(Snowed in) You know it's not going so great when...

I was born in Boston and I've lived here, in the suburbs, my entire life.  Well, except when I stayed with friends in college.  I've been commuting into the city for more than 20 years now.  My summer job during my junior and senior years of high school was with an office at Northeastern University.  I then went on to attend and graduate from Northeastern and every job I've had since then (four, in total) has been located in the financial district of Boston.  For the most part, my main mode of transportation has been the commuter rail.  While not perfect, especially not in the winter, it has been mostly reliable.  Except for now.

We've just experienced record breaking snowfall totals and even though we are only part way through February, this winter already ranks in the top 10 in terms of snow accumulation.  The commuter trains have been somewhat of a mess these past two weeks.  The train that I normally take in the morning has been canceled more often than not which leaves me cramming onto the next train.  There was actual pushing, the kind of pushing one would expect whilst standing near the front of a general admission show, one morning.  The subway, which I avoid at all costs, has been a disaster.  After the snow last week, they suggested that commuters find an alternate mode of transportation into the city.  Ah, that would be driving.  Traffic that night was a nightmare with all the extra cars and roads still blocked from the snow.

If yesterday's storm had happened 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago, I would have taken the train to Boston and schlepped through the snow to work.  I've done it many, many times.  I decided to stay home yesterday, Monday, because the trains, right off the bat, were a mess.  The MBTA had already announced that they would be running a modified schedule, which I interpreted to mean we'll run trains whenever we want to.  It all sounded a bit scary to me.  Then there was an incident on the Red Line and they shut that sucker down right away.

In the afternoon, they canceled all service after 7:00.



Yeah, I was glad that I had stayed home at that point.  A few hours later, I received some texts and emails stating that there would be no service on Tuesday.  Say what?



So if we want or need to go to work, we would have to drive in and the governor has asked that folks stay off the city roads so they can clear the snow.  Makes a ton of sense.

It's all been a bit frustrating (there's also a whole bunch of political BS going on with it) and I am not looking forward to tomorrow.  The commuter trains will be running on a "winter" schedule, which means fewer trains.  Great.  I'm glad I pay almost $300 a month for this.

So let's look at some pretty pictures.  This first batch is from Monday.





We do have a walkway cleared so we can get out the door and onto the deck but as you can see, the chairs are completely covered.  See that strip of bright green in the lower right corner?  That's a sled sitting on top of a chair.











This batch is from today.  That fence is an actual fence that comes up to my chest.  Or maybe it's my shoulders.  I can't really go out right now to check.



For perspective, Allie's holding a yardstick.  (One yard = 3 feet)  That's the snowbank at the end of the driveway.  Eyes are shut because it's too bright out here.









Another fence almost covered.



When you don't have a mudroom . . .