SNOW STORIES

The snow has finally stopped. Hasn't it? It is safe to go outside again, is it not? For days we were snowbound, venturing outside only to shovel our sidewalks so the daily blog Georgetown Metropolitan wouldn't list us in their "Shame On You" columns. While we were safely inside, we did write to a few friends to send us a snow story. Here are our favorites:

WINTER PARTY

By Frida Burling

As I watch our snow falling incessantly, I remember my last winter party here. It was during the Kennedy administration.

Invitations were mailed about a month ago, for our 6 - 8 reception in Georgetown.

The house was prepared, flowers and all. Caterers had come early so that a bar was set up and delicious cocktail food was ready.

My throat hurt pretty badly, and fearing a strep infection, I took to my bed, calling my husband, Eddie Burling, that he would need to host alone that evening.

But snow kept falling and didnt let up. When our driver went to pick up Eddie at his office, traffic was dreadful. Indeed, it was so bad that he didnt get Eddie back home till after seven o'clock.By then, one guest arrived despite the snow, had one drink by herself, and left - 'with no host or hostess available!

After Eddie finally arrived, the caterers packed up and left, and we never did find out who it was who came for that lonely drink.

It taught me a lesson I have always remembered - never try to have a winter party!!! ..and I never have after that one occasion!!!


THE SNOWCOPALYPSE

By Beth Solomon

Georgetown was hopping during the Snowcopalypse. Martin's was packed, as was Clyde's. Pedestrians took over the streets, sharing with skiiers and the occasional 4-wheel drive Hummer. Georgetown notables didn't slow down for a moment, packing the bars and cafes. Lobbyist Tom Quinn led a party at Martin's, inviting everyone to his house for evening libations. Chip Dent, Ashley Patterson and Lynly Boor were a worthy band of co-conspirators. Anthony Lanier was holding court at Leopold's, with renowned Harvard Professor Laurence Tribe, who has quietly moved to Georgetown where he is working on an undisclosed project. The media crowd claimed a few tables at Martin's -- including Hollywood on the Potomac's Janet Donovan, Politico's Kiki Ryan, and Fishbowl's Matt Dornick -- joining Transwestern's Jackie Raff.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS

By Allison Silberberg

it is really beautiful here. i have not lost power, but a friend in silver spring lost power on saturday! she and her hubby and two children went to a hotel...two trees also fell and hit their home! a lot of damage i suspect.

a lot of trees have lost many branches or have fallen in our complex, and a few cars were hit...plus, many of the buildings' gutters around here are damaged for sure...on my little building, we have a three or four-foot ice/snow thing hanging from the rooftop over the gutter! it's bizarre...it looks like a big hand hanging over the gutter with large icicles hanging down...every once in awhile, you here a big crash of snow and ice as it falls from the rooftops! it sounds huge! and you better not be under it when it comes down!

when i ventured out yesterday afternoon during the tale end of the blizzard, a neighbor had already cleared my stoop and sidewalk! that was so nice. so i went over to my car yesterday afternoon for around three hours during the blizzard...and i mean howling winds and icy snow coming down and a whiteout...crazy weather...today, things are really sunny but as expected, any snow on the ground around the cars has frozen over by today...so knowing that would happen, i went out in the storm around 3:30 pm and stayed out there until it was done...when my fingertips got too cold, i just sat in my car for a bit and warmed up...we were told to clear out the car's tailpipe before starting the engine...otherwise, we would be killing ourselves by accident!

the snow is everywhere...it's hard to know where to put it all...the mounds are so high now! it hard to throw a shovel full of snow and ice that high on the mound.

anyway, i was working so hard clearing my car and then digging it out, i was sweating! i was so tired last night and this morning...it is really a weird kind of labor...no need to go to a gym this week!...a lot of shovels have broken...last year, we had a total of 6 inches of snow...this year, we are around 55 inches and counting...we are getting another "little" blast on sunday/monday!

a big business is offering to clear somebody's car and dig it out...$60 is the pricetag around here...a friend in dc paid $100 per car! kids and adults come around and offer to "help"...but they have a price.

i am not about to pay someone to clear my car...anyway, i am a little proud to say that i have somehow gotten pretty good at it...so i cleared my car myself and cleared an older neighbor's little walkway and then cleared the snow and ice off of another neighbor's car ...all yesterday afternoon...that's what we do around here...we help each other out...it's a lot of fun and kumbaya...that neighbor is very sweet...she is around 60 and had a hip replacement about six months ago...so i just handled it...she didn't ask...and she probably doesn't know that i did it...it's a great feeling to know i could be of some help...after that, two neighbors helped me shovel out that neighbor's sidewalk so she doesn't slip and fall...it's getting icy each night...it's even icy by day.

i have some food...not a lot left but i just skipped lunch frankly and i can easily make it stretch by watching how much i eat...i am down to maybe a day's worth of milk and a couple of decent dinners, but nothing extensive...i could walk to the store about a mile away...or i could drive to the store but i would like to wait one more day...let the road really get easier and let the stores restock...they were emptied!...i heard some gas stations ran out of gas, too!

a big thing frankly is all about losing your parking spot once you dig yourself out...some people put a plastic chair with a note...i don't do that...there is an honor code about it, but people have to park...

at christmas, i dug out my car and went to a party in old town alexandria (right up the road) but had to turn back after about 30 minutes of frightening driving, and when i came back, my spot was still there! one of my neighbors came out and said that a car came right after i had left and she shooed him away, saying that "Allison Silberberg spent two hours clearing her car and had just left and would be back soon!" hilarious!

i walked around today beyond my street, and once i got off of my little street, the road is just wet...the mounds of snow are massive off to the side though...everyone is throwing the snow from the road and sidewalks onto the little yards...so the mound of snow on my yard, for example, is truly massive...it must be at least six feet tall and it extends everywhere except for the break in the sidewalk and walkways...that is typical everywhere around here...

to me, the whole thing is a great, big adventure! and everyone is so thrilled that we can say that we survived the winter of 2010!

the next big thing will be the flooding that will come when all this stuff melts and fills the Potomac and flows downstream! what a disaster that will be. but right now, we are still digging out.