susan McCullough - April 20, 2009

I heard the clicker, but it appeared the sled itself was the treat! Sorry about your keys and mailbox.

KB - April 20, 2009

Sounds like your experience was a lot like ours. I had the frustrated spouse syndrome also.

We usually feel like the huge storms are big adventures – but there was something about this one that made it less fun. Perhaps it was the crises that came with it. The lack of showers, the lack of lights, the entire cow in the freezer in danger of melting…

I’m glad that you finally got your vehicle unstuck. As with K’s medical crisis during the storm, you never know when mobility will become critical!

Betty - April 20, 2009

Your video is great! Lilly has the cutest expression on her face…she’s so trusting!

Sorry about your snow. We are supposed to have our first 100 degree day today; although, we don’t always get quite as high as they predict. We will definitely be in the 90s, though. Wish we could share some of this with you so your snow would melt and Tom could find his keys! Take care!

Greg S - April 20, 2009

You know you are in the country when… your dog sits on your lap while you are on the tractor clearing snow from the driveway… Well thats one of mine anyway. We only got about 10 inches of snow, but it was raining for a little while too, and the temp was around 34/35 for much of the storm, so I think the snow was just melting as it landed. Monument, just a little ways from us, had over 2 feet.
I dont think any of our dogs would ride in a sled, but I havent tried so who knows. Of course, there isnt enough snow left now to even try. Maybe next year.

Roxanne Hawn - April 20, 2009

I did use a clicker. You might be able to hear it in the background, but it only took about 5 minutes for her to get the idea of it. She still bails, if the sled gets too tippy, but I agree that she seemed to think it was funny to do.

We even experimented with me pulling her down the bottom of our sledding hill (the last 5 feet or so), going pretty fast. But, that seemed a little too much for our first try.

But, she often agrees to sit in my lap when I sled, so we’ve slid down one of our little hills together many times. I keep a good hold of her.

***

I forgot to add to my general rant/whine … Tom also lost his keys somewhere out in the snow, AND the county slow plow snapped off our mail box on the side of the road. Oy!

Susan McCullough - April 20, 2009

This clearly appears to be one of those exercises that are self-reinforcing! She stays, she sleds. Clearly she’s a happy girl.

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