Could you take my picture

As I sit here, debating on what pictures to upload, I am reminded of the 1999 song, Take A Picture by Filter. For some reason, I just had to find it on Youtube and take a listen. I really dig it. It's got nothing remotely related to what I'm thinking about in the Blizzard of 2010 pictures, but it's a good start; a theme to keep rolling through out my snow filled folder.

I implore you to take a gander at a live performance:

So... on to other news. Pictures from yesterday. Out and about in my yard. Doesn't begin to emote the feelings and ways in which this could have been worse. It's pretty, but we scaved off clean compared to New Jersey (Elizabeth checked in at 30 odd inches) and New York (Central Park's homeless got about 28 inches or so). Luckily, Brockton got 22, but that is including the thundersnow we recieved as well. For those who are not in the know, thundersnow can be summed up as: An isolated thunderstorm mixed inside a snow storm. This can bring anywhere from 3 to 6 more inches of snow, just in that one area. Think of it as The Day After Tomorrow meets a hell of a lot less accumulation and worry. Trust me; this isn't the first time Brocktonia has gotten thundersnow. I remember a few years ago, in a February blizzard, it was thundering and lightening like it was the middle of summer. All I could tell from looking out the window, was a total white out of bad snow, and flashes of light trying to break it up. Claps of thunder made it all surreal. But that's the nature of the Nature Beast. You never know what you're going to get sometimes!

The photos I've uploaded are in no particular order (like my writing style / thought process sometimes). Apologies for the hyperlinks on the right conflicting with the pictures; just click on each picture to open in a new window (to see them bigger) (right click, "open in new window" or "open in new tab").




So without further ado, I bring you my yard!

the white dot is a plane:

Cheers,


 

Wassup, dog?

We have Eastern Insurance, like some Massholes may. So we got a newsletter in the post today about general things - new law relating to homes with oil heat, changing the preferred method of contact, knowing when your license expires (the Mass RMV is no longer mailing renewal applications), How to save money with inusrance costs, the new law about people being liable for snow removal, and finally dogs. The dog thing is what caught my eye.

"Most insurance companies will not provide coverage with these breeds * of dogs [...] any dog with a bite or vicious history!". I am going to attach the list, but that's alot of dogs that might not be covered! I can understand rotties and pit bulls, but am I that naive in thinking that Huskies are dangerous? They may be sled dogs, but I didn't know they were on they are on the same caliber as a Wolf Hybrid. Same goes for Saint Bernards, Giant Schnauzers and Spitz/Eskimos. English Terriers are just fucking disturbing looking, while Korean Jindos look like the devil in fur.

Oh, and an update with my pictures from yesterday: currently scanning them into the computer - don't have a digital CD or any other way to get them in the computer, so 51(ish) photos take time. Should be uploaded within the next 24 hours (I hope).

See ya'll on the flip. Going to continue scanning. Currently on the second roll of film, so we're getting there!

Cheers,

Ya, I'm not that bright

My driveway is cleaned, but there is a sheet of icy snow on it, and although it'd give me an excuse to do something besides be on the computer all day, I don't want to break my back chipping away at it. I did manage to get some of it down to gravel, but that was only so I could make sure my car would get out with no problem.

Upon finishing a sqaure of it, I decided to utilise my time outside for a few more minutes and grabbed my camera. Since it's a known fact that my only form of digital media is my camera phone, I opted for my SLR instead. It's so beautiful out, that the pictures will come out crisper. Unfortunately, I use rolls of film, so the snow scens will have to wait until development. Which could be the end of the week, providing I go out and do some errand shopping. I want to wait until tomorrow at least so some of the ice melts a bit. Do not have 4 wheel drive, so fishtails are inevitable. However, I'm not that bright. What seemed like a good idea at the time, brought forth a rammification that exceeds the pretty trees. I ain't got no more film! I used up the two rolls I had! I didn't think to check if I had a spare! Ruh Roh. I guess I'm buying a four pack when I go out to develop as well.

But at any rate, I shall be uploading todays ventures later in the week, once I get the photos back. Tis proof I should get in the digital age and buy myself a cheap camera! Haha.

Bis dann...

So THIS is Christmas?

Wow, what a wonderful end to the Christmas weekend. The country has been bombarded by various elements of nature the past week, and finally, New England got its taste of a good ol' fashioned blizzard. Too bad the snow didn't start Friday night for Christmas Day, but at least there was still some leftover snow from Monday to make people happy.

A lowdown on the snowdown (or raindown, depending on the case):

California is going to be its own private island providing the rain and mudslides don't stop. Earlier in the week, up and down the state, people were stuck in the mud because it rained so heavily for some counties, that some cars became encapsulated in thick mud. Others got carried away by rain, while home owners were left swimming in their basements. After doing a brief search on the Internets, I found some articles that read like Science Fiction novels - some parts of the state got hail (while the northern part snow), others got rain, someone got a tornado (oh, no, Auntie Em!), tidal surges were aplenty, and Mother Nature still ain't done! At one point in the week, the whole state was in such disarray, there was no moving and the Governator filed for a State Of Emergency in 6 counties. I think someones been smoking too much of their medicinal marijuana and forgot to shut off the bad weather tap...

Heading east, the "mid west" and southern states decided that they are tired of hot weather (the southern states), so they too got snow for Christmas. Snow covered places like Colorado must have said it's too much for them, so they sent the fluffy stuff flying. Like some counties in northern California, places like Alabama and Tennessee, who are relative strangers to cold, nasty blankets, got a taste of what shoveling means. They got buried with snow mid week and as soon as they got tired of it, they sent it further (north)east.

New England got the brunt of the bad weather the past 24 - 48 hours. If a state did not get heavy rain, they got snow. Speaking from experience this weekend, western and southern Massachusetts got clobbered with a grand total of 20+ inches. Living close to the Cape, I know we got the total amount. It's heavy, it's wet, it's back breaking. No wonder why meteorologists call this type of snow the "heart attack storm" because you can have a heart attack while trying to clean your driveway. All along the eastern seaboard, airlines are cancelling flights. If the flight wasn't grounded by Sunday morning, the passengers are definitely sitting pretty in the airports as I write this. No one is getting in or out until tomorrow morning, at the earliest, if that. Lucky ones got out, but the unfortunate are sleeping on cots and wondering how they'll be able to see family or finish their vacation. If the vacation wasn't started yet, welcome to the weekend and the start of a hassle in New England! Massachusetts is under a snow / state of emergency, so that means all non essential (aka citizens) personnel are to stay inside and keep up with the shovelling. Only governmental agencies are open, and they are on a skeleton crew. Although some businesses choose to be open today, they too, are on a limited staff because the state does not want people on the roads. To each his own. I know from experience, that last winter, when we had a declared state of emergency, my job did not close or shut down early. We had to stay and close the store. They did not turn customers away, at least the ones who felt frisky enough to go furniture shopping in a blizzard. So we stayed open all day and night, and it was a ghost town at some points. We only closed 2 days a year, and every other day in between was fair game. Lovely.

So I'm going to end my ramblings right here and provide a little slide show. I went out and shovelled a path in my driveway and back deck. Just in case I needed to get out in an "emergency". Happy trails, and stay warm!

 

Cheers,