After the weekend storm, we had a cloudy start to Tuesday before the next storm was scheduled to hit. The predictions started out as 3 - 4 inches and gradually moved up to 10 - 20 inches with blizzard-like conditions. We started out the day playing in "Fort Olympics" -- the new fort constructed in the pile of snow from our driveway. This time, instead of just a window (see this photo in the December web page), we built a complete tunnel from the sidewalk up to the top.

Then Sarah and Robert started on the back yard. During a walk around the neighborhood, they spotted an igloo -- that became the next project. At about the same time, I headed to the local hardware store on the off chance that our little, local store would still have a snow shovel as ours was started to lose screws.

The hardware store was out of snow shovels but had plenty of sheet metal screws. I picked up a selection, added my name to the list for snow shovels in the shipment due to arrive about 12:30, picked up a cup of tea and waited in the line out front for shovels. After I finished my tea, they announced trouble with the delivery truck and that it would be at least another hour before it arrived. I trusted (mostly) my name on the list and headed back to replace the missing screws in our, by now, much abused snow shovel. After I came back, warmed up and replaced the missing screw, I added a few more layers to the igloo while Sarah and Robert cheered from the warmth of their cookie making.

Clearly, I am not an Eskimo. Unfortunately, the key knowledge that you need to make the dome first then cut the door in escaped us. I was getting too worried about the stability of the walls to try to top this off.

The hardware store, Executive Lock and Key, called about 6:15 that night to say our snow shovel was in. By that time the Tuesday snow was really coming down. But we made it over and picked up a shovel -- we tried calling our favorite burger joint to pick up dinner, but they didn't answer.

After a nice, hot, homemade meal; Elle called from New Jersey to say Harry was in the ER. We looked at weather predictions and train schedules and Robert and I took Sarah in to DC's Union Station Wednesday morning for the trip up to Highland Park. The trains worked fine, Sarah made it the hospital and Robert and I got home before the snow plows called it quits on account of blizzard. Harry has been moved to an ICU room now and is on lots of good antibiotics.

And check out how the blizzard helped the igloo: still missing a roof, but it looks much more finished in its new coat. I had to kick the kids out of the back yard (Robert and Megan were in the igloo) when they started talking about trying to knock it down -- I want to keep it around a bit longer.

And fun trivia to know and share: The winter of 2009/2010 is the snowiest on record for the DC area. This storm pushed us over the 1898/1899 record. And it's still early February...

The story continues with some return to normalcy.