We got 10 in. of new snow last night - plus some sleet and freezing rain AND of course the thunder and lightning. I was awakened at around 3 a.m. by the wind rattling the window. I like fresh air at night, so unless it's really cold, I have one window cracked just a bit. Last night was about 32 degrees, and after the rain and sleet had stopped, I thought it was safe to leave the window open just a little. When it began to rattle in the wind and I went to close it, I was showered with bursts of snow blowing in at me, just misty stuff sifting through the crack, but outside it was snowing pretty hard. I didn't check the temperature then, but so far today the mercury has stayed in the 30 degree zone.

Fred has been out snow blowing most of the morning, and is now back out widening Jamie and Marie's driveway. Jamie plows with "the peach," but their driveway is narrow and it's hard to keep it wide enough, so after he gets it broken out, Fred finishes it up with the snow blower.

Our neighbor, Henretta, tried yesterday to find someone to shovel off her garage roof, and while she did find someone, he couldn't come until Monday. So last night when we began getting rain and sleet, she was concerned and wisely moved her car out of the garage, just in case. Turns out everything was ok, but she'll be really glad to have the snow off that roof. And hopefully we won't get a lot of snow between now and tomorrow.

I took CoCoRaHS measurements as usual today, but because I have a busy day tomorrow, I also measured the total amount of snow on the ground, which I normally try to do on Mondays. I measured 29 inches total, with a water content of 5.32 in. Everything is lovely and freshly white, but there's no "bottom" to the snow right now - except for a thin crust from last night's rain, so if you try to wade through the snow you have to deal with the whole 29 inches, more or less, and it isn't easy. Even long-legged Otto, Jamie and Marie's dog, doesn't manage well in it. He tries, but mostly flounders, and being short haired, probably gets a really cold belly.

I was doing some work on the Cabot Historical Society website last night and out of curiosity, I looked at the U. S. Census record for 1790, four years after the Town of Cabot was lotted. It was interesting to see the names - there were 21 "heads of family" listed and a total of 122 people counted. I posted that census record and you can read the names there, www.cabothistory.com. It's under "Facts and Fables," a new page still in progress.

Kay Powell's obituary was in the Saturday edition of the Caledonian Record: Kathleen Walden Powell. There was a lot in there I either never knew or had forgotten about that lovely lady, but I found it very interesting and it brought back nice memories of when Kay and Don first came to Joe's Pond and our families became friends. I never knew her as "Bubbles," only as "Kay," but the nickname certainly fits her effervescent personality. She will be missed by her many friends, not only at Joe's Pond, but in St. Johnsbury where she had taken such an active part in the community. Our sincerest condolences to her family.

If you wish to send messages to her daughters, here are the addresses:

James and Patti Nichols, 110 Mountain Rd., Westford VT 05494
Lee and Ginger Erdmann, 7B Linden Pl., Hartford CT 06106
(Sorry, I don't have an address for Beth and her husband, Bill Johnston in Toronto.)