Friday 16 February - Springfield / Westfield, MA

Both New York and Massachusetts (Boston / Springfield / Westfield) have copped some real snowfalls this week, certainly the biggest we’ve seen so far. The entire areas of Springfield and Westfield are white. Words can’t best describe how the white world looks, so I’ll let the pictures below speak for themselves.

There are a few tools / processes that the residents here use to help them get through such weather. These include:

• Every morning, before the morning peak hour traffic has a Jimmy Britt (sh*t), Luke Power (shower), Dad N Dave (shave) and hits the frog n’ toad (guess that one), Homer Jay comes out in his big Mr Plow truck and clears the roads. The plow is angled in such a way that the snow flies off to the side of the road. Also, a truck will drive over the highways, putting salt on the roads, which melts the snow and prevents the buildup of frost on the road.
• If the snow has been big enough, locals will have to come out into the cold and manually dig their cars out, enabling them to (1) get in and (2) get the car out of the gutter. I doubt I’ll have to do this (given I don’t have a car), which I’m not disappointed about, although the novelty factor might mean becoming a ‘pilot’ one morning in the cold won’t be too bad for the first time. (It’s called being a ‘pilot’ coz you’re picking up stuff and you ‘pile it’ here and ‘pile it’ there!)
• A number of cars have automatic car starters. Like the remote door open / close buttons, there will be a button on the key chain which will turn over the ignition and start the car, allowing the driver to head out to the car, jump in and drive away with the car already warm asap. If only there was one for a lawnmower or a whipper-snipper – who knows who many expletives might not be said in Aussie backyards. There’s an idea for Steve Kerrigan (he’s an idea’s man, Steve)
• Most cars also seem to have built-in seat warmers, much like an electric blanket operates. Very handy when your backside is frozen, let me tell you! Although Libe tells me I’ve got a ‘hot arse’, so I guess I’ll never need one...