Good Morning Nemo...

So when I told Mozart that Nemo was coming, he had a hard time believing me.  Even when I explained that in this case, Nemo is a bunch of snow, he still did not believe me.  And I have to say, that I was doubtful at that point myself - the forecast said we'd start to see action at 3am and this photo was taken around noon.

But, oh, by the afternoon it was coming down at a regular clip, and by morning, we were looking at a different view from the window!   
But that doesn't do the scene justice. This will give you a better idea: 
Yes, friends, that is our driveway.  With our two cars that we have since dug out.  It's nice you can see the cars from this view.  In the digging out process, I found that the other side of the cars were completely covered.   Note that Mozart is looking very small in relation. That photo is about an hour into our shoveling.  We are blessed to have some anonymous snow blower-wielding neighbor who went down our front walk.  By the time we dug our way to the walk, we were even more grateful.  Mozart was all rosie-cheeked, as were we, when we got to the walk, but there was still a LOT to do.  Even so, with nearly all the neighbors out working, the whole thing was rather communal feeling.  Just then, another neighbor came out onto his porch for the first time and seeing the sheer amount of snow gave this somewhat maniacal laugh, in what I believe was a mixture of disbelief, wonder and defeat all at once.  Even though our muscle's ached and we had more than half of our work to go, it had us all laughing!  

The side walk below was even deeper than the driveway.  In the driveway it took four shovels full of snow to make a foot's worth of progress.  On the side walk it took SIX shovels full of snow.  And, the 5th and 6th shovels were very packed and heavy.  Mozart and I made a path down the side walk, and the boys helping the neighbor met us, cutting our work down (blessedly).  But since the pathway was only one shovel's width, we caved and hired another neighborhood boy with a snow blower to make the sidewalk wide enough and clean up the end of our driveway a bit more.  Our town's codes say we need to have the walks clear enough for a wheelchair to pass, and that just wasn't going to cut it.  I say, that was a well-spent $20!

Where's the app for that?

On Wednesday Mozart and I came home to a house maintaining a frigid 45 degrees.  I was not happy.  I knew what had happened - well, sort of - the water went down on the boiler and it went off while we were at work.  It's easily fixed in the short run.  Just go down and add more water.  But you can never tell when it will happen next.  

This has happened on and off since we bought the house.  We've had the professionals come and look at it and, previously, were that we just need to keep an eye on it, add water every couple of weeks (more in the winter) and everything is normal.  Well, guess what folks?  It's no longer normal.  Something is very, very wrong.  My educated guess says it's actually the water heater - seeing as there are rivulets of water coming out of it.  But that doesn't explain how the water in the boiler goes down.  And as long as it keeps turning back on, we really just need to watch it and hope for the best.  After the new roof and new-to-me car, there is no room in the budget for any additional bills.  Grrr. Or should I say, Brrrr.

Because it happened again last night when we were sleeping.  We typically keep it quite chill in the house and I where plenty of layers and warm things, so I didn't wake up (maybe I should rethink this?) until the usual time, but when I put my glasses on they fogged up.  THAT's not a good sign.  I found my slippers, checked the thermostat (it was 41 - yeah, brrrrrrr!) and got the boiler to work again.  Got Mozart up and dressed, put extra layers on him as we left his heated room, and got him out the door with a hastily-put-together Wife (no heat means no shower unless you want to do it African Bath style, but that take bravery and/or planning). 

I have switched last night's laundry to the dryer, put a new load in - and I know the boiler is doing it's job because the "cool" water was feeling downright warm on my frigid fingers - and now I sit with a heating pad for the time being.  The heat is up to a balmy 45, so in my humble opinion, it is still too cold to shower even if there is hot water.  I'll give it another 10 minutes before I get up and start doing some housework - that'll at least keep me warm while the house warms up.

I may have mentioned that I have a not-quite-as-bright phone, but still, I think there ought to be an app to tell me the moment the water goes down on the boiler. Because this is just no fun.

Unscathed.

We are very fortunate. Very fortunate indeed.  We were stocked for a couple days sans electricity, and had enough food, water and batteries to get us through. The lights, however didn't even flicker.  When I prepare so well and nothing happens I always feel slightly let down. Not incredulous, as I've seen some on my Facebook feed, but it's just that I gotten that adrenaline rush and then there was nothing but waiting after.  This letdown only lasts until I run across any media, though, because then I am faced with just how bad it could have been - and no amount of my measly power-outage-prep could have helped if we'd been faced with the flooding and damage that other places endured.

So, with that, I am grateful. Very grateful that my family is safe. And also thinking of all of those who fared so much worse.

Off to work...

Hurricane Sandy a.k.a. Frankenstorm.  Biggest in 500 yrs, some say ?!  Headed towards
NYC/NJ - all of Massachusetts is in the "red zone". State of Emergency
called for all of MA.  Daycare cancelled.  Work doesn't seem to be
worried - have to go in.  Wish us luck!!