I hope you all had a blissful Christmas. I hope everyone had running water, electricity, good health, and family and friends either near or close, depending on what works best. I hope everyone ate, gave generously, and felt blessed.
I had all of that. But there is one itsy bitsy teeny tiny thing I still wish I had.
Some dream of a white Christmas. I’m dreaming of a friendly neighbor who clears snow, silently, in the middle of the night.
Because over four days, we shoveled *all* of this. Five feet of snow in four days.
from the house to the driveway
from the street to the cars
All I want for Christmas, in addition to the glorious list of things above, is some BioFreeze for my back.
Wishing you and yours and all the people we don’t even know a beautiful, glorious, peaceful, safe, healthy Christmas!
NaptimeWriting 
Unlike myself who has never been in snow that deep, Mr. P grew up with it in upstate NY and after 50 years of body and mind numbing shoveling he flew the coop to sunny Florida. I once hinted at a white Christmas which received a frigid stare, probably from years in the bitter cold. So, I will be content to look at other people’s pictures of the “wonders” of winter, ;)
This was an unusual occurrence for us since we live in the land of temperate climes and once-a-generation snow dustings. But this vacation we lucked out. I think. ;-)
Wow!
Yeah, since I haven’t shoveled in more than 15 years, this much was a bit of a surprise.
Kids loved it, though.
That sure brings back memories for me! Ugh. But it’s pretty when it’s coming down!
Absolutely. Gorgeous.
It brought back unpleasant memories of blizzards living back East.
Thank goodness we were there by choice and got to leave. Next winter the family trip will be closer to home so we’re guaranteed rain at the worst.
That sounds smart!
I am so feeling your pain right now! “Draco” left quite a bit of snow on us in the Midwest too. Yeah we got a White Christmas, but now that it’s over I wish it would just go away, or at least melt a little so we can dig out!
Some of our family drove through Draco, and I can’t believe they didn’t just turn around and go home.
Makes me very very very grateful to live where we do.
All those in snow zones: new empathy coming at you. I had forgotten. I apologize.
We’re in the midst of a blizzard and I started shoveling, but I am so out of shape that I had to give up after about a 10′ by 10′ square. Our driveway is easily 30′ long. We’re completely screwed. Snowed in and hardly any food in the house. Ugh.
I realized more than a decade in Northern California has made me soft. That driveway was at least 25′ feet long. I tried to do two shovelsful with my left, throw left; two shovelsful with my left, throw right; two shovelsful with my right, throw right; two shovelsful with my right, throw left. Three times a day, at least 30-60 minutes each time.
Gah.
Stretching my lower back has never felt so good.
AHAHAHAH! I remember a certain little nutter telling you that he wanted a SNOW SUIT this summer. Ahem. I’m very thankful to have gotten out of snowland. Hope you made some snow angels, and that cold on your lower back might actually help. Happy snow day!
Ah, unicorn. He got one. And he was in heaven. Absolute heaven.
The other, not so much. ;-)
I’m glad you’re out of snowland, too. So very glad.
I was feeling guilty because for a sec I thought this was your reality every winter (and it’s 65 in San Diego). But now I know: It’s good bragging rights w/o actually having to prepare for it for the next 3 months. I’m impressed you did so well.
San Diego’s weather is so fabulous. We’re much colder up here, but not snowy.
It is rather nice to shovel only for a weekend. For Solstice and Christmas. With a delightful family.
Quite lovely, really. You should try it. ;-)
Omg. I am obsessed with BioFreeze. I hope you get rest and care!
It’s really not that bad, but BioFreeze fixes anything. Glad you found it. Now look into arnica. it’s even better than Biofreeze.
Ugh. Shoveling that kind of wet, heavy snow is the worst. Which is why I now make my husband do it.
My son, however, was so enthralled by the foot of snow on the ground that he spent all morning out there wallowing in it with nary a whine. It was great.
Your oldest, right? My youngest hates the stuff but the eldest will play in it until he drops from exhaustion.
We’re over on the west shore, and I know exactly what you mean! Too much snow at once!
Boy oh boy. After I shoveled for a day, the neighbor came out with a snow thrower and cleared his whole driveway in 15 minutes. Couldn’t decide if I should cry or be jealous.
That was one heckuva storm. Lovely, gentle, warmish, and loooong.
I hope your Christmas was wonderful! I live in the desert. I can’t even look at snow without freezing. Came over from Alexandra’s blog, and I wish you a Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Hillary! Hope the dry, warm air makes you happy all year ’round!