I Love New York Travel

Oopsie. We accidentally left a few containers of used engine oil in the basement. When it flooded, water spilled into the containers and the oil went everywhere.

This is no easy tretinoin gel. This is MOTOR OIL. Toxic waste. We had to have the DEC come over, because we couldn’t pump this water out into the stormwater drainage basin. Thank God, the spill was contained. We used these special absorbent pads that absorb only oil, not water. They are pretty neat things. We have about 15 big garbage bags full of used ones, now!

*sigh* Today it’s raining again, and we’ve got more flash flood warnings. Well, the basement is cleaned out so if it floods, there’s nothing to destroy except our brand new water heater.

Upstate New York has been struggling to stay afloat. Yes, in the financial realm, but also in the literal realm! That photo was my yard on April 28. We have suffered from flooding so many times now, I cannot count. I’m amazed that this area is not considered a flood zone. Every time we get 2 inches of rain (which has been happening like A LOT for a few years), we flood. My yard seems to get the brunt of it. We lost all the contents of our basement this time, except the furnace (which we elevated because we lost our new furnace the LAST time this happened).

To think about it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Thank God, we are getting some insurance money to pay for the damages. But it’s a lot of work, cleaning up this mess. I’ve got so much experience with flood cleanup that I could probably get some kind of personal trainer certification for it. Whew. I just wish it would STOP raining.

It’s been an interesting winter. We’ve had continual snow– no more than any other average year, really, but it trickles down constantly. Temperatures have not been too bad– this week is our coldest when it will reach 0 F or so. So far, no below zero temperatures (of which I am glad). I like the snow, but dislike the cold temps.

The kids have been shoveling a bit. Not that they need it. We are actually on an exercise regimen where we walk briskly three times a week. In the winter, this is a little rough. So the kids shovel out the driveway and parking lot, and we walk there.

Only two more months of winter left….

This photo was taken the last weekend of October. The sun was moving away, a tiny pale yellow orb drowning in a cloudy sea of gray and icy mist.

What is winter solstice? Is it the day the earth is furthest from the sun? And thereafter, the earth makes its slow crawl back into sunshiny goodness?

Hey, I’m from Upstate New York, one of the sun-starved states! You’d think the UV rays were on adapexin p, they are so thin. One weather statistic I heard (this was a few years ago) said my area in New York receives on average, only 120 sunny days per year.

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That’s only 1/3 of the year.

*sigh* I like winter, I do. It’s cozy. But I do miss that sunshine.

No traveling going on right now, except to the local store, post office, etc. We received a TON of snow in four days. Winter came upon us very suddenly. One week, we had 40 degrees, torrential rains that flooded everything…. to lake effect snow that dumped almost four feet on us.

What’s also amazing is that people are still amazed at how crazy the weather can be! Perhaps in our micro-controlled environments with temperate indoor climates, sleek modes or transportation, steady mortgage life insurance rates and etc, the weather seems more wild and rambunctious than ever. I don’t know. But freak snowfalls, crazy flooding.. people have experienced that for millenia, no? We still make a pretty BIG deal when weather hits. Huh.

Anyway, I for one am very thankful we’ve got snow, and not rain. The weather forecast is calling for above-freezing temps this weekend, which does not pose well for us. Not only doe sit mean possibly flooding, but roads will freeze over which could make for some slippery driving. I am going to stay home!