The recent cold weather sparked this post. It could be worse!

Blizzard, by John Rocco, is based on true events ... that actually happened to the author. One Monday in February of 1978 in started to snow. And snow. And snow. It would be one of the biggest snowstorms in New England history. At first it was fun, but when food runs low someone had to figure out how to get to the store that was a mile away from home. (There were drifts up to 15 feet high, and wind, remember). Who went, and how did he get through the snow?

About 100 years earlier, there was another huge storm. (I think it would have been interesting to see this one from a satellite image, there were several factors at work here). This storm stopped everything (or should have). There is an image of a horse hitched to a rowboat in an effort to delivery coal ... carts were of no use, the snow was too deep for a sleigh. Trains were stuck. Sadly people died because they tried to get in to work, only to discover the doors locked. (There were so many people looking for work that someone could be fired for missing work or even showing up late, so many figured they needed to go). Blizzard: the Storm That Changed America, by Jim Murphy is the history of that storm. Compelling! Prior to this cities did not try to clear their streets, there were no emergency plans to follow. That would change.

Reading Hermit With Dog