Valentine's Blizzard

[slyvermont]

Last Wednesday was the Valentine’s Day blizzard. We got 30 inches in Montpelier, which might be a record.

School was canceled on Wednesday. Again on Thursday. And on Friday. Montpelier is taking its sweet time cleaning up this mess. Now, I understand that this was a big blizzard and we got a lot of snow. But this is Montpelier, VERMONT. It snows here. A lot. A couple days I can understand. But on Monday there are still a ton of sidewalks that are choked with snow, so the elementary and middle school were closed (apparently the HS was going to be closed, but the mayor told the school superintendent that was “unacceptable” so the HS was open).

Wednesday morning is also when the mystery Valentine's Day bandit hits Montpelier, leaving paper hearts everywhere -- on storefronts, the Statehouse, etc. This year I got pictures.

Behind the cut are photos:

Taken Thursday morning, the massive pile of snow that formed after shoveling our driveway:



Thursday morning, the choked sidewalks of downtown Montpelier:



The Valentine Bandit hits the Statehouse:



Close-up view:



On the windows downtown:



Rich shovels:



I shovel:;



There's a chair under there (and you can also get a sense of the colors we painted our house this summer):



From our deck, looking at our neighbor's house



Oh, it'll be fun when all this melts...

Comments

[rosiewook.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that Mud Season is going to be particularly nasty, this year!

Dang, but that's a lot of snow. Those mountains are still going to be there in August.

[raykel.livejournal.com]

Oooh, pretty to look at, but this is SO why we moved to Arizona! ;)

[knitress.livejournal.com]

Snow Mountains! I lovelovelove the Valentine Bandit. And I'm hoping y'all have a snowblower. That's an awful lot of snow to move!

[slyvermont.livejournal.com]

Nope, no snowblower. Pure muscle power.

[dm-lunsford.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a LOT of snow! But the valentines are adorable. ; )

[hollywdliz.livejournal.com]

I don't understand how places that often get lots of snow are caught with their pants down when, er, they get lots of snow. D.C. being paralyzed in a blizzard I understand; Montpelier (or Denver International Airport, while we're at it), not so much!

But this is the time when you get to break out the "When I was a kid we had to walk to school through FOUR feet of snow -- uphill both ways!" stories for Caroline. :D

[evilbearhunter.livejournal.com]

I think the Valentine's Day Bandit makes the top ten list of my favorite things about Montpelier.