‘Digging out’with a few chuckles

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    Last week’s Storm of the Century wasn’t quite as bad as predicted, but darn close.
    The major difference between the Jan. 27-28 blizzard and the “normal” Nor’easter was the sustained winds that lasted from dusk until dawn. It started as six inches of fluff and ended up as three feet of snowdrifts.

    Working from home has its advantages and that fact was underscored last week. I wouldn’t have left the house during the storm unless it was on fire.
    I joked on Facebook that I always stock up on things I usually run out of during inclement weather: beer, cat food and stir fries.
    But during the entire windswept mess, there were some humorous moments.
    WABI-TV was apparently breaking in a new field reporter: Nakell Williams, a young lady who hails from North Carolina.
    So they sent her to downtown Waterville around 5 a.m. as the storm started to crank up in southern New England. When the camera zoomed in for live coverage, Nakell admitted that there was nothing going on — not even a dusting.
    About one hour later, the same thing happened. Nakell looked up in the sky and declared that the first flake still hadn’t arrived in Elm City.
    She returned for the 6 p.m. news, however, and reported that the storm had indeed arrived in full force. She also looked as if she needed a cup of steaming hot coffee.
    While working from the home office, the most difficult task is keeping the two male cats from napping next to my PC. Normally, it doesn’t bother me. But during bad weather, they’re like little kids forced to take indoor recess. So I usually wind up brushing a tail off my keyboard a few times so I can type accurately.
    Wednesday morning was an eye-opener at 4 a.m. when the cats started whining for breakfast and the oldest male, Basil, demanded to go out. He detests using the litter box and prefers the great outdoors, even in bad weather.
    Unfortunately, both the front and back doors were blocked with snowdrifts. I had shoveled the front steps and back deck cleanly at 6 p.m. You wouldn’t have thought I had touched them.
    But I did manage to push the front door open enough so that Basil could squeeze through. He took one look at the steps, gave me one of those “You’ve got to be kidding” looks and plowed his way onward. He ducked underneath the wife’s car for a few minutes and returned quickly. His spouse and stepson were smart enough to use the indoor facilities.
    I consider ourselves lucky that we didn’t lose power. Our home is at the end of a older power grid that runs from Harmony to “downtown” St. Albans. Tree limbs break constantly along the route and I learned to keep an ample supply of batteries and lamp oil on hand.
    As I write this, however, the forecast is also calling for two more storms within the next five days.
    So I’d better hit Hannaford’s again.
    And bundle up, Nakell. Welcome to Maine.
    Mike Lange is a staff writer with the Piscataquis Observer. His opinions are his own and don’t necessarily reflect those of this newspaper.