I stay on top of the news from my native state. A second generation native Californian – my parents were both born in California, but they both came from immigrants to California; one set from Washington state and the other from Scotland – I like to know what’s been going on since I departed for Minnesota.

So, yes, I was prepared for the storm system coming in from the coast. But, I guess the jet stream moved because the 1 to 3 inches of snow I anticipated morphed into 3 to 6. That range fell on our perfectly clear and relatively flat driveway and its path up the stairs to the front door.

The bulk of the work to clear that snow falls on my husband and his trusty snowthrower. He walks a mile, I’m certain, because the driveway is really long and he has to make a lot of passes. When he’s done, he uncovers a patch of grass for our kids’ dog. No wonder Rosie loves him.

My job, much easier by far, is clearing the path, the stairs, and the porch by shovel and broom. You heard me. Broom. Once you get the snow cleared, you can sweep the residue of snow and ice and it’s less damaging to do so. Plus, there’s a safety factor. You never know when someone needs to use those stairs.

Once all the snow is cleared away, the sun, weak as it is today, can do its job and dry the pavement. No ice is a good thing.

Hello, California. A simple wave of the hand would have been nice, but I’m grateful for any recognition that some of us live too far away for a chat over the fence. Sending us your rain was nice but I’d rather you keep it. You’ll need it.

See you all later.