I’ve received plenty of email from out-of-town friends who were worried that Diane and I might be buried by the recent snowstorm that descended on Western New York. Yes, some communities found themselves under three feet of snow in a couple of hours. We were the stars of THE WEATHER CHANNEL for a few days as waist-deep snow clogged streets and sidewalks. Schools closed (but not mine). The NY State Thruway turned into a 10-mile parking lot because the Thruway Authority workers continued to allow motorists on to the Thruway even though traffic was stalled and there was NO WHERE TO EXIT! The Thruway became gridlocked with hundreds of cars and trucks running out of gas and stalling out. Some folks were stranded in their cars for 20 hours. Fortunately, the snow bands that dumped all that snow kept south of Buffalo. We live in a northern suburb and received ZERO snow. Yes, I can see my green lawn when I look out my window. Next week, we’re supposed to be hit by a general snowfall in the two to four inch range. Thank you for your concern, but this is just winter in Buffalo. We’re used to it.
Glad to hear things are okay. I thinking maybe you’d be descending into cannibalism at any moment.
Speaking of your neck of the woods, the latest issue of Business Week has an interesting article about the city of Niagra Falls. Had no clue things were so grim there.
Three Stooges fans have fond memories of their Niagara Falls bit, Drongo. Actually, I was born and raised in Niagara Falls. Sadly, Niagara Falls has fallen on hard times. When I drove Art Scott down Main Street, Art asked, “When did the war end?”
I am dreading it. And ours is not as severe as yours.
You and Phil are on the other side of the lake, Patti. The cool winds over warm Lake Erie just dumps tons of snow on Western New York. Happens every winter.
The only hope to shut off the snow is if the lake freezes over.
20 hours stuck in a car on the Thruway is a nightmare beyond compare.
Glad you are nowhere near Cheektowaga.
Diane and I always have granola bars, water bottles, and a blanket in our vehicles, Jeff. Lake Effect snow can move around randomly so you have to be careful. If there’s a snow warning, we usually just hunker down and stay home. Who wants to be trapped in their car for 20 hours!
Certainly not us! Our new place is near the top of a very steep hill, the neighbors have all told us to have plenty of rations in case of snow or ice, as our street is not serviced. We won’t see the kind of snow you get there, or anywhere in the upper midwest or east, but then here in Portland, an inch of snow paralyzes the whole area, while you would drive cautiously and keep right on going.
We spent the day so far (it’s 1:30 now) looking for the Christmas cards we bought in September and set aside to mail as soon as we got here. There’s not a trace of them, though we know they are here somewhere. We also can’t find the gifts for my brother and his wife, which we probably – being clever ones – put them with the Christmas cards… We do have some, but the rest of you may get some summery floral cards I did find.
Meanwhile, STAY WARM AND DRY.
Yes, moving causes chaos for quite a time, Rick. But you’ll eventually find everything. Summery floral cards are fine.
Jackie has a friend who lived on top of a hill in West Milford, NJ and the ride down to the bottom where she caught the bus into the city could be an icy nightmare.
Ice is worse than snow, Jeff. You can’t stop on ice, you can in snow.