Snowmageddon 2011: Part 2

Up until today I had never experienced blizzard conditions as we are currently experiencing. Or, at least that I can recall. A good friend of mine asked me where I was in 1979. My reply, "I was 4." (My friend is about 25 years older than I.) Then she asked where I was in 1999. The answer: Texas.

When I went to sleep last night it was hard to ignore the sound of the high winds, but I did. I also took the perspective ignorance is bliss which meant I didn't look outside to see how much the snow was piling up. I just didn't want to know.

However, this morning was a different story. My first instinct was to take a walk and survey the damage. At first, I did this with only my iPod in hand so I could listen to some tunes. Not to far into said walk I decide to take this video footage ...



Then I decided I needed to stop kidding myself. What I really wanted was to take some pictures . . .







Though I had my camera with me, I didn't spend the whole time capturing what was taking place. I also spent time just taking everything in and talking with the other folks who were out and about as well. One woman walked in knee high snow to get to the metra station. When we crossed paths she was trying to make her way out of said snow to cross the street. I ran into a local coffee shop worker as she shoveled the sidewalk so patrons could enter. She wasn't very happy to be there, but I'm sure the guy who walked from across town for coffee was sure glad they were open!

For the most part, the streets were deserted with a few plows here and there. I had to keep this in mind as I wandered down the middle of the road. Thankfully, plow vehicles don't like hitting people and they honk at you if you are in their way. Though it was cold out overall I didn't seem to mind as I was feeling quite peaceful. It was amazing to see my outside world come to a complete standstill.

Before I headed in I decided to check on my car. I figured it would be covered, but I wasn't expecting what I found . . .



Can you guess which is mine? Let me just say, my first reaction was to laugh. Later in the day, a plow came by and started the process of rescuing all the cars in the lot. That's when I made my way outside again to figure out what I needed to do to finish up the job. Since I don't seem to have a shovel of my own, a neighbor helped me out.

I guess that is the other thing that sticks out in my mind about today. Today I have seen more random acts of kindness taking place than I have on any other given day in the past. It's heartwarming to see strangers come together to help one other and it reinforced my belief that in general people are good.


Hope everyone reading this is safe and warm wherever you may be.

Until later . . .