Big Dig

I know these pictures are from two years ago, but it was a busy weekend. We went from bare ground to between 32" and 40" practically overnight. Our apartment complex looked very much like these images.

In a 181-unit  complex, our two maintenance workers were overwhelmed. But from before sunrise, neighbor helped neighbor dig each other out.

Starting 5am Saturday morning, while winds howled and the storm continued to dump an obscene amount of snow, the big dig began. A young nurse and her husband shoveled a 30-foot path from their door, down a completely covered driveway to the street, where she was to meet a co-worker with four-wheel drive to get to the hospital.

Most residents were literally trapped inside the buildings; the three-foot snowfall prevented the door opening outward. A few lucky ones literally squeezed their way out and then went door-to-door -- wading through waist deep snow -- to dig out the rest.

Once most people were outside, they dug steps and sidewalks, linking four-foot deep trenches to each other. Then we approached the parking lot, and stood in awe. There were no side-panels, side-mirrors, wipers or even antennas visible; the snow mounds made it impossible to differentiate sedan from mini-van. So we all pitched in shoveling out each other, making bets as to whose vehicle lay underneath the next pile.

It wasn't just the "strong young bucks" that were out shoveling. From children, to pregnant women, to retirees in their 70's, many turned out to shovel, clearing snow from steps, walkways and vehicles. Those who could not, offered hot chocolate and soup to the workers. I believe it's times like this that illustrates why these folk are known as "hardy New Englanders."

By late afternoon, heavy-construction equipment rolled through to move some of the snow. The bucket-loader widened the narrow trench down the driveway, but we were left digging through literal walls of snow - seven feet wide by six foot high - with snow shovels. By Sunday night, long past sunset, people were still shoveling, identifying and freeing the vehicles for those required to report to work the next morning. For those whose vehicles which were hopelessly trapped behind mountainous snow mounds piled over 15 feet high, offers sprang up for rides to and from work until their vehicle was freed.

While there may be stories of sadness, inconvenience and frustration following any major storm, there are also beautiful opportunities to help each other too.

Does anyone else have similar stories to share?

~ ESA