Finally! A Thaw!

After two weeks of absolutely bone-crushing cold, we’re finally getting a little thaw here in Central New York. And it’s a good thing too because half my driveway and my car are still covered with snow and I lack the physical capability of clearing it off.

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a friend who emigrated from England last year about what to expect with New York winters. I told him while we do get frigid temperatures here in New York, they only last a few days.

The “few days” turned out to be a few weeks, so now my English friend must think I’m the biggest liar in the world.

For some reason, this year the cold weather is especially hard on my Lupus. Winters are always rough, but not like this. The Raynaud syndrome common for us Lupus sufferers ordinarily doesn’t kick in for me unless it’s way below zero. But this year, even when it’s 20 degrees, it hits me like a ton of bricks. My feet and hands go numb, my nails turn blue, then when I thaw out, my skin goes sunburn red and the pain is unbelievable. I’ve spent the last few weeks walking on my heels.

I’ve limited my exposure to the outdoors so much, I haven’t even tried to shovel my entire driveway, which is not at all like me. Typically, I’m the most anal snow-shoveler on the planet, clearing every scrap of snow down to the pavement.

I haven’t been to the grocery store in 23 days.

So you can imagine how happy I am that we’re getting this thaw.

When the thaw began yesterday, I finally ventured outside to tackle the two-foot wall of ice and frozen snow a plow truck deposited at the end of my driveway over a week ago. That mother was so solid and impregnable, I half expected to see little men in black robes patrolling the top while keeping an eye out for wildlings on the other side.

I had my dad drop off his pick-ax and ice-scraper tool on Sunday in anticipation of the impending thaw. And yesterday, out I went with my assorted tools in hand ready to dismantle the ice wall.

By the time I was halfway through, my feet were frozen, my toes were completely numb, my back was screaming, and I could barely walk. But I just kept going.

At one point a passerby on his cell phone saw me limping like a cripple and offered to shovel clear the portion of the wall I just chopped through. I nearly cried with joy.

In the end, it took me over an hour to clear the 9-foot wide driveway apron. Then I used my snow shovel as a crutch and hobbled back inside with my tools.

Yesterday we made it into the high 30s for the first time in weeks. Currently, it’s 40 degrees and they’re predicting we’ll make it up to 45 before the day is out.

Now, you’d think after 23 days without a grocery store run I’d be making tracks to my local Tops Market. But alas, I’m not. The Great Wall Dismantling Project has left me nearly crippled today. So instead of taking advantage of this glorious thaw to replenish my empty fridge, I’m going to be flat on my back with my legs elevated.

Ah, well.

—

Hit the Tip Jar!

Every dollar makes a difference!  Hit the DONATE button in the sidebar.  Or, set up a recurring monthly contribution by choosing SUBSCRIBE.

Books by Dianny

Check out Dianny’s collection of ebooks available at all of these fine stores: Amazon Kindle Store, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook Store, and smashwords.com.