So many of us are dealing with all this snow, and according to the forecast, if you aren't now dealing with ugly winter, you just might be soon. The folks on weather channel are tossing around phrases like historic storm, massive and disabling, 2 feet, and crippling ice. Yesterday, I got called out to CC's barn to help with snow removal because all that snow on the barn roof was starting to slide off. Not only were the horses all panicking, but they were in their paddocks, blocked from their stalls and water tanks. That's not supposed to be my responsibility - I am paying full board, after all - but with the barn owner coping with bronchitis on top of record snowfall, and her husband job requiring him to be clearing snow commercially, they needed help. And I was more concerned for CC's welfare than whether or not clearing snow for her was my responsibility. So off I went with my snow shovel. I should have brought my spade and ice chipper. The snow must have fallen on Saturday, and CC and people had tramped over parts of it. Yuck. So those of us shoveling just started and kept at it. I hauled a bucket of water out to the end of the paddock for the mare and she clearly was thirsty, kept returning to the bucket for yet another drink. Midway through ousnow removal efforts, I heard a sound, looked up and realized another person was about to get buried under another drop from the roof. I yelled to her to jump back and she did just in time. She did get hit with a bit of snow on the back of her neck but escaped injury. We both just stood there for a bit, letting the adrenaline settle down. Then back to it we went, keeping careful watch on the roof. Once I fnally got the way cleared for CC to get to her water tank and her stall, I fetched some hay for her and put it in her stall, slipped a halter on her and started to lead her to her stall. Well. Going through that opening where the snow keeps roaring by was not in her plans. She drew her head back as far as she could without rearing, me still attached to her halter. Then her head dropped and I got cracked on the top of my head with her jawbone. At that instant, I'd have paid you to take her away. Somehow, I managed not to beat her up but she did get quite an earful. When I could function again, I led her into the stall so she could see it was ok. She was still fairly freaky about everything and only ate a few mouthfulls before heading back out to the paddock. I packed up my shovel and as I headed from my car to the barn for one final check on the mare, I heard that sound again. Whomp! The rest of the snow on the roof above CC's stall opening into the paddock dropped right where I had just finished clearing. Deep breath, fetch the shovel and start again. I finally got everything done and made it home. There, I found my kids on the roof. Bless their great big hearts, they were shoveling it off. My daughter got here first, and to get to the extension ladder to get to the roof, she had to dig a snow tunnel, crawl under the deck, use a crowbar to loosen the ladder, then haul that long heavy thing up to the deck. She and her older brother spent a few hours up there flinging snow and ice off my roof. Of course, at the front of the house, that all fell onto my front porch and walk from the porch to the driveway. By the time they finished, it was getting dark, and she was nearing frostbite on her toes. I had no heat because yes, the furnace is having issues, so I got her into dry clothes, then took the two out for hot soup and coffee, followed by pizza and beer. Now this morning, I'm slowly working my way through all that packed snow and ice on the walkway so when the furnace guy gets here, he can actually get in the house. I've got about 5 feet left to work on, then I have to decide if I'm going to salt or not. If I do, then I have to shovel it off onto lawn or garden area, and damage the greenery. I'm thinking no for the salt. Once I get that done, it's time to clear roofs over the rabbits. And then I can wait out the next storm and start shoveling all over again. I hope the ice cream shop opens soon cause I've earned a big hot fudge sundae.