I promised to embrace winter at the beginning of this year but it is only mid-February and I am willing to let go! This particular winter has had a Chinese water torture quality; we’ve had more snow in the past but this year it seems like it is always snowing–just enough to make a mess and disrupt everything. Winter can be tough in the city, and even though Salem is a small city it is still most definitely a city. The momentarily-pristine snow soon turns brown (and other colors) quite quickly and you are dependent on your neighbors and fellow residents to shovel their sidewalks–and often they let you down. Right now we have compacted ice under the latest coat of snow on the sidewalks. Parking has been a nightmare. Whenever the city declares a snow emergency (every other day it seems) all cars must be removed from the streets:Â we’re lucky to have parking but I feel terribly for my tenant–whose car has been consigned to a public parking lot on Gallow’s Hill on more than one occasion (there are only two public garages). On another note, I must admit to smiling just a bit when the annoying Accura that has been continually parked in front of our house was towed away during our last snow emergency……see how mean Winter has made me!
Chilly scenes of winter…the view from my bedroom window during last Saturday’s storm, and from my office window Tuesday afternoon:
Walking around town, very carefully:
February 18th, 2014 at 7:38 pm
Cambridge is much the same; it’s as if we’ve got a winter’s worth of snow in less than a month. During our snow emergencies, parking is banned only on the major streets, but thanks to the snow piles eating up about a third of the parking spaces, there aren’t many free spaces on the side streets. Fortunately, we live without a car.
February 18th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
I envy you, Brian–the car is more of a hindrance than a help in the winter if you have enough conveniences within walking distance, and Cambridge certainly does. We could/should certainly live with just one, but somehow we have two!
February 18th, 2014 at 7:53 pm
D!! That was my silver Acura!!!!
-Frazer
February 18th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
Oh, sorry Frazer–John tried to stop the tow guy!
February 19th, 2014 at 1:03 am
Haha much appreciated, my foolish self for not leaving my keys in Salem when I went to Sf. I get back tmrw so thank god the towing nightmare will be over.
February 18th, 2014 at 8:45 pm
Perfectly put, Donna. It’s exactly how I feel, and most likely everyone else. I’m ready to put my clumsy galoshes in the rubbish.
February 19th, 2014 at 9:18 am
I knew I had embarked upon the slippery slope of leaving the joys of childhood behind and becoming a boring adult the first morning I opened the curtains and, upon seeing a fresh few inches of snow, immediately muttered, “Oh, rubbish.” 🙂
February 19th, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Were you once a photojournalist, Donna? You have a great eye. I like the dusky yellow light on the snowbank and the shiny icy street in the last one. Or is it dog urine?