January 4, 2007 , 8:00 a.m.

I added a snow picture to each journal at the top so you can click on the dates above and see the progression of how the the snow in Springfield is changing.

You would have thought it was springtime the way the birds were carrying on this morning. Sparrows and black birds were chattering away. Yesterday at this time it was 17 degrees and this morning at 8:30 the temperature is 43. The warm winds are melting the snow and the sun is shining brightly. I wondered where to these birds came from and where have they been hiding. (Then I thought probably in my attic.)

Today we shoveled more snow and the city shoveled more snow. We got a large area cleared on tenth avenue so my niece Marla could park her car at Karen’s place. Marla drove from Ellicot to help her mom. I think she likes the snow. They get a lot of blizzards in Ellicott but I don’t think she has ever seen anything like this.

Several times I heard sirens and wondered what they were all about. Now with the warm winds we have the beginnings of slush and even some mud where the snow has been cleared off. That is probably the way it will be for the next few weeks. The news says we might get a little more snow, perhaps an inch. Okay, I guess we can handle an inch. No biggie. But I am not going to shovel any more. I’m tired.

I walked around a little today and took a few more pictures. There was a truck delivering food to Traders and you can see the pavement on Main street.

I don’t want the snow to melt too fast. We could have a flood on our hands. Let it get cold and let the snow stand for a while and let it melt slowly. Besides, I still want to build a giant snow man or something. Or do I? I wish I had the energy for that.

I was amazed to find that the mail was delivered today, and the Plainsman Herald was on time. I thought it only fair that we should dig a path from the snow ditch in the street to the mail box for the mail lady. She tramped over and through deep snow to get to our mail box, and we tramped through the same to get the mail. So I started digging the path. Then Jerome and Van and Marla came over to help and it got finished in about 20 minutes.

Jerico asks, "Hey Shaggy, How do you like this weather?"

Shaggy Dog: "Peice of cake my friend, I must have been built and bred for it. I quite like it."

Hurray! Mission accomplished. The back porch is cleared and a path is dug. I feel much better now.

Here is the before picture. It might be pretty, but the one above is beautiful to me.

Click Here to see the pictures of the traffic jam.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I will do my best to answer them.