Record Snowfall

The City of Spokane broke a record for the most snow in a 24 hour period. They are claiming 23 inches fell which coincides with my claim that the snow was falling at a rate of about an inch an hour.

The snow finally stopped about 3PM. That's when I went to work to finish up my snow blowing. I feel like I logged about eight hours with that thing today. I made a major snow blowing faux pas that caused me great trouble and manual labor.

I set about the task of completing my circuit which includes the sidewalks all the way around the block and half way down the alley. I decided that I had to use my great power to make the whole alley clear of snow. I was just about finished and all I had to do was the sidewalks in front of the house. however, I noticed that a sizable berm had built up around the entrance to the driveway. I then also considered the possibility that the plows would not get to our streets in time for Saturdays Solstice Selebration.

And so I snow blowed the street. This would have added a good hour and a half to my efforts had it gone smoothly. Unfortunately, it did not. The snow I have been blowing while massive in quantity, was light and feathery. I guess we can thank the sub zero temperature last week for that.

When that same light and feathery snow is put threw a snow blower and blown several feet into the air, it compacts into a rather dense form. So after doing the streets and all I had left was my sidewalks, my great and powerful snow blower became useless against the cement snow I had blown.

I ended up having to take a shovel and clear a swath just like they make prisoners do. Fortunately, that swath was enough of a relief for the snow blower that I was able to drive through the remaining cement snow and clear a reasonably satisfying path for safe passage.

I am now very soar and very tired and ready to go to bed.

One other thing! The plows came by about nine o'clock.