SNOW!!!

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Puppiesonacid

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Mar 10, 2008
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2,161
Well i guess the Maryland, Va, DC side of things will be shut down today, the 19th... not a good time to get 20 inches of snow. lots of work to do, but could get stuck there if i try to go. o well. customers will understand... i hope.
 
We only got a little more then an inch. I am hoping that it puts people in a nice buying mood.

When ever we get the first snow of the year we always sing this at least the first 4 words.
 
yes, ive noticed when the weather is a little bit bad a lot of people come in for framing. not this bad of course...

be funny though if they did. wish one of them came with a snow plow. that would be great. hopefully those on the outskrits of this storm do well today.
 
I'm in the middle of it in central VA. Was thinking of going in today, but my wife threatened me with bodily harm if I tried it. Everything's pretty much shut down today as we had snow last night followed by a nice layer of sleet and ice on top. Now it is snowing some more.
 
As I was watching the news last night I couldn't help think about how many framers on the east coast that didn't understand what we in the Pacific Northwest were whining about last year, now get an up-close and personal exam.
At least you got 2 days closer than we did. We all were shut down as of the 17th. Many opened again finally on Jan 3rd or 4th.... some never really reopened.
 
I am always surprised at those who livei in snow country and are not prepared with studded snow tires and/or chains. I can understand Seattle and similar and maybe even the idiots in LA. But you live in snow country, why aren't you prepared?

An actual blizzard I can understand. We get those and everything shuts down. 30 below zero with 40mph winds makes sure no one drives much at all. Just snow only slows things down a bit. Plows and cleanup make it easier. A few feet of snow... you stay in until it is cleared to travel.

Naturally you have an emergency generator and possibly batter backup for your electronics... maybe even solar panels and/or a small wind generator?

Winter hits every year.
 
SportShots said:
I am always surprised at those who livei in snow country and are not prepared with studded snow tires and/or chains. I can understand Seattle and similar and maybe even the idiots in LA. But you live in snow country, why aren't you prepared?
Click to expand...

Here in Columbus we aren't permitted to have studs or chains on our tires - "they will tear up the roads" they say. Many people here have tiny little cars, and people in Columbus are notorious for forgetting how to drive when there is ANY kind of stuff falling from the sky (often inculding sunshine).
It rained here a few weeks ago, and it took me 55 minutes to get 10 miles - it should have been a 15 minute drive at the most, but the other drivers on the road were scared of the rain. It gets even worse when we have snow.
Some of us are prepared (with at least four-wheel drive vehicles, backup generators, and extra food in our homes - along with snow shovels (imagine that!)), but the ones that aren't just make the rest of us look bad.
 
Snow did I hear snow?

We only got form 2 inches to 8 depending on what part of the state you live in. I always look forward to getting a big snow so I can go to the Red River Gorge area to take pictures. If I have time I like to go to the Smoky Mountains for pictures. I am worse than kids I love winter. It is such a beautiful time to be out in the outdoors. I used to camp in the winter. Havent been lately oh. Cant seem to get the misses interested for some reason. Oh well I guess I am one of the odd ones. Hope everyone is warm and enjoying the Holidays.
 
Well, we came in yesterday. We live on a main road and the store is on another main road. The number of customers? ZERO! But I DID get a bunch of stuff done, so there is an upside to this.

We are generally open this Sunday before Christmas, and so far we have been open one hour and ZERO customers again!

What retail really really didn't need......... 18 inches of snow the week of Christmas!
 
Folks, I know every place is different. Having been a mountain guide and lived in places where there was no electric lines coming in and the dirt road was closed by snow for 5-8 months of the year, I understand how things can get.

If you don't drive in snow many somehow forget they need to slow down while others go 5mph and make it a danger for all others when the roads are fine but the scenery is white.

Studded snows are great for winter and especially packed snow and ice. They may be hard on roads but wrecks are hard on people... gotta have priorities.

One thing you might try is having 'SnowDaysSale' with a phone tree to let people know when it is on. For those who come out you offer something worthwhile. Get with other businesses and maybe all can go in together and generate some traffic?

Winter where I am in North Dakota is different from a lot of places. Many of the colder Northern locations are like us. Once the snow hits later in the fall it is here to stay the whole winter. Doesn't melt as once it gets cold, it stays cold until spring... with a few days above freezing maybe in the mix. A few winters back this area saw six weeks straight where the high was 22 below zero. In that kind of weather when it hits zero you start to think it is getting warm. A warming spell into the teens and it is almost t-shirt weather. Fun to watch the ice fishing guys in t-shirts at 15 degrees, no wind and bright sun.

Anyhow, good luck. Many live in areas with less cold and a lot more snow than we get here. Most of the really big snowstorms go way South of us and then hit Minnesota and parts to the East. Our storms come from the Arctic much of the time. Lots of blowing and colder than a mother in laws heart.
 
I'll take the snow any day. I'd be plenty happy if those below zero days w/ wicked winds would stay in the arctic though.
 
I'm Nuts!!

I'm sitting in Florida this morning. I was to drive down Saturday morning but left work at 6PM Friday packed the car and left by 7:30PM Friday night and drove through the night trying to get ahead of the storm. Got about 10 miles north of the VA border and had to stop as conditions were very bad and I found one plowed exit, most exits were not plowed. Got a motel for a few hours and tried again at 9AM with 3 hours of sleep. Conditions were wildwest at best but more like medieval. Getting on the beltway overpass was like a horror show every car was going 5 - 10 mph and slipping from time to time and at least a doz cars spunout and stuck just on the overpass. Then came the drawbridge over the Potomic. I was doing about 20 and my slip light was on more the off. There was 3 - 4 cars ahead in view the road totally snow covered with drifts to the sides. A semi blew past me doing about 40 and I saw it start to serve :help: and thought he was going to lose it but he straighten out and kept going. I passed another bunch of cars stuck on the bridge. After driving 2 hours Saturday and getting only 50 miles I spotted another exit that had been plowed and got off, got a room, shoveled out a parking spot and went to bed. Sunday was a better day and I made it to Florida by 9PM. Yaaa!!!

If I waited in RI it would be today before I could have left.

:popc:Life is never dull when I'm not framing.

framer
 
We got about 18 inch's here in the Philadelphia area. I had two customer in the am then nobody but the postman. Sales sucked but the good thing is I was bale to finish up prepping up the last of the holiday orders. Being originally from Buffalo I'm in my glory, I just love the stuff. The cool part is I have some friends in for the holiday from Australia and all they wanted was a white Christmas and by jove they got it. Thanks Santa!
 
The DC area got through the better part of 2' without too much chaos. Big curb piles tighten up the driving lanes, but otherwise, folks are learning.



Hugh
 
As I sit doing this in the middle of the night I wait for the predicted snow. We need it. Would be very nice to have at least 10-12 inches on the level. We have a major winter storm warning on starting Wed afternoon/evening and through Christmas day.
The only downside is the 40mph winds predicted by the weather guessers. That will mean some great drifting areas to photograph... If I can get out of the drive and on the roads. If not, wait a day or two until the county plows the roads for us.
Went into town today to make sure my backup gas cans were full so if the power goes out I will be OK for at least a week of power with the backup generator. Filled the extra barrels with corn so I don't have the 200 yards with the sled to the grain bin and back in the blizzard conditions. Just outside, fill up my cans, back in and top off the corn burning stove and keep warm, warm... warm.

Yep, we burn corn for our heat. Much less than electricity, propane or fuel oil. No natural gas available here. Have Propane for a backup and next winter will have a wood stove in the basement as well. In bitter cold the redundancy is worth having.

Hope all have a good holiday and enjoy it even if you can't travel. We'll watch the snow, make sure the bird feeder is topped up and enjoy a few days of relaxation.
 
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