I survived snowgeddon in WA (long) [Archive]

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boss mare

1-20-12, 10:11pm

DH and his adult kids are very much into TV I would go as far as to say that they are addicted. Me I could do with very much without TV. Always have been, even when I was a kid
We just had record snow here and we had no electricity for 2 days. We have 2 generators a wood stove and a fire place so really not that much of an issue for me
I am perfectly content to read books and listen to music for my entertainment. Not DH.... he was pacing around like a wild animal in a cage all stressed out because his beloved TV was down Actually he could have watched it as we have a generator but "it is just not the same" ( his words >8)) He could not go into town due to the weather either His pacing and restlessness made me all stressed. NOT a good combo at all
The he started wanted me to "entertain" him by then my stress level was at a high point and "entertaining " him was the last thing I wanted I spent time tryng to avoid him and he spent the equal amount of time following me around
I always been very comfortable with my own company and require alot of time by myself. I have been reading up on introverted personalitlies and realize that I am not a freak.
I was very up front with him when we met what I am about : Books, music, horses, alone time, horses, books more alone time and then more horses and then even more alone time rinse and repeat :)
My ex husband was a long distance truck driver and was home only 1 week out of the month. Then I had a long term relationship with a 9 to 5 guy who would follow me every where when I got home from work asking me about me day, what I was doing now what I had planned to do etc etc :treadmill: OMG talk about stress
DH is a firefighter who is gone 24 hours a shift so I do get my alone time but he was in the middle of his 4 days off during this snow spell
We finally sat down and talked it out... Stress levels went down on both our parts.
The power came on for 45 minutes then went back out for a few more hours then back on and has been on since
He is at work right now and I have been in re-charging my emotional batteries !Splat! I feel so much better now

Tiam

1-20-12, 10:16pm

boss mare

1-20-12, 10:49pm

Yech. Sorry. I can relate. As I get older, I need more and more time alone and by myself. It's actually becoming an issue for myself. I need it so much, I just shut down if I can't get it. and my stress levels soar if I can't have it.

It has become a big issue too Last year I nearly imploded with a melt down when his daughter came to vist with her baby for 2 months, and the TV broke down I was working 14 hour days at a very busy children's dental clinic They both were like caged animals, and then add a baby to the mix ( I don't have kids and never wanted any either) along with a bunch of other things going on I think that was one of my most frantic week of my life I ended up going over to my parents who were gone ( snowbirds) and doing some things that I promised my mom that I would do while they were gone
I am currently reading a book that has helped me immensly " Introverted Power: why your inner life is your hidden strength" by Laurie A Helgoe

Tiam

1-20-12, 11:05pm

Perhaps I should read that. Sometimes I feel like a freak needing so much alone time. I feel guilty, wanting my family to give me space. Lots of it.

bae

1-21-12, 12:01am

We finally managed to make it out off the hill this afternoon. K->12 public school was cancelled all week, the roads were just too icy.

My poor driveway, a couple inches of ice:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MBvvCysXqEg/TxY3GXRU78I/AAAAAAAAEjQ/ipSyKGJMEPA/s640/IMG_0422.JPG

The sustained 35-50 knot winds were extra fun:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-egHlzbSHQu4/TxceSSGEJyI/AAAAAAAAEj0/TO27q4ASsag/s640/IMG_0446.JPG

The cat got completely exhausted...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vgWt7CYTQsg/Txces3nV6zI/AAAAAAAAEkM/_hyZUAy4g-I/s640/IMG_0443.JPG

.... watching The Bird Channel all week:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D3qY6enoFxI/TxcgSOH2IuI/AAAAAAAAElc/vFVe9RioVDE/s640/IMG_0433.JPG

boss mare

1-21-12, 12:56am

We live in Chehalis and had 23 inches of snow I have 10 acres and surrounded by tall fir trees and fir trees up and down the roads and 7 miles one way to any kind of store. your driveway looks like ours We had to dig our way to the barn in order to get the tractor out to blade the drive way . We have Corgis, took them out to go potty, jumped off the deck and poof they disappeared LOL Ended up having to blade out a spot for them to go potty with the tractor THe fun really began when the branches and trees started breaking off. I lost 3 apple trees, a plum tree and a birch

razz

1-21-12, 9:08am

I heard that you got snow but not how much so interesting hearing about the other side of the continent. I think that you must be getting all our snow as we have had maybe, a total of six inches so far and usually have several feet over the same time period. We have been getting the precip in rain though so maybe it is just the temp that is making the difference.

I love winter and the scenes pictured are lovely so thanks.

KayLR

1-21-12, 10:31am

So weird that here I am about an hr or so southof boss mare and we had practically nothing. Overnight snow Tuesday that was gone by 10 a.m. We've had almost no winter to speak of, just rain and more rain. Then again, we had no summer either. Hope this is the worst you all get & it's done.

boss mare

1-21-12, 11:34am

My sister lives in Vancouver / Ridgefield area and so do my parents and when I called her, she said that they had been no snow at the time And when it finally did snow they ended up with just a little

KayLR

1-21-12, 11:38am

Hey my mom lives in Rf, too. It's where I grew up. I live in the 'Couv too.
Too bad about your fruit trees.

leslieann

1-21-12, 11:47am

Great photos, bae, and sorry to hear about the pacing, boss mare. We are lacking in snow here in the Maritimes, too. I loved the bird channel; looks like it was pretty exciting there. For the cat, anyway.

jennipurrr

1-21-12, 1:03pm

redfox

1-21-12, 1:47pm

I'm on the top of a ridge in Seattle, Beacon Hill, and it's been treacherous this week. DH chained up and only missed one day of work, thus he is there right now getting his project wrapped. I've been very very glad to work from home!

It's pretty, and we heat with wood, so we've been more than comfy. It's now slushland, and I am ready for it to be D.O.N.E.! I've got guests from Berkeley arriving soon, and nothing to feed them for lunch, so I think it's down to the ale house with us all. Yay, I get out of the house!

bae

1-21-12, 2:23pm

I am one of those people who just needs to be active.

I got a lot done while the ice was upon us. Tons of delayed inside projects, and I cut down/cleared/limbed/bucked quite a few trees that had fallen, I and a couple neighbors will be set for firewood for the next decade. It may be time for us all to rent a power woodsplitter for a weekend. It took some guys with heavy equipment to hack a path into my mother's place though, a whole stand of alder came down across the road.

Spartana

1-21-12, 2:44pm

We finally managed to make it out off the hill this afternoon. K->12 public school was cancelled all week, the roads were just too icy.

My poor driveway, a couple inches of ice:

Your photos are beautiful Bae!! Never knew the PNW got that much snow near the coastal areas. Nice. Of course it's raining here in SoCal but will be in the 80s again in a few days - sun...blech!!

boss mare

1-21-12, 3:29pm

My fat cat in my avatar is watching the bird channel as we speak! She is a regular viewer...right now it is on a sparrow program.

I am one of those people who just needs to be active. This morning I have worked out, gone to the post office and stopped by the salvage store. DH, on the other hand, has been reading all morning. So, I understand your conflict and relate bossmare, just from the other side!
I have a small horse farm so being active is not the issue ... It was being cooped up with someone who relies on electronics for their sole entertainment I still had stalls to clean, feed and water the horses and all of the other things that make our place function even with the snow and the ice.

boss mare

1-21-12, 3:32pm

I've got guests from Berkeley arriving soon, and nothing to feed them for lunch, so I think it's down to the ale house with us all. Yay, I get out of the house![/QUOTE]

LOL I know ... I never thought a trip to the Starbuck's drive thru would be such a treat

Mrs-M

1-22-12, 7:54am

The pictures are lovely.

flowerseverywhere

1-22-12, 8:15am

Lovely pictures. I can see green grass outside, normally we get 200" of snow and so far the total is 12" this season, we are on record to have the least snowy season ever. It is very weird. It has been sunny though and we have enjoyed being outside doing more than just snowblowing. I am not sure how the wild animals will react to this drastic change. We have had way fewer birds to the feeders, but we do have a cardinal family that is so pretty.

Float On

1-22-12, 8:24am

Loved the snow photos. We haven't had any this year and usually by this time the kids have had a whole week of school off due to snow or ice. But we're sitting here in the 50's most days. At least we have green grass. Didn't have that for most of the summer. I really wish I'd planted more fall garden things, I was getting lettuce up until last week.

jennipurrr

1-23-12, 11:57am

I have a small horse farm so being active is not the issue ... It was being cooped up with someone who relies on electronics for their sole entertainment I still had stalls to clean, feed and water the horses and all of the other things that make our place function even with the snow and the ice.

Yeah, I guess its not exactly the same. If I was your DH and was antsy and if the weather made it feasible, I would have gone outside and attempted something outdoorsy or gotten stuff done with the horses that needed to be done to relieve some of the cabin fever. DH would have been quite content to read all day which would have annoyed me!

Not sure I would have made it if I was working with Bae...he sounds like a beast! I worked with some DH and some friends when the tornado hit here last year...I was the wood carrier to their cutting up trees and branches and boy was I exhausted just from carrying debris. We also now have a great firewood cache...oh wait...we don't even have a fireplace, so chiminea and camping are stocked up forever.

CathyA

1-23-12, 12:56pm

Boss Mare..........is there any way you could have a small room all to yourself? Several years ago, after DD went to college, DH moved into her room because of my sleep disorder. I can't tell you how great it is for both DH and I to have our own little spaces (to escape to). It can make a real difference in stress levels. Good luck to you.