OK, that? Was no fun at all

[rolanni]

Given that we here at the Confusion Factory are now laboring under a Blizzard Warning, we had one more go at trying to move the snow off the roof of the deck.  This method involved affixing a plastic jug half-filled with water to 100 feet of rope, whaling the jug over the snow peak on the roof (it was gratifying to find that, after a couple a false starts, that I still have my throwing arm), and then dragging it back through, thereby breaking up the snow and allowing it to Fall. Off. The. Damn. Roof.

This actually worked.  To a point.  Not, alas, to a useful point, and there were those long minutes during which it looked like we were not going to be able to retrieve our instruments.  We finally achieved that, and it must be said that some snow did come off the roof during the recovery process.  A great deal of it fell down inside my Number Two Jacket (the one without the hood) and into my only pair of Real Winter Gloves.  My blue sweater was roundly soaked, as well.  On the other hand, the new boots kept my feet dry, and my purple striped Smartwool ski socks kept them warm.

During this frenzy of activity, we flushed a turkey out from beneath the deck.  A rather skinny turkey, I'm sorry to say.

We did have a nice, sunny day to work in, though there was a sharp breeze that brought the balmy 9F/-13C down to -10F/-23C.

Well.  It is winter, after all.

The blizzard, by the way -- we're under a Blizzard Warning, which is what started all this -- is supposed to start tomorrow-Saturday, noon-ish and blow itself out by Monday morning, around 7 a.m., after having dumped 18-24 inches of snow on top of the 40 or so inches already covering the landscape.

At this point, we're just going to have to hope that Todd built the deck roof out of titanium.

Trooper and Sprite showed moral support for our efforts against the weather by staying inside and making sure that the blue chair didn't make a break for it while our attention was elsewhere.

This chair ain't going NOwhere

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Aren't there local kids who hire out to do roof snow removal? I know there were in MN as well as those you could hire to do your sidewalks. It's a messy job for sure. Nobody likes to have a ton of snow come off a roof at speed and bury them after it smashes them flat ;/

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I have a roof rake. Want I should drive over there tomorrow?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I have a roof rake, too. The major problem is geometry. I only have one surface of attack available, and I've gotten as much off of that surface as I can reach. I can't get 'round to the front of the roof, because that's where Mount Snowplow is (and me without snowshoes), and I can't attack it from the other side because the cellar door is snowed shut.

The next problem is, admittedly, inexperience, and, yeah, lack of strength.

I hate to drag you all the way over here, but -- yes, if you have time; I'd appreciate it. The roof is over our one clear door to the outside.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I have snowshoes . . .

Sent email comment -- need directions and schedule.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Okay, have the Mapquest directions. I should be able to leave here a bit after 9.

Bless You, James Hetley

[aska-kettlingur.livejournal.com]

Bless you, James, for being close enough and willing to provide the help that the rest of us many miles away can't get there to do.

Re: Bless You, James Hetley

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

You'll have to retract those blessings. Car trouble this morning, in subzero F weather. Didn't dare drive over to help.

Re: Bless You, James Hetley

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I got some more mass off the roof this morning by playing South Sea Harpoon Thrower. I'll note that I waited until the temps had reached a more clement 14 above before going outside to play.

Sprite was watching the whole process from the side window, and now she wants to go outside and play with the string...

Re: Bless You, James Hetley

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I've used that technique on our workshop roof, where resided a Considerable Drift.

Re: Bless You, James Hetley

[aska-kettlingur.livejournal.com]

Then you need an extra blessing on the car. Hope it gets better soon.

[thewol.livejournal.com]

Obviously, I don't know the lay of the land, but is the roof of the deck constructed in such a way that banging on the underbeneath of it in strategic places with, say, the blunt end of a 2x4 might might trigger an avalanche? Just a thought, based on the assumption that the roof has a steep enough pitch that this might work. They trigger avalanches in Switzerland with cannons, but I am assuming same is not a household item chez vous.

[lagilman]

My sister posted a video of my brother-in-law lobbing salt-filled stockings into the gutter, in an attempt to break up the ice jam before it finds yet another place to leak through the roof.

Ah, winter. You can go to Australia now, this hemisphere's done with you.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

I sort of wondered if water wouldn't solve the problem, but it would likely box you in with icicles or something.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Considering that it was NINE, with a stiff breeze, the only thing we would have been doing is icing the snow, and making it heavier.

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

Very considerate of Trooper and Sprite to watch the chair for you --- comfy blue chairs are known for their sneakiness!

weather report

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

Just saw a weather report that there is another blizzard coming. Very ingenious method for clearing the roof. Coon cats to be commended for holding down that blue chair. At least somewhere is out of the snow. I do see another comment asking if there aren't some kids who would like to clear your roof. Might be an idea.

CraigIist?

[libertariansold.livejournal.com]

I second the comments on ingenuity and cat helpfulness.
I spent a winter in WI when we had a record snowfall for our area--108 inches over the winter. I was concerned about the roof and gutters (full of ice from melted and refrozen snow), and actually found a local company on CL that specialised in clearing roofs and gutters in winter. Have you checked to see if anyone is advertising such a service near you? I would think ME would have a similar demand.

Re: CraigIist?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

If you look at Craigslist, you'll see most of the help on offer is in or near Portland, Windham, Sanford, York/Cumberland counties, Biddeford -- with a couple offering help in Bangor and Jackman/The Forks.

Most of those places are a hundred miles and more southeast of us. Bangor's an hour up the road, and Jackman's on one of our several borders with our Great Neighbor to the North.

We live out in the country, so roving bands of youth bearing snowshovels (a staple, also, of my childhood, in Baltimore) are not readily available. And the neighbor's kid just this summer got taller than the chickens.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Excellent house spirits holding down the fort! Sending scritches.