Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 1

The Icestorm of Wednesday, February 22.

Starting over the weekend of Feb. 18-19, we started getting dire warnings of a likely ice storm heading our way, with the worst part supposed to hit us along the Illinois-Wisconsin border and areas north.  To the south it would be more of a rain situation.  I always take it under advisement as the weather folks are often right, but also often wrong.  I was hoping they were wrong.

However, Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 20 and 21, it was still predicted to hit Wednesday, my usual day to drive up to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.  I adopted a wait and see attitude.  

Well, they were right on with their predictions.  We did have an ice storm and it was the worst I can remember having in the 30 years we've lived in Spring Grove, Illinois.  By the time I would have left for Donovan's at 1:30 pm, there was a thick coating of ice on all the trees and bushes.  Staying put now.

Really hoping we don't lose power.  At 6:15, the lights flickered and then ten monutes later, flickered and went out for good.  Of course, dumb old me had not put any flashlights nearby, so had to grope for some.  Finally found one and was in business.

But, now what.  I can't do anything without electricity and Wednesdays are one of my favorite TV days.  No TV, no radio, no stereo, no nothing.

Might just as well go to sleep.

--RoadIcedOut

JSS: Ice Chopping-- How Come?-- A Disgrace Yesterday

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  ICE CHOPPING--  We were hit with 4 inches of snow the other day which would gave been more, except that it turned to sleet near the end.  However, that made the snow really heavy and overpowered my poor snow blower so I couldn't get the driveway cleared off.  And, driving on it has now caused it to turn to ice.

I have been out chopping it and are my wrists sore.

2.  HOW COME?  How come I get 2/3 of the snow on my side of the street when the snowplow comes by and the people on the other side get just 1.3.  Not fair.  They should get more.

3.  A DISGRACE YESTERDAY--  What happened in Washington, D.C. yesterday was a disgrace.  To think a group of people could get that far when our elected officials are conducting business is scary.

However, it was interesting to note how the liberal press was calling it as a riot when they would not call BLM's days of rampage, rioting, burning and looting anything other than civil unrest.

Come on Guys!  A Riot is a riot is a riot!!  

--RoadDog

Florida Vacation Shot Down By the Weather

We were all set to leave today for Panama City Beach, Florida, where we hoped to arrive by Friday night and enjoy a respite from all this cold we've had so far this month.  It is less than one degrees right now and a high of 6 degrees forecast for tomorrow, but a veritable heat wave of 20 degree for Friday.

This cold did not stop us from leaving.  What stopped us was the winter storms hitting Tennessee and the mid south.  We go through Memphis and they have lots of ice with warming and freezing until Friday morning.

We might still have gone down as it is supposed to be sunny and in the 70s at PCB this weekend, but next weekend looks most like 50s and rain.

Yes, its going to be about 20-30 degrees warmer there, but that is a long drive for that little bit more warmth.

We had to cancel last year for the same reason.

One of these days.

Plenty of Reasons to Hate Winter.  --RoadDog


BEST NORM PETERSON QUOTES:  Hey Norm, how's the world treating you?  "Like a baby treats a diaper."

Fun Times Here on the Frozen Tundra-- Part 4: Third-Most Snow-- Snow Tracking-- Gray Ice

JSS-- Just Some Stuff. //// 1. THIRD-MOST SNOW-- I knew we had gotten a lot of snow this last month, and at 33.5 inches, it is the third-most since records have been kept dating to 1884. The most was January 1918 with 42.5 inches and second-most 40.4 inches in 1979. Last month, Minneapolis-St. Paul received 22.7 inches, Green Bay 17 inches and Denver 14 inches. What's wrong with this picture? 2. SNOW TRACKING--- I feel sorry for the poor car and truck mats, which are soaked. Plus, coming in involves shedding that wet footwear. Go into any public place and the floors are muddy from all the slush. 3. GRAY ICE-- Another problem this year is that unbelievably gross "Gray Ice/Snow" that attaches to your car whenever you drive anywhere as our roads are generally not clear. Huge chunks of this gross stuff is all over parking lots and in the roadways. Plus, I keep having to clear out accumulation from the garage. //// The Midwest Must Have Gotten Mother Nature Really Mad This Year. --RoadDog

What a Wild and Crazy Week This Has Been

Weather Here in the Midwest, along the Illinois-Wisconsin line has been crazier than usual this last week. Monday and Tuesday that V.Thing came and got us and the real temp never got over 0 degrees nor wind chill over -30 degrees. I didn't even poke my nose out the door, other than fighting the freezing pop bottles in the garage. //// Wednesday, when the temp got up to the balmy 4 degrees (and it seriously did seem like a heat wave), I did leave the house, partly because the delayed-by-one-day garbage pickup was here and I needed to see a movie to break a slight case of cabin fever. //// Then, a continued warm up fo 20 degrees Thursday and then Friday we started out with something called a freezing fog which later turned into a freezing rain as we finally got to 32 degrees. Lots of melting snow and flooding, including regular ponds on some roads. (We hit one in Spring Grove.) //// Wow, 33 degerees right now and I went out to get thick packed snow off the front bushes as they were bending down real low. I then started chopping ice off the driveway and front sidewalk. Now, that is sure an aching back kind of an effort. //// We have sure had one heavy duty winter so far, starting back on December 8th when we had a surprise 8 inches of snow. We are now with maybe an inch of Chicago's annual snowfall and, of course, winter has just begun. Then, we had some ice storms which were one reason I didn't really completely clear off the snow so we could at least have some traction. //// And then, that lousy George Clooney is on TV with commercials about the wonders of Michigan's winters about every commercial break. Best that I don't see him right now. //// What Was That Thing About the Moon That Jackie Gleason Used to Say To His Wife? --RoadDog

JSS: Cold, Again-- Bears Lose-- NIU Loss-- Icy!!!

JSS-- Just Some Stuff.

1. COLD, AGAIN-- Bracing for another round of that Super Cold Canadian weather. I try to keep telling them to keep their crummy weather, but they keep sending it anyway. Temps to be around 10 degrees until the weekend.

2. BEARS LOSE-- Saw the game with the Usual Suspects at Squaw Bar in Ingleside and enjoyed the potluck. Didn't enjoy the last minute of the game. Come on Bears, the Packers had the ball 4th and 8 with 30 seconds to go on the 50 yard line and Bears with a one point lead and a trip to the playoffs on the line. Stop them and we go. But no. There was no stop. I would have even been happy with just a first down. No, it was a touchdown!! That's a hard way to lose the game.

 3. NIU LOSS-- We're still hurting over the Poinsettia Bowl loss. This great season, 12-0 until the last two games, sure ended on a downer.

4. ICY!!!!!-- Yesterday was absolutely a day to be mighty careful when walking outside. We had sleet most of the morning and you could slide along even without moving your feet.

Just Some Stuff. --RoadDog

JSS-- Ice Gone--Windstorm Yesterday-- Bears Party-- Grape Crush

Just Some Stuff:

1. All that ice on the driveway and sidewalk is finally gone thanks to the warm weather Thursday to Saturday. I helped it along with a LOT of chopping, chopping, and chopping. Boy, are my wrists and hands ever sore.

2. Yesterday, we had ten friends over for a Bears-Packers party. And DaBears won!!! As horrible as this season is going, if you beat DaPack, things are good again. However, I'll be backing the Pack in the playoffs. I would like to point out to Kip that the Bears beat the Pack both games this year!!!!

3. We had major wind yesterday, with gusts up to 55 mph around Spring Grove, Il. We were lucky not to lose electricity as we usually do in any sort of inclement weather. It blew down my spiral Christmas tree, lost a red ribbon, and put out one strand of lights.

4. Grape Crush--Earlier last week, I bought a six pack each of Orange and Grape Crush in 12 ounce bottles. Getting a pop in a bottle anymore is rare, but I haven't had Grape Crush in a long, long time. It was as Good as I remembered it Being.  Wasn't that what Radar drank on "MASH?"

Life Just Goes On. --RoadDog

Been Ice Breaking

I spent some time Tuesday and a lot of time yesterday breaking up ice and snow on the driveway. It finally got over freezing, the first time since Dec. 2nd.

Usually, you can count on above freezing enough days to help, but not this go around.

December 1st, we had three inches of snow and then rain as it got up to the upper 30s on Sunday. Then we had the deep freeze and it all became ice. Then we had 6-8 inches of snow on two different occasions and several other days of multi-inch accumulation.

I decided not to use the snow blower Dec. 2nd and, judging by sore muscles today, surely regret that decision.

I'll be heading out shortly to break up some more ice. I try to make holes and that helps speed up the melting.

Aching Back Fun and Times Here in Illinois. --RoadDog

A Ship Hitting an Iceberg in 2007

Strange news today, bringing back thoughts of the ill-fated Titanic. The M/S Explorer hit an iceberg earlier today in the Antarctic Ocean and started sinking.

They were taking in water from a hole the size of a fist. About 150 passengers and crew boarded lifeboats and were picked up with no loss of life, fortunately.

Let's file this under things you wouldn't expect to hear in 2007.

I unsuccessfully tried to look up a list of ships sunk by icebergs. I did find out that in 1875, the schooner Caledonia hit one and sank off Newfoundland. All of the crew survived by climbing onto the iceberg and waiting to be rescued.

When Will They Make a Movie of It? --RoadDog

Doing My History Thang this Past Weekend

It just ended up being an intense history weekend for me.

Saturday morning I went to the monthly Fox Lake Historical Society in Ingleside. I spoke about voting for my favorites among the 25 sites eligible for the million bucks from American Express and also told them about the Civil War Encampment in Lake Villa this weekend.

Heard an interesting presentation on the ice cutting industry in Fox Lake. Before refrigeration, summertime ice in the Chicagoland area came from the Chain of Lakes and other lakes in Lake County. Blocks were cut and put in huge wooden warehouses and used during the summers. Hence the name for refrigerators, ice box.

Then it was on to the Lehmann Mansion in nearby Lake Villa for the Civil War Encampment. The mansion was the former home of Ernst J. Lehmann, the founder of the Fair Department Store chain, based in Chicago. It was saved from demolition and now hosts lots of occasions, including many weddings.

I manned the Camp Douglas Sons of the Confederate Veterans table along with camp commander John for the afternoon. We talked with several prospective members.

I got to see a reenactment of what would be classified as a Civil War (although we in the SCV call it the War for Southern Independence, War Between the States, or War of Northern Aggression, but Civil War is just shorter, although incorrect) skirmish. The Confederates won the day. This took place in a field by the Illinois Highway 83 bridge. I can just imagine the motorists going over it wondering what was going on as they went over the bridge. All that smoke, cannon fire, and small arms going off like that.

They treated us to a great pig roast after the event closed at 4 PM. It was strange to see Robert E. Lee talking on a cell phone. Has it come to that?  Of interest, the gent playing Abraham Lincoln is a member of our SCV camp. Imagine that.

Yesterday, I went to the open houses at the Petersen Historical Farmstead in McHenry and the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery. These were held in conjunction with the American Express million dollar Partners in Preservation contest going on right now. The top vote getter gets its entire funding request and then the rest of the 25 sites will get a cut it.

The Petersen House and farm dates from 1843 and the city of McHenry wants to turn it into an operating historical farm. The very fast encroaching suburbia is rapidly taking its toll on area farms and we will soon be at the day when there won't be any left. This will enable future generations to see what it was like in the old days.

The Spring Grove Fish Hatchery dates to the turn of the century and was Illinois' first hatchery, providing fish for the Chain of Lakes, Lake Michigan, and other rivers and lakes as far south as Springfield.

A Historying I Will Go. --RoadDog