Monday Minutia

• Saw a post on FB that cracked me right up. It said, "If Mondays were shoes, they'd be Crocs"

• And on that note, the funniest thing I ever saw on Twitter was a tweet from a dude who said, "Whoever just left me a voice mail, could you send me a text and let me know if I should listen to it?" 

• So all the weather people here are foaming at the mouth over the fact that we need 2" more of snow to break the record for the snowiest winter ever. I'm thinking, really? Tell that to the thousands of us here dealing with ice dam damage and seasonal depression..

• I'm almost finished with the 3rd season of "Breaking Bad". Why did I never watch this show when everyone was telling me I had to? I'm now obsessed! This is the greatest thing on television! I love the whole dynamic between Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston. And Aaron Paul's, " Yo, where's my money?...Bitch!" Interesting to note: "Breaking Bad" is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Highest Rated TV Series.

• The Boston Herald reported that My Tommy is thinking that after he retires from football, he may go the Hollywood way, via an acting career. I say whatever My Tommy is selling...I'm buying.

Sheer perfection...I'd pay to watch him recite the alphabet.

The Reluctant Vacartion

Ok, so I just got back from Florida.

I was there for 15 days!! And before you bemoan what a complete b*tch I am for complaining about being in Florida during the snowiest spate of weather MA has ever seen, understand that it wasn't the most convenient or comfortable for me. Get this-three canceled flights! Yes, I swear three of my scheduled flights home were cancelled due to snow. I was lucky enough to have a place to stay, and I got a bonus vacation to boot, but I own my own business and I was very anxious to get back.

So here I am and don't you just love the first day back? Not really.

• Piles of mail at home and at work. Nothing is more anxiety inducing that a big, tall pile of unopened mail. It makes me feel like the little girl who slept through the final exam!
• So many invoices for product! And all that accounting?? I need to make lists of priority and take it slow-otherwise I will have a full on anxiety attack.
• Piles of laundry! Not really. I was fortunate enough to take home 100% clean laundry. Thank God for small miracles. Nonetheless I have piles of clothes to put away.
• Ice dams-if you don't like in New England you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Ice dams are when snow fall after snow fall after snow fall collects on the roof of your home. Ice forms on the roof which when you mix that with the heat from the inside of your home, it causes the most incredible water damage that is sneaky and crazy. 

But rest assured, there is some comfort in the fact that I am back.
On the contrary, there's the satisfaction of crossing all those crazy things off the list and feeling like you are accomplishing something. Seeing my dog's face after 15 days made my heart sing! There is the warmth of the fire and relaxing under my favorite blanket with my dog at my feet and of course, my own bed! I missed my own bed.

Going away for a "surprise" vacation was great, but if you had told me before I left that I would be gone for two weeks I would have said your were outta your FREAKIN mind! I would have said no way-nada-not happening. Yet it did happen, and if I tried to duplicate it again next year it would never be as spontaneous. So this one will go down in the history books as reluctant, yet special nonetheless.

Notes From The Bunker

Hunkered down inside my house with the wind blowing and the snow still falling, I have become a news junkie. When I am home, the TV is a constant companion, but usually Bravo is streaming live on my TV. Due to today's "historic storm" the TV has been left on the local news channels that have been bellowing emergency information and snow fall totals all morning long. As of now,12 noon EST, in my part of the state we have recieved over 20" of snow with no indication that it's stopping. 

I say bring it! I just made a beef stew in the crock pot and I'm about to make some spiked hot chocolate! We are lucky because we still have power so the play list is qued up and the backgammon board is at the ready. Even Buddy has his storm provisions. He's got a gorgeous bone that he's been happily devouring at my feet for the past hour. 

The govenor has issued a state of emergency warning as well as a driving ban. It's a winter wonderland and I'm curious, so maybe later this afternoon I will venture out into the majestic surroundings. It's not so bad here. In fact, it's a quite cozy sense of community with all the neighbors checking in on each other. With the entire state is virtually shut down, it puts us all in the same boat if just for a day. It is a uniquely New England experience, and one that brings us together. A safe, warm feeling, so I can't resist but state the obvious:

While the weather outside is certainly frightful, my fire is definitely delightful! And yes, we've no place to go, so why not let it snow? 

The New England Experience

A major snow storm is predicted for these parts later today, all day tomorrow and into Wednesday morning. Forecasts predict up to two feet or more of snow dumped into our area in the next 48 hours with close of 32 hours of heavy snowfall.

And that means it's time for the New England experience.

I was born and raised in Massachusetts, so I've seen my fair share of snow storms. I even survived the Blizzard of '78 as a kid who was out of school for over a week. Yes, it snows a lot here and yes, we always manage to survive it. This time they are predicting a blizzard with 24-28 inches of snow with potential flooding and strong damaging winds. OK-so that means a few things to us:

• Check the salt, sand and ice melt in your garage. I can't even imagine what Home Depot looks like today, but I'm pretty sure its got SOLD OUT signs everywhere. 
• Buy batteries, candles, matches and flashlights. These are essential storm preparedness items.  Also-charge all essential electronics, cell phones, lanterns, lap tops and Ipads. 
• Food and Water-It's insane how crazy the region gets over food and water. We have known about the severity of this storm for just about 24 hours and our local markets are already bare bone! I took these pics this morning at our local major supermarket. 

                                                 

• Test the generator. Power outages will be a reality this storm and we don't know for how long. Because of the severity of the weather challenges in this region, most people I know have invested in hard wired generators. It's just smart business for most of us who live in older towns where the power lines are still above the ground and the investment comes back two fold on storms like this. 
• To me-the snow storm means people will home SHOPPING ONLINE! Why not take advantage of this fact and have an ONLINE SALE?!!! Go to www.candybarcosmetics.com this Tuesday, Jan 25th and Wednesday, Jan 26 and use the code SNOWDAY at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase. 

It's like this: we bitch and moan about the big storms and yes, it can be dangerous, inconvenient and bad for business but the one thing we all know to be true is that it is uniquely New England. I was talking to my mom today in who is in Florida and she told me that this snow storm is the lead story on every newscast down there. She then told me that she's a wee bit envious. She said that despite the nuisance of a snow storm, it's that warm and endearing feeling you get while hunkering down with your family that she will miss.  

I gotta agree with her on that. 

I've Just About Had It....

"Due to social anxiety and inclement weather conditions, outside is closed until further notice."-

Nick.@SocialExtortion

Bad Weather Stew

Are you kidding me?

This time they got it right. No beauty emergencies today, that's for sure, so it looks like a lost day of revenue. I just made that FAB, slow cooker beef stew you see up above and I'm hunkering down for a day-long blasting of snow.

• The beef stew I made is from a blog called Butter with a side of Bread. I have made it before and let me tell you, it is just about the closest thing to perfection on a day like today!

• My Guy was out last night, so it was a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills MARATHON> Those bitches are so juicy...always fighting and swearing. It feels like home when I watch it! No wonder I love it so much. I'm half kidding, but really, after the latest episode, I was left feeling pitty for the ladies. Yes, they get paid a ton of money per episode and they have attained some twisted form of celebrity, but they fights and the petty drama that goes on makes me wonder about the toll it takes on their real lives...they have to fight to stay relevant or they get axed! I guess it no different than any other job except their bad behavior is rewarded.

• I bought a coat for my dog. Yes, I did and you know what? He needs it! He's an old fella. (we're not quite sure how old exactly-pound rescue) And his little Jack Russel body is slowly shedding hair. He doesn't mind his little velcro coat, it's bright orange and waterproof and as a matter of fact he kind of likes it! He has taken to wearing it around the house on really cold days. But on days like today I'm wishing I bought one for Buddy too. ( See Buddy here- it's funny. He's my Boxer)

• Tequila? A no no for Candy. Went out for My Guy's birthday on Sat night. I think I had a good time. 

• Since I'm  stuck at home today, I've decided it's the perfect time to study. I'm in the process of putting together The Candy Bar's E-Commerce site and I've been doing a ton of research on social media and online presence. It's very interesting and very motivating! So the good news is the day won't be a total loss! Happy Hump Day Bloggers!

NY-Seeee

So I was in New York yesterday, seeing my baby girl Frick and taking care of some business. While I was there, I experienced something I had never seen before. Snow in the City. Sounds like the title to a  bad HBO series, but it was quite a feat to behold. 

When I entered Penn Station on Sunday afternoon, the entire place was a see (sic) of color. I never saw so much blue and orange in my life. Denver fans to one side, Seattle fans on another and the orange and neon green wigs they were sporting were popping color all over the station. Once in the city, life returned to normal because by then everyone was safely ensconced in New Jersey. The best of all was the view from my hotel room where the Empire State Building was lit up in both neon green and neon orange. Too bad the game didn't live up to the hype. 

In the wee hours of Monday morning, about 4 am, Frick and I were awoken by some angry Denver fans who were taking out their anguish on the floor ice machine. The kicking and the screaming I'm sure, woke everyone on the floor up. But there was another sound in the wee hours of that morning...it was the sound of ice and snow hitting the window. That morning when I woke up I could see the rooftops of TriBeCa covered in white and whatever green trees around were covered with crystallized snow. For me, it was an amazing site. It was snowing pretty hard by the time I got on my way to work and all the majesty of the snow was lost. It turned into a slushy, black mess. 

NYC is not really conducive to snow, and that was evidenced by the traffic and slush that everyone tried to ignore. Yes it was a pain in the ass, but I have to say it was beautiful. And the snow continued all day, never tapering off, creating a huge inconvienience to all. Bonus for me, that it did not delay my train! The ride home was a spectacular site. The snow covered trees and rooftops proved to be a gorgeous distraction and it majesty, restored! 

In all the years I have been traveling to and from the city, I can't believe I have never seen snow in the city. It's kind of hard to believe. I actually had to see it to believe it.

Snow Noooo!

'

I have to laugh....

Born and raised here in New England, I have seen my fair share of snow storms. In fact, I have seen lots of them. From the great Blizzard of 78 to last year's record breaking Blizzard, this is the time of year that dumps lots of nasty snow in our region. So why does it always surprise us when snow is in the forecast?

Hearty New Englanders, you'd think we would be conditioned for all of this. So when they forecast 6-10" of snow yesterday, we were ready. The weather people had warned of a January Nor'Easter with high accumulations. The snow was predicted to start late in the afternoon and go heavy into the wee hours of the night. Another nasty evening commute with a tough morning one to follow. There was even a blizzard warning in effect for the southern part of the state with high winds and 18-24" predicted. 

So it began about 4pm and as promised, the evening commute was not particularly pleasant. As the snow continued I watched as a measly inch to two piled up on top of last Saturday's surprise 4" already on the ground. The snow continued throughout the evening but every time I looked outside I saw nothing much amounting. Nothing much for a native to these parts. When I woke this morning I found the same story. In total we got about 4" which by now totals up to a "dusting" . It was not what the forecasters had warned/promised. Yet again....

This is the second time this month we had had a storm that didn't live up to the hype. 

Oh yes-the southern part of the state got smacked. Some towns reported getting 18"and word has it it was still snowing and blowing at 8am this morning, but here closer to the city? A whole lotta nothing. 

It makes me laugh. Why all the hype? I guess it's better to be over on the snow predictions than under if that's what you do for a living, but around here it's like get it right or go home!! For goodness sake, this place was in a complete tizzy about 2pm yesterday. I'm sure all the show shovels and ice melt were sold out, which is a usual occurrence when big snow is predicted, but this morning we probably feel like idiots who got duped by a cheesy door to door salesman. With all the Doppler radar aps out there for our tablet devices, becoming a weather watcher has become a seasonal pastime. How did we not see it?

It's a simple case of the boy who cried wolf. I'm not buying it next time. Unless there is a state of emergency declared and a driving ban or "shelter in place" order issued, I'm not going to panic. 

After all, what another 6-10" inches to a native New Englander?

Snow Job

We survived!

The Blizzard of 2013 was not a bust like I thought it was going to be. It was exactly the power packed punch that the media meteorological gods predicted that dumped over 2.5 feet of snow around here. 

The thing is, this ain't our first time at the "historic" storm rodeo.  We are hearty New Englanders  and when it was all over we came out to inspect the impact. Suburban inlanders, like me, handled the snow fall quite well, considering we never lost power in this part of the state. We rode out the storm in the lots of  food, TV, movies and warm comfort of our homes. WE were lucky. 

Our coastal counterparts were not so lucky. Out of power since Friday, flooding and severe winds caused expensive damage to most coastal areas. There were tragedies. Like the dangers of carbon monoxide that tragically took three lives, including that of a 14 year old boy. Just tragic.

So today, we go back to business as usual, but it's nothing usual at all. The freezing rain that is falling right now reminds us of the dangers of two feet of snow topped off with freezing rain that turns to ice. Especially on our roof tops. As I said, we are used to this and I have to say the state handled this storm beautifully. The Friday afternoon driving ban made things much easier for travel when it was lifted by 4PM Saturday and the media and the Commonwealth kept us updated as the storm progressed. 

As for me? It's off to work now. See that snow bank above? 

I gotta go shovel it. 

Honey, I Ain't A Scared Of A Little Snow

Bring it on beeyotches....

April Fool

So I awoke to this scene outside my home this morning. I took this photo with my iPhone of this cruel April Fool joke. It's not too bad though, just a heavy dusting really, and only the roads needed to be plowed but as of this morning it is still snowing at a good clip. Have a great weekend bloggers! Let's hope the sun comes out.

Week In Review

So let's recap the week here in sunny Massassachusetts.

Monday, clear and cold.
About 24 inches of snow on the ground from a month of huge snow storms.






Tuesday, snow. ALL DAY. 7 inches of accumulation.
Schools close early.





Wednesday, snow ALL DAY, which turns to sleet and freezing rain.
8 inches of accumulation of snow and ice which coats the ridiculously already snow covered ground. Two day total: 13-15 inches depending upon your location.
No School.





Thursday, light snow but no one really talks about it because at this point it's not really news.
1 inch or 2 of accumulation over the ice that has already accumulated from the day before.
Lots of schools closed due to pending dangers of roofs collapsing.





Friday, clear, frigid temps.
Still more school closings from roof dangers.





Saturday, MORE SNOW.
4-8 inches predicted.

MORE SNOW??

Blow it out your AS*!

Have a snow-less weekend bloggers!

What Did We DO To Deserve This?

I'm in the "Buy Lots Of Booze" part of the map...

The New North Pole

Yeah, not much else going on here except for another 16" of snow over the next two days.
This expresses my sentiments exactly.

Even the kids are praying for NO MORE snow days, if you can believe that. We have had so many this month, that they are considering getting rid of April vacation. Are you kidding me???

I heard Santa just bought a new place down the road. Says he thinks this is the place to be....the new North Pole.

Can't say that I blame him.

Snow Day

DAMN, did we get bombed!!!

Yesterday was a serious snow day. I woke up around 7am and the snow was coming down at an unbelievable pace. By that time we already had a foot of snow and it looked like white out conditions outside my window.

Then the snow continued All. Day. Long. And did not stop. We ended up with probably 17-18 inches in total, and some places in MA got up to 2 feet or more.

I gotta tell you, it was AWESOME. With no where to go, the weather furious, everybody was home bound for the day. I couldn't feel that pang of guilt you sometimes feel when I make a decision to close the store. This one was a no brainer. No one could move for most of the day. Wherever you were, you pretty much stayed put and had to wait it out.

Today begins the messy process of clean-up.

And my home town never looked more beautiful.

The majesty of Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me.

Living In A Winter Wonderland

Remember last week when I said it was snowing in MA finally! Well, it is true that you need to be careful what you wish for because you just may get it. It stared snowing on Friday afternoon and didn't stop until Sunday night! Inspired by Alan at Robot Nine, (Check out his blog. He's always got something amazing going on) I thought I'd show you what it's like to wake up in MA today.

Thanks for the inspiration Alan!