Flat Roofs + Snow = Oh, No!

Update 12/24/08: Yup, it started snowing on the 14th and we're snowed in. Still. 3 more inches fell yesterday. No mail in 7 days. No garbage service in 2 weeks. Cars are encased in snow cocoons. Chains are required everywhere. Our town is still under a State of Emergency (the National Guard rolled into town and Haley's on the roof hoping to signal helicopters and get a ride to the mall via a HumVee and I'm expecting a Home Depot Gift Card from FEMA. It's my right!!). Cars can't make it up our hill without 4-wheel drive AND chains (I only know that because I got to the office on Monday with a Suburban driving co-worker... had meet him at the bottom of the hill). Can you imagine how much worse it would be if we didn't have Global Warming?!! Thank YOU Al Gore.

But never fear, since it's Christmas Eve and we're big believers in Christmas Miracles we're bundling up and marching about 1-2 miles to the nearest strip mall. Ho Ho Hum. (Christmas this year is brought to you by Ross Dress 4 Less, GI Joes, Teriyaki King, and Craft Warehouse!) It WILL be fun.

Actually we're expecting the thaw to begin over the weekend... I'll send you a flood update on Monday. -Steve

We are slowly digging out of the snow. This is the snowiest December for our area in recorded history. About 2 feet with some drifts chest high. It's crazy.

It has been beautiful, but all this snow needs to go somewhere when the temperature climbs. Our roof has a lot of snow on it (2 feet in some areas) and it needs to come off. We have no idea about the best way to remove it, so we're just planning to climb up there with shovels and brooms. Wish us luck!


UPDATE: We just cleared the snow and ice out the downspouts, downsized the drifts and cleared out the run off trough things (scuppers?). It was 45-degrees today and the thaw is staying outside the house. I think we're fine. -Steve

Merry Holidays!

Snowed in for 5 days... and we're a little punchy. Had to get a little creative with the Santa hats! Have a safe and happy holiday.

'Tis the Season... to decorate.

We've put up the tree, the lights and the plastic figurines. Decorations... are done.

Snow Day!

UPDATE 12/17/08: We hardly ever get snow here... and any snow that doesn't melt immediately is quite the novelty. We have about 4" from last Sunday's storm... and it's been snowing all morning on Wednesday. Should get another 4-6" by tomorrow, and more (possibly another 12") is expected this weekend! I know this doesn't sound like much to you mid-western folks, but there's a layer of ice under all this white fluff. I can't get off the hill (I might be the only person in East County that doesn't have 4-wheel drive!) It's so beautiful, but I'm getting a little cabin fever. I'll post more pictures after the storm passes.

What am I thinking????

I'm still pining for summer and window shopping for the back patio. Steve found this darling set on Craigslist and I'm just obsessing over it. I NEED IT!!! I think I might have a sickness for patio and pool sets... but this one is really cute.


Let's hope it's still there after Christmas. Then I can seriously consider it... the holidays and bathroom remodel are sucking the life out of my pocketbook. Sigh! Pain!

Therm-o-riffic!

OK... I can't help myself. Steve found a Thermador cooktop and double ovens with an extra cooktop (still in the box). Also, comes with the original book from Thermador. Yeah, we bought it and now I'm reworking my whole kitchen concept around these pieces. Looks like we'll have a sleek Jenn-Aire set for sale soon. Sigh. I love that one too, but the Thermador is just too amazing and fits the house perfect! I'll post pics as soon as we pull it out of the back of the truck.



While the Jenn-Aire is a super fine appliance, a Thermador is probably better quality, is more original to the house and c'mon... all 4 pieces (including the extra cooktop) were only 50-bucks! They look to be in primo condition, although I think they are from the 1950s... a little too early for our house, but that's fine with me.

The Primary oven is model W-016-A and sold for $176.00 according to the price written in the booklet. The Secondary oven is model W-016 and was $163.25. I've never seen this model of cooktop before. It's big, with a good size griddle in the middle. Model SU-4G and was a whopping $199.50 way back when.

Haley's deciding if we're going to mount the ovens side-by-side or go with a top/bottom configuration. I'm sure she'll keep you posted! -Steve