Northeast US jellies, are you prepared for the coming blizzard?

Making chili tomorrow and chocolate bars on Saturday so I guess I’m prepared!

There are all kinds of different predictions for what we’ll get. Someone told me before that north of the city will get less, and that’s me. Other predictions I heard are 4 to 6 inches which is not bad.

The news is updating regularly. I’m going to a funeral tomorrow but will be home by evening. Snow is supposed to start around midnight.

I have food. I’m not really nervous.

@janbb, you’re making chocolate bars? I hope we’ll be allowed a tiny digression on this Meta question to find out what that’s about.

At this point I just like to make sure I have enough food and wood for the woodstove. Otherwise I just ramp up my bitching and whining about the shoveling and stuff.

And it has just come to my attention that January 29 is National Puzzle Day, so I guess I’ll clean off the dining room table and do a puzzle. Not a bad way to spend some quiet time.

@Jeruba It’s baked chocolate crumb bars; crumb bottom and topping and a fudge like filling in the middle. First time I’m going to make them.

I’m kind of psyched for the storm and enjoy the hunkering down feeling as long as the power doesn’t go out. I was worried last night because my stove had lost power for some reason but I got it working again. If there’s more than 5 inches, I’ll pay some neighborhood boys to shovel.

@janbb Are you not in California?
Residing.

@canidmajor That seems like a Hallmark card kind of thing to do. It makes me warm and happy just thinking about it.

The bitching and whining?
Or the puzzling on the table?

@rebbel I am darling when I bitch and whine! <3

The puzzle @rebbel!

Thanks, gals, for clearing that up!
But, @janbb, I thought you were not in North East?

@rebbel I’m in the Northeast just traveling to Cal in March to see my friends and family there. I normally go out there a few times a year.

Ah, I see.
Well, take care y’all.
And enjoy.

@rebbel If you shovel my walk, you can come in for hot chocolate and chili afterwards.

I am ALWAYS prepared. :-) That said, I did shake the snow off the roof of my 2 outdoor shelters this morning to reduce the weight on the roof material.

I can handle any apocalypse nature throws at us —- except for a direct tornado hit.

Yup. Roof is clear. Got a new tub of ice melt. Snow blower battery is charged. Shovels at the ready. Got food, water, flash lights.

So long as we keep power, all will be well.

@cookieman @LuckyGuy Side question – If I use Ice Melt on the wooden porch, will it damage the paint?

Should be good. Don’t have to be anywhere this weekend.

@cookieman: “So long as we keep power, all will be well.”

Amen.

I did make the mistake of going to the market last night to buy some milk. It almost felt like a run on groceries in the first 15 minutes of a low-budget zombie movie. I guess it’s been awhile since we’ve had some real snow. Not sure the panic is necessary though. Can’t people get through the weekend without Smores Pop-Tarts?

@product Beware the French Toast Brigade! (Eggs, bread, milk). These are people that feel they will starve if they can’t get to the store in the next 24 hours.

@janbb: Try to find the one that says it’s safe for pets. Less corrosive and likely better for finished wood too.

Looks like the big snow will miss Western NY. We will have temps in the 0F range with winds. so the wind chills will be quite hazardous.
Time to set the thermostats up a degree or two.

The folks along the coast are going to get the most. Stay warm and cozy inside!

@janbb I don’t use any ice melt product. I don’t like tracking it inside. I try to keep the immediate area clear with a shovel and a leaf blower.

Southwest CT, here, around 7 AM. It’s hard to tell how much there is so far, it’s really blowing out there, everything is all over the place. Just hope we keep power.

The predictions for the jellies East of me look pretty dire. Stay safe, you guys!

Got through the night fine. Still have power. There’s lots of snow and it’s still coming down. There’s wind but not scary gusts so not too bad. Gonna bake and read.

I’m not far from canid, southeastern NY, about an hour north of NYC. About an inch of snow at 8 am Saturday, maybe a bit more. Snow still coming, not that heavily. I see snow blowing off the roof. Supposed to stop around 10. I see on the news, southern NJ got more than a foot so far.

I’m in central NJ and it looks like a foot and snow still coming down. There’s a lot of drifting too.

Just north of Boston

Got about 3-inches over night. Still have power. Windy and cold but not too gusty. Still snowing quite a bit.

Poked my hand outside and the snow seems to be icy and fluffy. Might do well with the leaf blower, broom, and electric snow blower.

^ They just showed some footage of Boston on the news that looked really bad. I was worried about you, so thanks for checking in.

@chyna: Thank you. <3

I just went out into the storm to check it out. Very windy. Bitter cold. Snow is fluffy (responded well to the electric snow blower) but like tiny little beads of ice.

Still coming down hard. Lots more to come.

My doggies enjoyed it for a bit too.

@cookieman My dog loudly declared Snow Zoomies to be the best zoomies this morning. Now he just barely steps outside to pee. Seems the fun was a one-off for him.

Thank you so much for checking in. I’m grateful you all still have power. I got some pictures from my child, and it looks cold.

^^ Oh – it’s cold! That’s the beauty of having central heating.

@Hawaii_Jake I just saw video of the coastal areas In Massachusetts getting hard hit by the waves. It looks so scary.
I hope your family is snug and safe.

It seems to be slowing down now here. I’ve made chili and chocolate crumb bars are in the oven. Who wants to come by for supper?

(Neighbors’ kids made one pass through and will come back to shovel more, I hope.)

I will give you advice as a Wisconsinite (we get the same weather, obviously):

Go to your local gas station the day of the blizzard and stock up on all the necessities: soda, beer, bread, butter, and candy.

(We always get busy the days of blizzards. Beer is a serious need here and God Forbid you go a day without a 24 pack.)

But in all seriousness: Stay inside and stay warm. That’s the best way to stay safe. If you have to go to work, don’t drive stupid. Snow and ice is slippery. Give cars space.

Also: I always suggest people have blankets, an ice scraper and water (Wrapped in blankets and such to prevent from freezing) In their cars. Maybe some granola bars. Gotta stay safe if you get stuck. Because you never know.

Seems to be quieting here, and there’s not nearly as much accumulation because of the wind. Not nearly so much to clear, yahoo!

Up to about 18-inches now. Super cold and windy but the snow remains plowable and light. Lots of drifting. One side of my car is completely bare because of the wind.

It slowed down for a few, but is going full force again now.

Went out again and yes, @canidmajor, the doggies headed back in more quickly.

This pretty much sums up how we handle snow here…

https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdhbaekg/

I’d say about 18 inches here too; lots of drifting.

Just baked some chocolate chip cookies. Heading out one last time to shovel while they cool.

Did you say fresh chocolate chip cookies?

Back inside (eating cookies). Yes, fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Snow is ending. About 20-inches total. Got half the driveway and both walkways done. 12°F right now. Getting into single digits overnight into tomorrow.

Mmmm cookies…. I’d lend you my snowblower but it’s an awfully long drive. I’d have to stay over. :-)

I’ve been munching the chocolate crumb bars I baked yesterday – a new recipe – but I have to save most for book club on Wednesday night here.

My daughter is going to college in Boston. She tried to shop at Trader Joe’s on Fri but it was mostly sold out, then she hunkered down on Sat in her apt. Went out for boba tea the next day, when things calmed down.

Boba Tea makes things better.

It is Tuesday afternoon here and it looks like we will be pounded from Wednesday night/ Thursday morning until Friday. I can’t wait!

I hope all the East coast folks are dug out!

@LuckyGuy Yup – all dug out and went food shopping today. Looks like pretty mild weather here for the next couple of days.

@janbb Glad to hear it!
Hopefully all flights will be normal and back on schedule next week!

@RocketGuy, which school?

@Jeruba – Northeastern U

@RocketGuy, my mother used to teach there. First stop out of the tunnel, just before you get to the MFA.

@Jeruba: Yup. That’s the E Train on Green Line Trolley.