A Blizzard Named Larry

The blizzard we are expecting later today through tomorrow is being compared with the Blizzard of 1978, when Connecticut Governor, Ella Grasso, closed the state down for 3 days so clean-up could take place. My kids and I will never forget Blizzard Larry. For us it had drama and humor. Drama: neighbor threatening suicide; an ambulance needing an ambulance. Humor: the landlord's son plowing the driveway.

So here it is, just as I remember it.

A Blizzard Named Larry

FEBRUARY 6-7, 1978

We knew a snowstorm was coming, but no one knew just how intense it would be.

It was Monday and I had gone to Geissler’s for groceries to see us through the storm. As I  put the car into my section of the garage, Thelma was standing there looking strange. When I got out of my car she said to me, “I’m going to commit suicide.” At first I didn’t believe her then I looked at her again. “Well, if you do, please do it on your own side of the wall. I don’t want your mess on my side.” I was all heart as you can see.

I brought the groceries into the house and told the kids what had just happened. I recognized what she had just done was a cry for help; what made me mad was the fact she had involved me and I felt responsible for her. Her! Of all people! Thelma and I had an ugly history, but that’s another story.

I called the visiting nurse in town, who I knew to be a friend of Thelma’s, and told her what had happened. In the meantime, the snow had begun falling and was accumulating fast. The visiting nurse arrived accompanied by the local police. After an hour or so, an ambulance came and took Thelma away through the rapidly deepening snow.

For the remainder of the storm we listened to the radio for information on the outside world. We also watch cars being abandoned right and left on Route 5. At one point a VW Bug (the original model) was stopped at the light at Route 5 and Trombley Rd. Along came an ambulance (with a patient inside we later learned) and we watched it run right up and over the VW. That brought police and two more ambulances—one a replacement of the first and the other for the driver of the car.

The storm lasted two days. At the end of that time, Governor Ella T. Grasso, closed everything in the state for 3 days so clean-up could be done.

The day after it stopped snowing, we had about 3 feet of snow in the driveway, along came an ambulance. Thelma is dropped off at the edge of the road and made to wade through the snow to her house. Thelma seems to have an ugly history with many people.

The ambulance attendants were pretty angry. They had trudged through all that snow to get her to the hospital and they were not going to do it again. Thelma decided she didn’t want to stay. The ambulance crew told us she was nuttier than a fruitcake! We knew that.

Eventually a truck showed up to plow the driveway— it was the landlord’s son. He hooked the plow onto the dumpster to move it out of the way, and tipped it forward, dumping garbage bags everywhere. It took over an hour for the plow to get it set upright. We watched from the window in Anne’s room and laughed hysterically!

On Cape Cod: This was the storm that took out Coast Guard Beach, the parking lot and bath houses, and most of the dunes south toward Nauset inlet. The Outermost House was thrown way back into Nauset Marsh/Salt Pond never to be seen again. This storm was just the beginning of major erosion that goes on to this day.

The Possible Cause of Earthquakes in Eastern Connecticut

In this morning’s Hartford Courant, there is a story about the swarm of earthquakes recently plaguing eastern Connecticut. (‘Swarm’ of Quakes Has Bit of Mystery, by Kelly Glista, Section B, page 1, January 14, 2015). The article points out, “While Connecticut does not lie on a major fault line…minor faults spiderweb all over the country…”.

Earthquakes are caused by the movement of sections of the Earth…either slippage or subduction. Connecticut is not known for earthquakes even though it is known that there are faults that run through the state, particularly through Moodus.

This is what I think is going on.

Because of climate change/global warming, it is a fact that the Arctic ice cap is melting. The effect of all this fresh water being put into the oceans is a matter for a separate essay. For now, lets talk about the weight of the ice that is no longer there.

All that ice had weight and weighed down the land mass under it. As the ice melts, lessening that weight, the land rebounds. And that is what I think is causing the earthquakes in eastern Connecticut.

As the land under the arctic ice rebounds it causes changes in other areas (everything is connected). One area gets to rise up and areas abounding it get to expand. Those minor faults in Connecticut are expanding, probably causing slippage (as opposed to subduction). Slippage of one side of a fault will create quaking of the Earth.

Something to consider.

January This and That

We, here in the northeast, have just come through a cold snap. It's been a while since we have had wind chills to -30. I was out most every day...in the car. Haven't had much in the way of walking exercise. Hopefully that will change as the weather gets warmer.

I've been getting a lot of pleasure watching the birds at the feeders. The feeding frenzy has been unbelievable! Even though it's costly in terms of dollars spent, the returns are worth it.

I had to call the folks who installed my central air about the functioning of the humidifier. As it turns out I had greater expectations than the reality of the situation. I thought having the humidifier on the system would keep the humidity at a steady level. Not so. Moisture is pumped out only when heat is being pumped out. But...at the rate the heat was being pumped out I expected more moisture. Now that it has been explained to me, I have revised my expectations.

We've had snow...just not a lot of it. I would rather have 2 ft. of snow than the 0° weather. Especially since I live in a condo where all the plowing and shoveling is done by others. Well, not all the shoveling The workers do not shovel out my car. So when it's time to move my car so they can plow, I do the shoveling. First I clean off the car, which puts more snow where I need to shovel in order to get into the car. Are you feeling sorry for me yet? No? I don't blame you. When I lived in a house (before the condo) I had my own snow blower. The biggest, baddest, bestest. I really enjoyed getting out there and clearing the driveway, the mailbox, and a path around the house to the bird feeders. I would have cleared the whole lawn, I enjoyed it so much. But, I thought maybe the neighbors would have some negative thoughts about my mental stability. You know...

Thank goodness for family and friends. Visiting and going out for lunch or breakfast keeps me sane in times like these. Winter is not my favorite time of year. I prefer Spring and Fall. I don't like extremes.

There have been a couple of minor health issues and now I'm seeing a naturopath. For the next two weeks I will be avoiding wheat, sugar, and peanut butter. These are staples in my diet! I went to the health food store and got store-made almond butter. Avoiding sugar isn't that bad if you don't count I won't be having cookies, brownies, carrot cake... I'm holding up pretty well. I just happened to have a package of gluten free spaghetti in my pantry so that's for lunch, with home-made pasta sauce. I guess I'll survive after all.

So, until next time...