The storm that was almost as epic as Halloween '91...

Are you sick of hearing the same old stories about people trying to dig their cars out or how the Metrodome roof collapsed? I know I am, but I am going to rehash the weekend anyway. So there. Like you have anything better to read about anyway.

So, the Midwest got puked on big time on Saturday. In my head, 20 inches didn't really sound that bad. I am used to thinking of "feet" of snow in terms of glorious powder days out West. I've driven up Little Cottonwood Canyon in much worse. No big deal, right?

Wrong. It was a huge deal. There is no where to put it. We got shut down. No bus service, highways closed, no concerts, even the plows were called off the roads for a while on Saturday because the visibility was ZERO. Schools are still closed today. People are just buried. This morning, out CFO is driving around and picking people up to bring them to work.

Here is a link to some crazy photos from the news, and here are some photos I took while stuck in my apartment over the weekend...

Saturday: It's snowing...

still snowing...

blowing and drifting...

Sunday A.M. - There are stairs under there somewhere.

Whoa drift.

Evidence that squirrels weigh less than the snow and cars do not.

There are stairs at the back door too. Those are grills to the right. That stupid orange shovel bit the dust after two hours :(

So far, however, ski practice is NOT cancelled for the evening. Here are the current conditions... note the "feels like" temperatures.... also note; practice begins this evening... after the temperature starts to drop... i.e. my face might FALL OFF.

Food, presents, friends, and fun

I am happy to report that I had a fantastic birthday weekend, even if it did end in snow, which, by the way, is STILL falling... sigh. Pretty sure the leaves will be going from green to dead this year. Very disappointing, but I'm just not going to think about that right now...

We went to Muffaletta's for dinner in Saint Paul on Thursday night and it was soooo delicious and cozy and great. In addition to a wonderful dinner, Jacob also gave me a sewing machine! Woot! Like a real "modern" sewing machine that he found in a store, and not on the side of the road. I am sew excited (hehe) to start letting out hems in my too-short pants and attempting to create some new things without the fear of electrocution or severe frustration! If it weren't for the loads of homework I had over the weekend, I would have spent all my birthday money on patterns and fabric. Probably a good thing I didn't do that. I also got an awesome tripod from my brother, photoshop elements from my Mom and Dad and new shocks! Yes! Now I can be super creative AND maintain contact with the snowy roads while driving! AWESOME! I can't even begin to express to you how difficult it is to sit and do homework with all of these new toys in my apartment. Let me tell you - graduate studies are TIME CONSUMING. Anyway, Friday included another delicious dinner (ala Jake and Kate this time), and fun with good friends, and on Saturday we went to Prairie Home Companion and the Fitzgerald. Neko Case and The Steele Sisters were guests. So good.