Good morning everyone! The snow continues to fall here in SE Ohio. It is very pretty outside. cold and cloudy this morning. We have about 4-5 inches on the ground. Just a nice amount.

Is anyone near Buffalo NY? I saw on the news last night they had received 82 inches of snow since Monday! WOW! That is unbelievable! I can't even imagine what that would be like. I'm sure it is difficult to deal with, where on Earth do you put it when there is that much snow? I saw once on the news where they load it in trucks, when they are clearing the roads, and dump it in the lakes.

Today I am venturing out. I hope the roads are clear. This is the first time I have driven my new van in the snow. It is front wheel drive, which everyone says is easier to drive in the snow. We had a big Suburban, which I loved and still miss, but when it started to cost $45 to fill it up, it just didn't seem practical to keep it. But I could really go anywhere in that thing. It was like a tank!

The kids are going blue-jean shopping, and I need a few odds and ends too. Then I might take them out to lunch. We haven't done that for a while. Then we are meeting the 4-H club for bowling.

So it should be a fun day. Everyone have a good day!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 29, 2001

Answers

We are SW Virginia mountains. Still waiting for snow. We just moved here in August from Florida. My 5 yr. old has never seen snow and just can't wait. Hubby and I have not seen snow in 15 years.

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), December 29, 2001.

I hope you get some Karen, your five year old will be thrilled!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 29, 2001.

Karen, what part of Florida? I was born in St. Cloud, last lived in Winter Garden but felt a need to get back to America with all the foreign nationals, drought, and stupid regulations.

No snow here yet, just flurries in the upper right corner of WV.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), December 29, 2001.

What kind of a van did you get, Melissa? We have a suburban too, we were just discussing it last night as to whether we should hurry up and pay it off or put the extra towards the house payment and hurry up and pay it off! My mother-in-law said cars don't last forever and not to mess with it, we'll be getting rid of it in a few years, but I told her that it was a '98, in good shape mechanically and bodywise and it wasn't leaving until it fell apart! I hate buying new cars! *new used, that is - I will probably NEVER buy brand new!

Anyway, the weather in Oklahoma today is cold and clear, no snow or anything -- that is one thing I do wish we had more of. If it is going to be 20*, I would just as soon it be snowing! I can't imagine having 82 inches of snow. What would that be, about 7 foot? That would probably terrify me!

Lance is at work today, and since I've been running around with him on his days off the last week, the house and laundry are screaming my name! I'd better get to it so we can spend the next few days running around with his grandparents -- I think we will probably take them and most likely some aunts and uncles to our farm to pick up pecans in the next few days, as our pecan pickers haven't yet made it! (*&^$#!!)

-- Christine in OK (cljford@aol.com), December 29, 2001.

Well I made it home again. The van is a Chevy Lumina, special edition. I should have said new to me, as it is a 95 model, and the newest thing I have ever owned. We got a good deal (I thought) for $4800. It is in immaculste shape, was owned by a dentist. It is fully loaded with everything, even the sliding door open and shuts by power. It went absolutely great in the snow. There is a hill on our road that you always slide on and today I just flew up it. Our Suburban was an 85 model, and I really think it would have run 5 more years. It had a little rust around the bottom of the doors. But I kept a can of enamel paint on hand and just touched it up evey time the rust started to show (I truly am a hillbily at heart!) I would never buy a new vehicle as most of them cost more than we have in our house!!!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 29, 2001.