11 January, 2017

Half Day Off Work




 Canbyland enjoyed a third installment in our stormy winter today.

It's very unusual for the Willamette Valley to get three snow storms in a row. Typically, we will get  a (single) serious ice storm every ten years or so. In between, we get mild winters, or gray, rainy winters, or one inch of snow which causes the nation to poke fun at us Oregonians as life comes to a complete standstill.

Over in Central Oregon, they are digging out from five feet of snow - also somewhat unusual.

In any case, I drove 20mph to my job this morning in the snowy ice only to have most of the package deliveries cancelled. Taking my chance, I asked if I could go home and if, (IF???) I had to come back for the afternoon. I usually work a 12 hr split shift with an hour or two (or three) for lunch in the middle. I am so tired of these continuous 12 hr days. And they have been seven days/week for what seems months.

Once home, I put away my 1000 airplane ornaments and the rest of Christmas.
And then I got the phone call - to stay home. There might have been a praise god in there.

I have plans to clean my house this afternoon after another episode of Downton Abbey that I am binge-watching on Amazon Video.




 My friend in Finland surprised me with some Moomin cups and bowls. Probably because I served her coffee in my other Moomin coffee cups....when she visited back in September.

Plus some Marimekko fabric to play with. Today I decided what I would make her with some of these beauties. I'm not ready to turn my sewing machine back on yet but I do have next week off work to do some family interventions with my little sis from Minnesota.

We'll have to see if I can carve out some time.




When I am doing continuous overtime, I sometimes buy myself a gift. The last time was my Pfaff sewing machine. This time? A 2hp Vitamix blender.

Boy howdy, can this machine pulverize celery, apples, zucchini, bok choi and other fun, healthy vegetables. And the clean-up is so much faster than my old way of making green juice.



***Why is Oregon the laughingstock of the nation during snow?


Because one inch of snow creates *ice* as we don't usually get below freezing. We have mountains, curves, and very few straight roads. We cancel school, work (Except for where I work), and all other activities.

The black ice hides under the snow dusting and creates havoc for drivers. Because we don't get much snow and fall under freezing temps often, Oregon doesn't really have snow plows, or other snow removal tools. We might have leaf blowers but few snow blowers.

Oregon is also raised green so we can't salt our roads like other states do. Salt kills vegetation and poisons our rivers.

After our last big ice storm nine years ago, Canbyland bought a plow attachment that can fit on a big dump truck. It was quite controversial at the time as we didn't need it for another nine years.

Generally though, most communities are ill-prepared for snow and ice and so we just cancel activities instead. Who doesn't need a snow day as an adult?

****Do I really have 1000 airplane ornaments? Ahem, I haven't ever counted them, but my kids will say I might have a few too many. My collection will be worth millions someday or I might be buried with them...

6 comments:

  1. OK.. you need to seriously take a photo of your plane ornaments on your tree next year and show them to us. I think I need at least one. I have some trains. I'm glad you got the day off!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. Funny snow story-same here. We don't get much REAL snow (I'm a Wisconsinite). Last year we had three days of continual snow fall which led to about 2 inches of actual accumulation...maybe. The whole darn town came to a standstill. For. Three. Days.
    Today we got a leaflet in the mailbox from the town "headquarters" snow is in the forecast and everyone is asked to observe caution... as I'm thinking LOL-yeah the three snowflakes that might fall on us could cause a heck of a traffic accident.
    Cute Moomin stuff...our daughter lives in Oregon and they are enjoying the snow..playing outside with the kids. I hope we get a ton..for at least a day or two!

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  3. Your snow story made me laugh :D We get some serious snow here in Ontario, and while I don't enjoy it, it gives me a good excuse to hibernate in my dungeon sewing room, or to stretch out on the couch and watch ridiculous television shows without feeling TOO guilty :) We live about a 1 minute walk from the public school my kids went to when they were young - they never got a snow day if the school was open :D

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  4. Here in the Sierra Nevada Mtns of Calif. we have what you described. Curved mountain roads,black ice all day, and Cal Trans (who should be plowing the roads for people who go to and come home from work) quit at 4 or 5pm, no matter the storm.Then 5am, they plow, take a coffee break, and I'm there at 7:30am, going thru 4-5 inches of snow that fell after they left for coffee.The only answer I had was to stop working as soon as it was possible, as The Mr. wont move off this mountain!Weatherman predicted "light snows" we got 18 inches, thanks !! Think Donner Party!! I wish you good luck now thru the spring storms !!

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  5. Looks like we'll have a snow free winter again this year - last snow day was 4 or 5 years ago. We are more in danger of flooding here, but not this winter. Loving the classic Marimekko fabric

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