As in still snowing, and clear up to your ass.

Lucky me, I get to scoop a path across the deck seen in the picture a few posts back. The satellite dish is atop the shed; we’ve lost the signal. Being snowbound and teevee-less is an intolerable combination. A light brooming off of the dish should restore service. Yet another reason we didn’t roof-mount the dish. If it were there, we’d have teevee reception back about spring thaw time, if it were up to me to tend to it.

-k-

Your forbearance is humbly requested, while I post yet another snow photo. This is a view out tbbs WorldHQ’s front door, which reveals my covered ’01 Saturn. We think MLB’s ’08 is under the pile mid-photo, and our neighbor’s VW is visible on the right.

There’s evidence there that a neighbourhood Good Samaritan, who presumably is equipped with a snow blower, has cleared some of the sidewalk out front. I’ll make it a point to treat this person to a few beers, or better yet, a shot of good single-barrel bourbon, if I can ascertain their identity.

The Big Dig starts tomorrow; the sidewalk leading to our front door is at the top of the list. Then the stretch of walk in front of our place. Then a path to the cars; there’s a grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. I never mind those parts too much. With snow of this depth, scooping paths on the driver’s side of the cars is necessary. And that’s the part that I don’t like; I have to traipse across the street to empty the shovel, the yard being full after the sidewalk scooping. Scoop, traipse, dump, repeat. Then, pushing the snow off the cars leaves another passel to be relocated across the street.

Our next door neighbors are off on a cruise and are due back on Monday, so I’m duty-bound to scoop the walks leading to their house, so they will have a clear path. They are good neighbors, quiet, attentive without nosiness, just like I like. So we help each other out.

So, all in all, tomorrow promises to be a day of more physical exertion than befits a confirmed couch potato. I have the single-barrel bourbon and Ben Gay to look forward to at the end of the efforts. Is that inspiration, or what?

-k-

When life sends you snow, you blog about it. With pictures. This one reveals our outside Sirius Satellite Radio antenna. This is needed to get any kind of reliable signal at all; here in the underbelly of our three-level townhouse, the indoor antenna just doesn’t cut it.

I think it looks like a little Christmas tree. The snow accumulation on top of the fence rail is gettin’ right up there as well.

And, in the interest of complete reporting, I just fired up the Sirius receiver, and it still gets a signal, and plays all those great country tunes I love to hear.

For now, though, we’re back to watching Texas basketball, the Kansas Jayhawks already having dispatched Michigan in the previous game.

I really don’t mind being snowed in; the thoughts of the Big Dig which inevitably ensue detract from the comfort of being comfortably ensconced with MLB and our faithful cat here at tbbs WorldHQ.

For now, I’ll revel in the comfortable ensconcement, which probably isn’t a word. But you understand my meaning.

-k-

The view of the deck, taken just a few minutes ago. That white conical device is our Brinkmann Smoker, under a fresh blanket of the white stuff. To the right is the black Weber Kettle grill, sporting the latest in white hattery. We’re expecting 10-18″ before this storm moves on up the coast, and we’re currently under a blizzard warning; winds are supposed to get gusty as the front moves on.

I’m reevaluating all the I Love Four Seasons¹ statements that I’ve ever made. In some sense, I stand by that statement. The real reevaluation starts tomorrow, when I take shovel in hand to begin the Big Dig.

-k-

I’d estimate last night’s snowfall at around 6 or 8 inches. The wind is kicking up. An application of the implements mentioned in this post’s title is needed. In the order in which they are mentioned.

-k-

This was clipped from the right sidebar here in tbbs-land just a minute ago:

The windchill is 22^o or so now. Into the teens tonight.

I don’t know what we’ll do when winter gets here.

-k-

The remnants of TS Hanna are passing over as I type this. Near as I could tell from the radar, the storm will track more to the south and east of where we are, and then take a turn northward up the coast.

Nevertheless, the rain bands are, well, banding up, and dumping rain in buckets. Thankfully not much wind, we’ve not lost power. Only the DirecTV signal; it’s back up now. Anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain across the area.

We don’t get many events like this here; last time was Isabel, five years ago almost to the day. Izzy was much worse, and we made it OK that time; looks like we’ll make it again.

-k-

Just in from Channel 4′s morning weather report:

Thick humidity is in the air around Reston and Loudoun County.

What is this? Fog? I’m not sure; I’ll just be glad when summer’s over.
-k-