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Praetorium Honoris

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Life in New England

(Source)
So we have weathered yet another "Snowmageddon." To hear the big networks tell it in the day leading up to the storm, you'd think the apocalypse was headed our way. At the local grocery store you would think that the government had announced that the Chicoms were off the coast and landing barges full of Chinese marines were steaming up Narragansett Bay. Really? Do you need 75 gallons of milk and 300 loaves of bread?

Geez.

This storm brought far less snow and havoc than the one we had back in 2013. Which I chronicled in a series of posts starting here.

Still and all, to hear the wind howling last night you had to wonder if the roof would still be on the house come dawn.

It was.

One thing which was damaged by the storm was the Official Tall Ship of Rhode Island, the sloop Providence.

USS Rhode Island in the foreground, Providence is under sail to Rhode Island's starboard side.
(US Navy Photo by PH1 Roers)

She had been hauled out of the water for the winter. The storm tipped her onto her beam ends and dis-masted her as you can see in the following photos. You can read the full story at that link given for the source of the photos.

Source
Source

It is worth noting that the sloop Providence was the first ship commissioned into the Continental Navy and the first Command of John Paul Jones.

Hopefully they'll get her repaired and back into the water by the spring.

Yes, that sucks that she was damaged.

As for me, the walk is cleared of snow, the driveway is clear and it's back to work tomorrow. So another winter adventure is in the books. Quiet compared to some, I do not have a problem with that. Not at all.

Sunday Afternoon
Monday Afternoon

Tuesday Morning
I'm really happy that I'm inside!
Hard to tell the amount of fallen snow due to drifting.
Winter Wonderland. (Yeah, right.)
A couple of inches of snow to the left, a couple of feet of snow to the right.
If I had to guess, I'd say we had a foot of snow.
Unlike meteorologists, I'm not paid to guess.

30 comments:

  1. I'm glad it wasn't worse. I like the bird dialogue.

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    1. I looked out the bathroom window and there were those two crows. I watched them for a few minutes. They did seem to be discussing the weather.

      That's the first time I've seen crows sitting on that particular plant.

      Delete
  2. Glad you and yours are all right. Ditto on the birds. Sounds like several conversations I've had with my wife over the years (She'd play the role of the bird on the left)

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    1. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. I've seen worse.

      I have played both roles vis-à-vis the two crows. Though yeah, normally I'm the bird on the right.

      Delete
  3. The worst of it missed NJ. Ofificials shut everything down anyway. After the mess in Buffalo, everyone wants to err on the side of caution...probably a good idea.

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    1. Better safe than sorry. This is the type of situation which is a real lose-lose for the politicos. No matter what you do, someone will be POed. To err on the side of caution is the best bet.

      Glad you guys dodged the bullet!

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  4. Can't disagree with the erring on the side of caution. But why is that a government responsibility instead of a personal one? I am responsible for my actions and the ONLY one responsible for my actions is me. If I need to get out in the storm, I need to get out. It's not the Gov's responsibility, and even more important, ability to determine if I actually DO need to get out.
    Better to say, that public services will be reduced during the storm, personal travel should be reduced as much as possible, and leave it at that. I read somewhere yesterday that they were ticketing people in NYC for being out of their homes. That's wrong! /Rant

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    1. "...why is that a government responsibility instead of a personal one?"

      Ah... there are some bosses who've so intimidated their minions that they poor souls won't stay home when they're contagious.
      So they sure won't stay home unless ordered to do so.
      Even then they will cringe and wonder if they'll have to make up the time.
      Thank goodness those bosses are few.

      Delete
    2. We all know that it's all about liability. If the state doesn't "close" the roads then they can be sued by some enterprising ambulance chaser if someone gets hurt. If the roads are "closed" then if someone gets hurt, the state can't be sued.

      Ticketing people for being out of their homes only goes to show just how far fascism has progressed in NYC.

      We had a mayor in Denver who decided that since it was Christmas and the state employees wanted a long weekend that there was no need to plow the roads after a particularly strong blizzard. (Christmas Eve, 1982.) That mayor was looking for another job after the next election.

      If the politicians do something stupid, vote them out. The problem in this country right now is that we have voters with no stake in the game. (And no clue as well, but that's a different story.)

      Excellent rant Juvat.

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    3. Good rant! I had a major run-in with the state hwy dept a couple of years ago using snow plows to block roads to prevent travel. I should blog that story. Still get Christmas cards from the plow driver I rescued. I wish there was a way to entice/induce emigration to Europe by those who must be the property of government...
      /rantoff

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    4. Ship 'em all to Greece. Sell them on the niceties of Greek weather and history. Don't tell them how God-awful the government is. It's the sort of government that type wants anyway.

      Using plows to block highways? Barstewards!

      Delete
    5. Whoops. Didn't see you up there Skip.

      You raise some good points. I have bosses who want to be like that. I discourage such behavior.

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    6. Sheesh! What is the point in getting elected if you can't boss people around?

      Delete
  5. I've been thinking about you Sarge, glad to see the chi-coms didn't prevail. Weather's been a treat here which hasn't bothered me a bit.

    Great bird dialog. There were ducks on one of our playas this morning and I could imagine them having the opposite conversation...

    Providence, Boston and Chicago. Ever read that book?

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    1. Crows are very smart birds.

      I have not read that book, can't find it online either. Hhmm.

      Delete
    2. I was being too cryptic. Red Storm Rising.

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    3. Hahaha. Yes, that was being very cryptic. Me, not being the cleverest life-form to ever wander the Earth, totally missed that.

      Yes, I have read that book. Many times. I have always thought that it's one of Clancy's best. (A captain I worked with liked it for the sole reason that one of the heroes of the book was an Air Force JO, who liked to run. Same-same as my captain. Sigh.)

      Delete
  6. Glad you made it through "snowmageddon". The news made it sound like the "end is near!" Juvat's rant was great but sadly, now that we're becoming the nanny state, personal responsibility is becoming a thing of the past! Remember the verse from the old Zager & Evans song - "everything you think, do and say is in the pill you took today" Prophetic, maybe?

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    1. Ah yes, the nanny state. Being told what's good for you by people who have no effing clue.

      Sigh...

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  7. When I look at the pictures of your yard and stuff, I say "Please close the drapes and turn up the heater! How much cold air are you letting into the room?" But then I say that here too. I look at the ocean with not one single person on the beach as far as I can see, North or South. The temp was in the upper forties last night/this morning. Nothing to write about to those of you in the Northeast, don't think me a whiner, but I'm still cold. Turn up the heater!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Forties in Florida? That's (relatively speaking) pretty dang cold for that neck of the woods!

      My Dad liked to walk the beach in Maine in the winter.

      "Sure it's cold son, but I have the beach all to myself." Uh sure Dad, no thanks, you're welcome to it.

      Yeah, I miss him a lot. But not long walks on a beach in Maine winter.

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  8. Yep, could have been a lot worse; glad it wasn't.

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    1. Said the man from Alaska who knows these things!

      I am pleased with the outcome of the storm. Stayed indoors and stayed warm. Roof is intact, all systems nominal!

      Delete
  9. It's gonna take a meaner storm than that to bother the tough old New Englanders. Just go outside during the worst of it and shout, "Is that it? Is that all you got?"

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    1. I would file that under "tempting fate."

      We tough old New Englanders know better than to tempt fate.

      So I'm told.

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  10. Stay safe... And remember lift with your knees, NOT your back! :-)

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    1. Or I could watch the guy with the snow blower do the driveway.

      While drinking coffee. Works for me. (Seriously, I have a guy...)

      Delete
  11. Only a two inch dusting here. No pun intended. Been a very cold January though.

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    1. Two inches? Perhaps it's just too cold to snow up there.

      It has been colder than normal down here in Little Rhody this year. No doubt algore has an explanation for that.

      Delete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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