Decided that I really <3 my Thunderpants.

Thunderpants Ho!

I've cancelled my entire afternoon and evening patients in anticipation of what they are calling a blizzard of historic proportions. Quoting the weather service:

UNNECESSARY TRAVEL SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AS MORE THAN HALF OF THE FATALITIES IN PREVIOUS ILLINOIS BLIZZARDS HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION TO TRAVEL... CONSIDER IF GETTING TO YOUR DESTINATION IS WORTH PUTTING YOUR LIFE AT RISK.

I gave people the option to 'visit' by phone, which three have accepted. Except that I'm coming home to send the nanny home, so I'll probably be at home alone with two 6 year olds. Should be interesting.

On this side of the lake they're saying you could see more than 2 feet of snow in 24 hours

On this side of the lake they're saying you could see more than 2 feet of snow in 24 hours

Yummy.

Classes cancelled at noon today.

Bracing myself for the epic shitstorm that's already dumping on NE. Meanwhile, the plumber is my basement, cackling like a madman.

Yup, we're schedules to get 20 to 30" over the next two days. I'll believe it when I see it but the tractor is gassed up and ready to go.

Good luck epic blizzard people, and normal blizzard people.

Yikes to all the snow people, stay safe and warm.

Bracing myself for the epic shitstorm that's already dumping on NE. Meanwhile, the plumber is my basement, cackling like a madman.

The pipes leaving our kitchen sink and laundry got completely stopped up last night. I am hoping my plumber is at my house right now, as promised, because otherwise, no plumber for a while! I guess I should be glad it happened last night, rather than tonight or tomorrow ...

Good luck epic blizzard people, and normal blizzard people.

This.

I was just trying to decide if I should wrap up the exposed pipes and leave water dripping tonight. It should stay above 20 here so I think we are ok but you never know.

It's more the temperature than the snow, so I would base your decision on that. 20 is still below freezing, so the question becomes how long will it remain below freezing.

Got home from work and shoveled so I can park my car. Considering icing my left hand/wrist to relieve some pain and I won't be able to find out the reasons behind the pain for bit longer now that my doctor has canceled the appointment for tomorrow. Trying to gauge when I'd need to start shoveling again in the morning so I can be at work by 7.30. Why in the fuck didn't I get a snow blower this winter?

We got plowed, plus did some shoveling. I actually cleared out a large space in a couple areas, so I can put more snow there tomorrow

And tonight....I get to send my resignation notice!

It's more the temperature than the snow, so I would base your decision on that. 20 is still below freezing, so the question becomes how long will it remain below freezing.

I read that below freezing is ok (at least if it it just overnight) for pipes but when it gets around 20 (at least in southern states where houses aren't built for cold weather) overnight, you have to start worring.

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Edited February 2, 201115 yr by shellylh

the plumber is my basement, cackling like a madman.

That is a great opening line for something (book, movie, book being made into a movie, somesuch....)

Good luck epic blizzard people, and normal blizzard people.

Yes.

I read that below freezing is ok (at least if it it just overnight) for pipes but when it gets around 20 (at least in southern states where houses aren't built for cold weather) overnight, you have to start worring.

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Shelly,

If you're really worried about pipes freezing (I haven't kept up with this thread) you could leave the water running just a little bit overnight. Moving water doesn't tend to freeze, this is an old camp trick when things get cold in the fall before you've shut everything up for the winter. Yes, it's a complete waste of water but a ruptured pipe could waste a whole lot more.

I think I will do that (keep the water running a bit during the coldest times of the night). By the way, do you just need to drip one faucet? This is what we did last year when we had a hard freeze - the same time we woke up and noticed that our neighbors sprinkler system was spraying water all over the street because it froze. I just went and covered all the exposed pipes outside and tried to cover up the vents to under the house (with towels) that get the most wind (we have a pier and beam house and most of the pipes under the house are not insulated).

I would crack every faucet you can, any closed pipe will have very little circulation otherwise. Not knowing anything about how your house is plumbed leaves me with not much to offer in the way of better advice, sorry.

applied for many jobs, including a director position at Dicks Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh.

Stayed home from work arguing with one of the owners via email. Decided to watch a classic "Dr Zhivago". That should take up most of the afternoon.

What went from "I might be getting sick" two days ago to "I'm definitely getting sick" yesterday is now "kaff kaff I'm not getting out of bed." That said, I did manage to go out and complete the Herculean task of fetching firewood. Now the stove is piping and I'm not going anywhere KTHX. Fortunately, I have Minecraft to consume my very existence keep me occupied.

The problem with that is that you're not operating with optimal parameters.

Shoveled a lot of snow. Worked on taxes. Hung out with the wife and kids while trapped in the house - Watched 'Empire Strikes Back', played Plants vs Zombies, kid's Xbox games. I kind of wouldn't mind being trapped like this more often!

did my taxes. Even tho I changed my withholdings to limit how much I'd get back, I still got back more this year than last.