Pellet heads!! What's up today?

Well....

Like many others I too was out and about in prep for tonite/tomorrow and whenever it decides to quit snowing, I must say people were acting absolutely nuts!!!

Narrowly avoided a head on in a 50 zone when a Subaru crossed the line into my lane, then on the way home I was stopped for a turning vehicle and a large white GMC SUV of some flavor almost rear ended me. They stopped JUST in time but the truck behind them went into the snowbank to avoid hitting them! All in the little town of Boscawen!

I made it back home shaken but unmolested and set about fashioning chain links to repair my 66' Gravely Model L. The chains are pretty worn and I keep tearing them up trying to push the heavy wet slush and icebergs. At about $120 for a new set of good chains why not fix them?

Took some 3/16 round, my torch, pliers, and made up 5 new links. I run my little Lincoln wire feeder off my generator so I don't pop the breaker and have unlimited smooth power. I forgot how nice and tightly the chains fit when they're all attached.

Full gas cans J.I.C., Pellets are in, stoves are putting along, and a 3lb bag of gummies for watching various hotrod/race car/history/etc... shows on Youtube later since I do not watch TV. All is set for a decent day of watching it snow tomorrow and I'm kinda craving tomorrow mornings hot coffee already ...mmmmm...

 

You do know caffeine enhances the effect of the gummies and 3pounds! Oh not those kind of gummies ......

sam

 

The latest from u/TheCloudBoy

One Final Look at The Incoming Snow & Wind

While there's still time left, here's the last forecast bid before snow starts overnight! I'm still really blown away by the lack of clarity in the swarm of lazily drawn snow forecast maps out today, compare mine and the difference will be stark. Here are some thoughts to consider:

1. You lovely people get not one, but three different pieces of data to help drive your decisions tonight/Saturday. By decisions, it's probably how early you should leave the bar.
   
   
2. The double-band structure remains on track to blast portions of the state, with the trend shifting to more liquid-equivalent falling (and ultimately more snow). The first band will set up from Antrim ENE through Rochester, with the second hugging the Whites. There will be a void in snow to the NNW of each band axis driven by subsidence from mesoscale banding and/or downsloping.
   
   
3. Two periods of strong winds are expected Saturday; the third graphic is the max wind gusts (across both periods) from the weather model I run at my company. The strongest gusts will occur on the W & NW facing slopes & across eastern NH.
   
   
4. Power outages are possible from strong winds unloading wet snow from trees across the Monadnock Region south of Antrim and the Seacoast south of Farmington. I'm particularly concerned about the southern Monadnock Region, where the number & density of conifers is notably higher.
   

Most Likely Snowfall


Arrival of Snow


Maximum Wind Gusts


sam

 

Nooo... not THOSE kind of gummies

 

I went up to Concord yesterday late morning and people were crazy. I don't drive slow and people were passing me on 89 & 93 like I was doing 20. Those weren't people trying to get up north to the slopes either. They were just as bad on 393, which is 55 mph (which no one does), some were going at least 80.

Saw some close calls where people were trying to meet their maker (which is fine if they are that eager to go), and take others along with them (which is NOT fine). I didn't think one guy was going to get whoaed down as he came up behind a "slower" moving vehicle in the left lane (who had nowhere to go since he was passing vehicles in the right lane). There were a couple of times that I, myself, decided to wait for a vehicle before passing the ones ahead of me as I saw vehicles going just way too fast coming up from behind.

5-6" of snow so far. First light I;ll be out there making the first pass with the blower.

 

Not really, just trying to be a good human/citizen, although sometimes I'm not very gracious about it.

Would have been great if they hadn't let him out of the care facility until they knew he had a support system (or maybe he told them he did, when he didn't). 2 PT visits per week (weather permitting) and same with meals on wheels. Otherwise it has mainly been up to me. Another neighbor was supposed to plow for him, but that neighbor isn't around most storms (and doesn't clean off porches or walkways or dumpster bins). PT people showed up at my door with a grocery list from him twice the first week, and he called me other days to get his meds. I had to put my foot down and tell him that I wasn't going to the store every other day. I set it a twice a week.

And that is how I became a caregiver for someone whom I'm not particularly fond of and barely know.

 

I already have about 6" of snow. At first light I'll be out there doing the first round of snow removal.

 

About 3-4 inches here as of 7:30. Very fine snow/little mix right now.
Got everything done yesterday. Food shopping, full monthly clean of P43, brought in pellets, vacuumed house, did laundry, cooked a couple meals for us and had Lori cut my hair (what's left anyway).

he'll remember you in his will. He has no family to help out?

sam

 

Took a peek outside 6AM and thought ...well, that escalated quickly...

 

Good 10ish inches here now but waiting it out to clean once. Maybe even waiting till tomorrow morning.

Also helps when I wait for my neighbor's plow guy to come as I dont have to do the tipple sized common area at the bottom of the 2 connected driveways. He will plow both sides and that saves me a ton of time since I end up blowing the whole bottom as well as not dealing with the heavy berm this storm will have from the road plows.

 

Yup, the traffic after work last night was crazy.

At one point, someone in a full size pickup was pulling on to rte 11 in Rochester where there is a turning lane in the middle yet they STOPPED square across the northbound lane of rte 11 without entering the turning lane at all to wait for an opening from the southbound lane.

Several miles later we were behind a tractor trailer hauling a crapload of scrap vehicles and going understandably slow. Plenty of room to pass this truck at the few passing areas yet the 2 cars in front of me wouldnt pass. No big deal but when the scrap hauler was turning off rte and would then be out of the way, THAT'S when someone decided to pass it on a double yellow line and on a corner.

WTF people?
Guess these are the ones that got their licenses in Cracker Jack boxes

 

Seems to be winding down out here. very light, big flakes. Probably go out in an hour and start snowblowing. Maybe 6-8" on the ground.

sam

 

Looking similar here. Neighbor's plow guy was there an hour ago so the heavy stuff at the bottom is gone.

Likely heading out within the hour as well.

 

Haven't gone out yet (waiting for Lori to wake up) but just now the sun is trying to pop out.

sam

 

That is going above and beyond. I hope there is some financial reward for your efforts as that amount of work is worth it. It is really hard for some of us to get around or to perform some of our most basic needs. Getting help into your home is very hard to do. Even with the assistance of an agency it can be a long time on a waiting list just to get someone who will quit just a few weeks after starting.

 

This snow was thick and heavy. Fortunately it was right when I was about done that a shear pin broke (have plenty of spares). Even with soaking down the auger, impeller and chute with cooking spray a few times, the snow would still clog up.
Also it gets heavier and thicker as it sits.Glad I didn't wait

sam

 

Same here. Heavy cement like but not overly wet. This was the first time this year (pretty much the last week and a half) that I have been home to get out and clean it at the right time.

Heavy chit but the machine did all the work

 

Anyone using LaCrete that were purchased recently?

I bought 30 bags in the last month and a half-they are very dark and oroduce a lot of ash. Good heat but not what I am use to from LaCrete.

I have 4 bags of Lacrete that are about 3 years old-let the stove run out of the current batch and opened one of the old ones. Nice light color and almost no ash.

What gives?