one year ago: blizzard

if you live in the chicagoland area and say 'snow' someone will undoubtedly bring up the snowfall of january 26-27, 1967.  by the time it was over there were 23 inches on the ground.  the stories never get old about people's commutes home or that my grandpa walked across mannheim road.  it was at least two lanes in each direction and busy.  that day, you could walk clear across because life shut down. 

last year, february 1-2 was the biggest snowfall of my lifetime.  i remember sitting at work watching the snow come down and worrying about how i would ever get home.  we got out of work early and i started the treacherous ride.  my husband battled the downtown trains and it took him hours to get home.  we only have one car so i had to pick him up.  it was such a relief to get home safely and watch it all happen.  it was genuinely incredible to see nature go to work.  when we woke up the next morning there were over 20 inches of snow on the ground.  it was so windy that there were drifts of over three feet.  once we got over the amazement of it all we knew we had to get to work.  we had to dig out our driveway.  there were times that i was standing in snow that came up to above my knees.  we have a shared driveway with our elderly next door neighbors.  my husband worked that snowblower like he owned it and dug us both out.  the wife of the couple next door came out and the two of us shoveled the hard to reach places.  maybe someday i'll do a post on our next door neighbors but for now it will suffice to say that i'm not a huge fan of the woman next door.  however, that day we were a team.  she told me all about her life and her kids.  i may never talk to her like that again and i'm thankful for the opportunity.  the whole neighborhood banded together and we helped each other out.

two hours later we could see the brick of the driveway and went inside to warm up and dry off.  from there we had a cozy snow day.  it was the only day my dad missed work because of weather in over 30 years.  my husband and i hunkered down and watched groundhog's day.  it replayed all day.  we love that movie.  i may not have a story from the big one in '67 but someday i'll show our kids the pictures from the blizzard of 2010. 

today the high is 51 though i have my doubts as it is currently 37.  there are only remnants of snow on the ground from a storm a week or so ago.  as in all things in life: what a difference a year makes.