There is an old river, navigable in colonial times, but with a lot of the flow diverted into underground, forgotten culverts now – running through Arlington, with the old stream bed still visible if you know where to follow it, and to find the seven old mill rights.
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p>On either side of that old stream bed, are steep hills, and an eclectic, some might say an eccentric, blend of public and private ways some with very steep slopes and angles. Arlington was used for a cycling race for a few years – until one of the racers died on those steep slopes when she hydroplaned on wet leaves, which was the end of that racing tradition.
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p>Many of those steep slopes are quite slippery tonight, with skidding reported. The town listserv, also called “the A-list” indicates that small c which serves between 4000 and 5000 families has posters stating that small cars are in trouble out there, and some routes are very unsafe especially for small cars. It should be noted that some of those private ways do have trees, shrubs, and boulders in the middle of them, despite houses on both sides of these private ways.
<
p>Few streets or yards in Arlington are level, by the way, which leads to great views but my recommendation to those not accustomed to snow and ice – or Arlington – is to drive with caution and patience.
My son was working today and arrived home a few minutes ago. We are very relieved.
<
p>We’ve shoveled the driveway for the first time. We have about six inches right now.
<
p>I am semi-retired and on the days that I work, I work from home. I survived the blizzard of 1978 and remember how so many people, myself included, lost pay for not being able to get to work. A number of people have the option of working from home now. That allows others who need to be at work to be able to drive on roads with less traffic.
<
p>So for now we are safe with electricity, food and full tanks of gas. We have some firewood so if we lose electricity, we can get by.
Some wind, less than a foot of snow. Not sure I would call it a blizzard.
jasiusays
Not sure I would call it a blizzard.
<
p>FWIW, a blizzard has nothing to do with the amount of snow that falls. Here’s the definition from the National Weather Service:
<
p>
A blizzard means that the following conditions are expected to prevail for a period of 3 hours or longer:
Sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 miles an hour or greater; and
Considerable falling and/or blowing snow (i.e., reducing visibility frequently to less than ¼ mile)
<
p>I remember a day in Michigan where we met the official definition of a blizzard despite the fact that the skies were clear. A whole lot of dry snow was left from a storm the previous day, but the winds didn’t whip up until the next.
kbuschsays
This op-ed in the New York Times speaks to how global warming climate change is going to be giving us more snowy weather. (The Arctic, on the other hand, will get warmer weather.)
howland-lew-naticksays
In February, 1933, Boston was hit by a blizzard. The city wallowed with the rest of the country in Depression. Although the New Deal was on people’s lips, the Roosevelt administration had yet to be sworn in. Boston’s mayor, James Michael, hisself, ordered that contractors clear the streets without mechanical devices. The lines formed for the unemployed to grab a shovel and make a day’s pay to help feed their families.
<
p>It took three days to clear the streets.
<
p>From a time when “Not letting a crisis go to waste.” was about trying to solve it, not using it for one’s own gain…
<
p>“We believe that if men have the talent to invent new machines that put men out of work, they have the talent to put those men back to work.” –John F. Kennedy
jconwaysays
Wouldn’t the mechanical devices got the job done faster? Just saying.
<
p>That said though that was an age old tradition long before and long after the New Deal, it died in Cambridge around the 70s but Tip O’Neill got his start handing out day passes to people to shovel. It ought to be revived, especially for elderly and disabled citizens who have no one to dig them out. Of course in my neighborhood plenty of kids from the local apartment complexes come out and offer their services for far below the minimum wage.
seascrapersays
What is your local skating pond? Mine is Chandler Pond near the seminary in Brighton. Three days of continuously below freezing is usually enough to make the ice safe for skating.
There is an old river, navigable in colonial times, but with a lot of the flow diverted into underground, forgotten culverts now – running through Arlington, with the old stream bed still visible if you know where to follow it, and to find the seven old mill rights.
<
p>On either side of that old stream bed, are steep hills, and an eclectic, some might say an eccentric, blend of public and private ways some with very steep slopes and angles. Arlington was used for a cycling race for a few years – until one of the racers died on those steep slopes when she hydroplaned on wet leaves, which was the end of that racing tradition.
<
p>Many of those steep slopes are quite slippery tonight, with skidding reported. The town listserv, also called “the A-list” indicates that small c which serves between 4000 and 5000 families has posters stating that small cars are in trouble out there, and some routes are very unsafe especially for small cars. It should be noted that some of those private ways do have trees, shrubs, and boulders in the middle of them, despite houses on both sides of these private ways.
<
p>Few streets or yards in Arlington are level, by the way, which leads to great views but my recommendation to those not accustomed to snow and ice – or Arlington – is to drive with caution and patience.
Now back. Whiteout conditions, now clear, heading back to snow here in M’boro.
Center of town. Falling tree branch snapped off a windshield wiper, but the power looks stable for now. Snow has restarted.
My son was working today and arrived home a few minutes ago. We are very relieved.
<
p>We’ve shoveled the driveway for the first time. We have about six inches right now.
<
p>I am semi-retired and on the days that I work, I work from home. I survived the blizzard of 1978 and remember how so many people, myself included, lost pay for not being able to get to work. A number of people have the option of working from home now. That allows others who need to be at work to be able to drive on roads with less traffic.
<
p>So for now we are safe with electricity, food and full tanks of gas. We have some firewood so if we lose electricity, we can get by.
Huge Winds and snow drifts in West Boylston
Some wind, less than a foot of snow. Not sure I would call it a blizzard.
<
p>FWIW, a blizzard has nothing to do with the amount of snow that falls. Here’s the definition from the National Weather Service:
<
p>
<
p>I remember a day in Michigan where we met the official definition of a blizzard despite the fact that the skies were clear. A whole lot of dry snow was left from a storm the previous day, but the winds didn’t whip up until the next.
This op-ed in the New York Times speaks to how global warming climate change is going to be giving us more snowy weather. (The Arctic, on the other hand, will get warmer weather.)
In February, 1933, Boston was hit by a blizzard. The city wallowed with the rest of the country in Depression. Although the New Deal was on people’s lips, the Roosevelt administration had yet to be sworn in. Boston’s mayor, James Michael, hisself, ordered that contractors clear the streets without mechanical devices. The lines formed for the unemployed to grab a shovel and make a day’s pay to help feed their families.
<
p>It took three days to clear the streets.
<
p>From a time when “Not letting a crisis go to waste.” was about trying to solve it, not using it for one’s own gain…
<
p>“We believe that if men have the talent to invent new machines that put men out of work, they have the talent to put those men back to work.” –John F. Kennedy
Wouldn’t the mechanical devices got the job done faster? Just saying.
<
p>That said though that was an age old tradition long before and long after the New Deal, it died in Cambridge around the 70s but Tip O’Neill got his start handing out day passes to people to shovel. It ought to be revived, especially for elderly and disabled citizens who have no one to dig them out. Of course in my neighborhood plenty of kids from the local apartment complexes come out and offer their services for far below the minimum wage.
What is your local skating pond? Mine is Chandler Pond near the seminary in Brighton. Three days of continuously below freezing is usually enough to make the ice safe for skating.