Storms, Angels & Toys

Photos
On the left is the before and after is on the right—like you couldn't tell. This is Thursday's storm.

Storm Alexander
The snow started before 11 a.m. Thursday. Before 11:30, the state snowplows were plowing the state highway that runs past one side of my property. Took a while before we saw the town plows, but I thought the state trucks jumped the gun somewhat. The snow covered all surfaces rapidly and visibility was not good. It looked like all towns across the state wisely canceled school and other events for today. I ran out early to refill a prescription for my mother and then all we had to do was hunker down and enjoy the first BIG storm of the season. By 1 p.m. we had 2” on the ground and lots more to come. WFSB, Channel 3 has been naming winter storms since the 1970s. This one was Alexander. Early on I kept hearing emergency vehicles, but they didn’t come past my house, which was odd. Then I realized they were going into the housing development behind me. It was snowing so hard I couldn’t see what kind of emergency vehicles they were.

A case of the Yuckies
After lunch I picked up a book hoping to get in some reading and immediately took my nap instead! ☺ When I woke up, I was coming down with “something”—my skin hurt, I felt warm and achy. Started taking Coldcalm® right away. Friday morning I woke up feeling tip top.

All I need is Big Red
Tip top on Friday morning was good since I had 10 inches of snow in my driveway that needed to be dealt with. And deal I did. See today’s photos. Big Red is the snow blower. Who needs youth when you have a Honda (snow blower)!

My three Angels
Friday night, Dec. 14, I was on my way to the Portland, CT Middle School for an event, “One Soldier, One Poet”. Several poets from all around CT, including several students, picked the name of a CT Iraq or Afghanistan fallen Hero and wrote a poem or essay about that person. A friend of my, Dolores, was going to read the poem I wrote about my grandson, Philip. As I traveled down I-91, an overhead sign indicated a traffic backup further south of Hartford. A whisper (inside my head) told me how to get around the traffic snarl. That was Angel #1.

When I came over the Arrigoni Bridge, I missed Spring St. and fearing I was lost, stopped at the post office where a woman was dropping letters into the outside mailbox. I asked for directions to the Middle School on High Street. She started giving me directions then said, “Follow me. I’ll take you there.” She went out of her way to make sure I arrived safely and on time. I can’t thank her enough. She’s my Angel #2.

Angel #3 is Dolores for reading the poem for me. I never could have read it out loud in public. Several students performed music or dance. All in all, it was a very emotional evening for the public in attendance, the families and the poets.

Last of Toys for Tots
Kathy and I went down to Plainville again this morning to help with Toys for Tots. Kathy brought a young friend of hers, Natalie. We worked for an hour and the announcement was made that they were closing down operations for an hour for lunch. Everyone out. Last week lunch was served but we worked right through since we had just finished breakfast. We expected to do the same this week. Not to be. So we came home. By the time they were going to let us back in, we would have only one more hour to work. Not worth sticking around doing nothing. We’ll wait ‘til next year.