Snowmageddon. Again. Or maybe not.

This past weekend we had a snowstorm. It dropped about 8 inches of the white stuff on our lovely city. The local weather guys were going CRAZY about the storm a full week before it hit. There were social media posts all week long about how much snow, when it would start, blah blah blah.

And then on Saturday morning as the snow was falling our local ABC station actually had a full morning of programming (preempting Good Morning America) because, you know, a snowstorm of this magnitude is SO FREAKING RARE in northwest Ohio that it requires HOURS of "oh my God it's snowing and the roads are slippery and be careful out there folks!" programming.

It's pretty simple really: if it's snowing a lot and the roads look bad, just stay home. When the county issues a Level 2 snow emergency, don't drive anywhere. No need to freak out.

But that's what our local weather guys do best - freak out.

Today (which is MONDAY for those of you playing along at home) a local weather guy (again from the ABC affiliate) posts on Facebook that there is another "storm to watch" for this weekend and we MIGHT get snow from it, or it MIGHT track a different way giving us a "heavy cold rain" or an ice storm. He made it very clear that they have NO IDEA what is going on with this storm but he wanted to give us the information he had because we MIGHT get hit with something.

Yes, and a huge asteroid MIGHT hit the planet tomorrow and Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis won't be able to save us in time. 

There's still  no need to put a "maybe" kind of forecast on Facebook. It doesn't do anything but give people a not-so-valid reason to post weather rumors on their Facebook page about a 20 inch snowfall forecast. Seriously people, when was the last time Toledo got 20 inches of snow in one storm? Geesh.

Of course, then you have a colleague of the Monday morning forecaster posting on his the station's Facebook page that we should all "ignore weather forecast rumors, please" because once they "get a handle on the snow makers" they'll let us know what is going on.

Gee thanks, we feel so much better already knowing that this weather brain trust is "on it."

Here's the thing people of northwest Ohio - it's winter and we LIVE IN OHIO which means we are going to get snow. I dislike snow just as much as the next person who wishes they lived in Florida. But really, let's not panic just yet. How about if we just get through this week and avoid the weather rumors, OK?

(However, if by Thursday they're saying we're in for a major ice storm I might just panic a bit because I really, really, really don't like ice storms.)

Will winter never end?

Dear Mother Nature,

I am so done with winter.
So very done.

The end of last week was wonderful - all the snow melted, the sun was shining and it was almost spring-like.

And then the snow started yesterday.
Then it turned to rain.
And then freezing rain.

For the record - the weathermen did NOT predict this ice storm.
They said it was going to RAIN.
Not rain and then freeze every single thing in sight.
(They also didn't predict this snowstorm we're having tonight...until some time last night).

Last night I got 3 hours of sleep.
Why?

Because I fear trees.
Yeah, I said it.
I fear trees....especially when they are covered in 1/3 inch of ice and the wind is howling.
THAT makes trees fall down. And crack. And land on my roof

So...last night I sat up all night listening to tree limbs fall on my house, waiting for the worst.
Now, I'm not normally a "nervous Nelly" but....right now I'm a wreck.

This morning we lost power at 9:30 a.m.
As I write this, it is 7 p.m. and we still have no power.
I am at my parent's house with the kids and Kevin is home alone - in our cold, dark house with the dogs.
And...it is STILL snowing.

In a word - this sucks.

Mother Nature you are a nasty witch.

Spring had better get here soon.
I can't handle much more winter.

I don't like snow. At all.

Yesterday winter arrived - with a lot of baggage.
Rain to snow, ice, wind, and freezing temperatures.

Let it be known - I dislike snow.
In fact, I think I might actually hate snow.

Sure it's pretty when it sparkles in the sun.
But then it gets all dirty and gross.
And it's slippery.
Very, very slippery.

It rained yesterday morning.
Then it got cold.
And then it started to snow.
So, under the snow was a lovely layer of ICE.
And the snow came down, down, down.
And down some more.

I'm guessing there's probably close to six inches of the white crap out there.

And if I didn't have to actually DRIVE anywhere in this weather, maybe I'd like it.
Then again, maybe not.

My office was actually "delayed" today - we didn't have to be in until 9:30 a.m.
I was still late.
It took me 45 minutes to drive from my house to downtown Toledo.
Forty-five minutes.
It normally takes me 25 minutes, tops.

I slid into a parking lot at one point, a mere mile from my house.
My "anti-lock" brakes did some crazy grabbing/locking/completely freak me out thing when I tried to stop on the snow/ice.
I drove like my mother-in-law the entire way to work - no faster than 30 mph, regardless of the actual speed limit.

And then the sun came out.
"Great," I thought. "The sun will help the salt and the roads might be OK on the way home."

Ha.

The roads were horrid at 5:30 tonight.
First and foremost, it is apparent that the city snowplows totally skip the roads near downtown. They were still snow covered. And icy.
And SCARY.
It took me 20 minutes to drive less than a mile.
I slid several times.

And, there was an indicator light that kept appearing on my dash - a car skidding out of control is how I describe it.

(Dear Chrysler - that is NOT a cool indicator light...it makes my pulse race. You might want to rethink it next time you design a minivan.)

As I turned a corner, nearing my neighborhood my brakes did their 'thing' again and I slid around the corner. I'm quite certain I stopped breathing for a few seconds.

By the time I got home - 45 minutes after leaving the office - my hands were shaking, my head was pounding and I was nearly in tears.

And so, it's official.
I am over winter.
I want to live somewhere without snow and ice and subzero temperatures.