This Winter in Boston

I love the snow. I don't love digging out of it, and I don't love driving in it, but otherwise, I love it. It's beautiful to watch it coming down, whether it's falling gently or a blizzard out there, I like taking walks in it (well, mostly when it's falling gently and not a blizzard!), I like playing in it after it's fallen, and I like looking out at the white landscape. I don't even mind the cold, as long as I'm dressed for it, and ideally when it's at least a few degrees above zero. 

But now? This year? After this past January - February in Boston? No. Hell no. I'm D.O.N.E. with snow!!! This February was hell, not warmed over. The amount of snow we got was ridiculous. Four huge storms in less than four weeks, I think. As soon as we barely dug out from one storm, the next one hit. Schools had many snow days, and then as soon as the snow let up, there was a week of school vacation. Parents were going crazy! Jordyn's school was closed on two Mondays, so we spent the night at my parents' house on Sunday so they could watch Jordyn on Monday, and I took my dad's car to work, since I'm an "essential employee" and his car is better than mine in the snow. And then we spent Monday night at their house, as well, because my driveway wasn't yet cleared and we couldn't get in it through the snowbanks - the plowed snow on top of what fell. And on top of all the snow, it was colder than average on every day in February except one, I think. Let me try to illustrate in pictures what we've been dealing with:

Well, let's start with a cute one. This is before we went out the first (and pretty much only)
time in the snow while it was falling. She was excited. It didn't last long! 

She ended up with my ski goggles on because the snow was getting in her eyes.
She was miserable. I think we went inside right after I took this picture. 

I think this was after the first blizzard, when we got somewhere around 2 feet, not counting much higher drifts. Notice that you can see the impression of the front door design in the snow. I had to start shoveling from inside before I could even step foot out the door.

See my car on the left side? Yes, this is my driveway. The drift completely covered the retaining wall in this part!
But the car didn't much have snow on it, due to how the wind was blowing.

This was at my parents' house. The pile of snow was so big next to the steps, that I ran from the top of the steps and jumped into it. I tried to get Jordyn to jump, but she wouldn't. My dad did, though.
Those big mounds of snow behind me are patio furniture. 

This was our one attempt at sledding in our backyard. It was impossible - the snow was WAY too deep. The sled wouldn't move; it sunk too far into the snow. I could barely walk in the snow - it was over my knees. And I had to carry Jordyn. This little venture didn't last too long!

I did manage to get a cute picture before we went inside, though!

As you can see, the driveway is bordered by the house on one side, and the retaining wall with a fence and/or trees on top of it on the other. There's nowhere to put the snow! Some of it went straight back next to (and in front of) the garage, some of it went into the backyard to the left of the garage, and some of it went directly in front of the house. Good thing we don't spend too much time in that front room - you can't see much out the window!

Good thing there's nothing in the garage I need for several months!

The snow mound in front of the house.
At one point, my (awesome!) neighbor went out the second floor window onto the roof above the front section of the first floor, and shoveled the snow off the roof onto the snow mound (this pic was before that happened). I was afraid of the roof collapsing, or issues with ice dams, but fortunately, I didn't have trouble with this. Many people did. 

Check out those icicles! You should have seen me leaning out those second floor windows trying to knock the icicles down with a big piece of wood. I was afraid they were going to fall on me or Jordyn and kill us! For a long time, I parked only in the front part of the driveway and we went in and out the front door, so as to avoid the huge thick icicles I couldn't knock down. I knew they'd eventually fall, and I didn't want us to be under then when they did!

The front door after one of the blizzards - snow blew so hard it stuck to the door. And that's one of our many killer icicles. 

Yes, the swing set does have swings, and they're out there... somewhere! 

The other half of the backyard. It's an 8-foot tall fence, I think (or maybe 6?). 

My poor driveway. :( And my poor wallet, shelling out $$ to pay people to shovel/snowblow it after each storm. No way could I do all that myself! I don't own a snowblower, although I plan to before next winter.
Note how high up under the windows the drifts are on the right side, and then check out the next picture...

This is taken from the opposite direction, but check out how high the drifts are now (on the left this time).
The screen door had blown open when I took this pic; it should close at the back of the house and not be able to be seen in this picture. And oh yes, those are my garbage and recycling cans that had to be taken all the way down the driveway to the street for pickup!

I think this may be the most telling picture of them all. The driveway that you can sort of see on the right is my neighbor's. Mine is to the left of the huge snow pile front and center. SO dangerous pulling out not being able to see over the snowbanks! And every.single.intersection is the exact same way.

A week or two ago we had a "warm" day - in the 40s, I think. Jordyn and I took a walk to the elementary school playground where we used to go all the time in the summer and fall. This is the top of a picnic table.

See the middle of the picture, where it looks like a humungous pile of snow is covering up part of the fence? That's actually an opening in the fence, where Jordyn and I usually enter the playground. Needless to say, this time we walked around and went in another way. I was pretty far back taking this picture - that snow pile is HUGE! 

I had to pack down a little section of snow so we could sit down and play, otherwise it was too deep. We tried to build a snowman, but it wasn't the right kind of snow.

This is in someone's yard, right down the street from us. It's hard to tell in this picture, but the tallest part has a tunnel dug underneath it, and fortress-looking things stacked on top. 

Here's the tunnel. I might have fit through if I'd tried, but at least an elementary-middle schooler could, easily.

Jordyn looked so small amidst the huge piles of snow!

One of our snow day activities - icicle painting!

The snow has melted some since these pictures were taken. I can see somewhat better when pulling out of my driveway. Traffic hasn't been as bad as it was - and it was HORRIFIC for weeks, because of all the snow. In at least one place on my commute, there are two lanes going in one direction, and only one of them was plowed. The other one? It was like they didn't even try, they just decided once lane was enough, and it absolutely wasn't. The T (train - subway and above ground) stopped functioning completely a could of times, and then ran with reduced schedules at others, but it's back to fully functioning now. There are no more huge icicles, and I'm back to parking at the back of the driveway. The almost town wide (except for a few main roads) parking ban has been lifted. We're starting to be able to see the swings on the swingset again. We're feeling a little less claustrophobic. It's going to be one wet, muddy spring though! 

Will I be ready for the snow again next winter? Will I ever love it again? Only time will tell, because right now, I still feel like I've seen enough of it to last me a long, long time. I can't remember ever being excited for spring to come, because while I do like spring, I'm not a fan of the heat and humidity of summer. But this year? Bring on spring!

I just looked out the window... it's snowing.