estimating inches of snow on the ground in oregon vs. utah is like estimating the surf in california vs.hawaii... there is a huge variation. i must say though - there is no differentiation between street and curb as i look down on our street in portland - and that's as much snow as i've ever seen this close to the river. there aren't a single set of tire tracks on our street.

and to my fellow oregonians - you have just met powder for the first time in the last 24 hours. people always talk about the pow-pow up on mount hood, and i have always giggled. this snow that the newscasters have "never seen!" that can blow around - light and fluffy - that, my friends, is powder. gorgeous.

there is no word that work is officially "cancelled" due to inclement weather - but you couldn't pay me enough to travel an hour north to the hill that is home to our campus - also known as "windy ridge" to find out that i couldn't get up the driveway, or couldn't get home. and alas - i am days away from a vpn enabled wireless laptop that would've allowed me to do some work from home, but as it stands right now... i am going to snuggle with the cats and watch a movie or three.

i keep waiting for signs of life in the house across the way - they own a coffee shop a few blocks away - and i am willing to strap on the sorrels and the fleece to get a cup of chai. i'm not sure that i will hold my breath for that, but it would be nice.

and lastly - the big guy's drinking has paid off! yesterday, after hours upon hours of calling furnace repair shops to find that friday was the soonest we might have normal heat again, and estimates landed in the several hundred dollar range...

he finally gave up and stopped by one of our local haunts - vic's tavern - to warm up and ease the pain. there he was commisserating with another of the locals who promptly said "my brother is a furnace repair guy - lemme call him." for a few beers and a $50 we were in heat an hour and a half later...