Even though it is 30° outside, I was able to do some snow shoveling. Much of the snow on the walkways was already melted, there was plenty to shovel off. This was according to plan.
The sun has been peeking on and off through the clouds, which helped to melt some of the show. The road is thawed. But there may be some black ice on it.
While I was out shoveling, I took a few photos:
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| Above, yours truly with the snow shovel last November. |
This is the season for snow shoveling. As such, people with a history of heart problems should get someone else to do it, according to an article in HealthDay.
This also includes people who have had an angioplasty and bypass surgery.
I had an angioplasty back in July 2018 to have two stents installed. I shoveled snow several times this past month, most recently as yesterday. I try to confine my snow shoveling to just the walkways.
The article starts with:
MONDAY, Jan. 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Snowstorms are blanketing the United States, prompting countless Americans to pick up snow shovels and clear walkways and driveways.
Shoveling snow is more than a chore, however -- it can be a health hazard.
The exertion of shoveling snow increases a person’s risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest, warns the American Heart Association.
Snow shoveling has a prominent place among physical activities that place extra stress on the heart, especially for folks who aren’t used to regular exercise, the AHA says.
"Shoveling a little snow off your sidewalk may not seem like hard work. However, the strain of heavy snow shoveling may be as or even more demanding on the heart than taking a treadmill stress test, according to research we’ve conducted,” said Barry Franklin, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Corewell Health East William Beaumont University Hospital, in Royal Oak, Mich.
Shoveling snow is mostly arm work, which is more taxing and demanding on the heart than leg work, Franklin explained.
On people with a history of bypass surgery or angioplasty, the article states:
Snow removal is especially concerning for people who already have heart risks, such as couch potatoes, the obese, smokers, diabetics and survivors of previous heart attacks or strokes, Franklin said.
“People with these characteristics and those who have had bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty simply should not be shoveling snow in any conditions,” Franklin said.
“We often see events in people who are usually sedentary, they work at a computer all day or get little or no exercise,” he added. “Then once or twice a year they go out and try to shovel the driveway after a heavy snowfall and that unexpected exertion can unfortunately lead to tragedy.”
Franklin recommends that people with risk factors for heart disease get someone else to handle snow removal for them.
To read the full article, go here.
For the first time since last week, I was able to head into Gallup today to do some grocery shopping.
Getting the Mustang out of the garage was not difficult, even though there's about eight inches of snow on the ramp to the garage.
After I was done and back home, I tried to drive the Mustang into the garage, but it just couldn't get enough traction and the wheel spun and the rear end fishtailed. So I parked it in the driveway that was plowed a few days ago by my next-door neighbor.
This is quite a difference from the Jeep, which has 4WD. I need to shovel the ramp.
After unloading the groceries and sat down with a cup of coffee. I decided to shovel the snow on the ramp the best I could.
After doing so, I managed to get the Mustang into the garage. It got some more traction and was able to eventually go up the ramp and inside.
It is about 40° outside, so the snow and ice are starting to melt. This coming week will be a dry one.
Before and after:
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| Above, before shoveling. |
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| Above, after shoveling and getting the car into the garage. |
Yesterday's storm left maybe two inches of snow, not much. But it was enough, along with the cold temperatures (it is 20° outside now) to ice up.
I took a couple of pictures while I was out in the front yard:
A little while ago, I shoveled the walkways. I had to put on two layers of gloves as it was very cold out, 19°.
I think this was the most snow we've received since I moved to New Mexico six years ago. The snow on the ground was about a foot deep. I don't see how I can move my trash container to the road.
The snowpack on the roof is something I've never seen here before.
I hope it gets a little warmer as I have to go to the Flying J. This definitely calls for the Jeep!
While I was shoveling, I took some pictures:
Yesterday's snowstorm had to have dumped the most snow here in Jamestown, New Mexico since I moved here six years ago.
I went out and shoveled the walkways and found the snow to be at least eight or nine inches deep. Those of you living at the eastern seaboard or the northern Rockies would probably laugh, but getting this much snow here is rare these days.
This left me winded and the cold temperatures made my fingers hurt, despite having gloves on. It is best to get the shoveling done before the snow turns into ice.
The next storm is supposed to arrive Sunday and it has been said that it will be a colder storm.
Of course, I took some photos after I was done shoveling.
Here's some of them:
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| Above, the deck furniture a few minutes ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The snow has been falling continuously and it would be pointless to do any shoveling. I may do it later today or just wait until tomorrow.
Also, I was expecting a package today. It doubt that would be happening, even though there's been no update in the deliver schedule on the shipping company's package trackiing.
Before the snow on the walkways turns into ice (I slipped and fell once this year), I figuered I'd better shovel the walkways.
The snow wasn't deep, just about an inch since yesterday.
It was cold out, about 21°. Gallup is a little warmer, about 25°. My jacket and gloves kept me warm.
Some photos:
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| Above, about to shovel snow. |
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| Above, the front porch. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, after shoveling the walkway to the garage. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Now that the snows have stopped (for the most part), I went out and shoveled the walkways.
This snow seemed more like what we're used to. It wasn't as heavy as the previous snows we've had this season. It is probably from a lesser moisture content.
It is about 40° outside.
Some photos:
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| Above, the mesas today. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
In any case, I got the walkways shoveled. The snow must have a high moisture content as it was heavy than what we usually get here. That has been the case with the other recent storms.
As I am writing this, snow showers have started. Hopefully, they won't undo the shoveling I did.
After I finished, I poured myself a cup of coffee to warm up and then went out and took a few photos.
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| Above, the front yard this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Earlier this morning, I blogged about last night's snow being (from what I could see) around two to three inches.
I just finished shoveling the walkways and the snow depth was more like five inches. It was heavy as well. It probably had a higher moisture content than what we're used to in New Mexico.
According to my Weather Channel app, we're probably going to get some more snow this afternoon and that will be the end of it. For now.
Some photos:
The snowstorm has moved east and we're pretty much done. There will be snow showers here and there, but they will be light.
From what I could tell when I did some shoveling of the walkways, I got around 7-8" of snow on the ground. The earlier storms dumped a lot, but it settled or got windblown so it was hard to tell.
Today's storm was continuous. It would taper off on occasion, but didn't completely stop. I made the right decision in canceling my doctor appointment.
According to the post below, there was a big accident near Continental Divide and Thoreau involving three semi-trucks and one passenger vehicle that affected eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 40.
We're to get a break tomorrow and the snows starts up all over again on Sunday night through Monday night.
The forecasters said this storm was fast-moving, it didn't seem that way at all.
From the National Weather Service:
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| Above, a view of the driveway and mesas. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
A while ago, I finished shoveling the walkways and the driveway in front of the garage.
This snow must've had a higher moisture content as it was heavier than the snows we get in Jamestown, New Mexico. It left me a bit winded.
The snow was about six inches deep, which is more than what we usually get here. Well, we can use the water here even though we had a wetter than usual year last year.
Of course, I took a few pictures before heading into the house. It was about 27° outside.
The roads are still covered with snow and ice. Hopefully, it'll thaw out in a couple of hours enough to go to the Flying J to get my mail and, maybe, head into Gallup to pick up a few grocery items.
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| Above, the ol' homestead this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
This morning, before heading to Denny's at the Flying J with the gang (yes, we brave souls went to coffee and breakfast there), I shoveled the driveway and walkways...twice! I first shoveled before putting the trash container at the road. Then about 15 minutes later, I looked out and it looked like I hadn't done any shoveling at all.
So, I shoveled the walkways again before I was picked up by Greg Lucier.
At Denny's, it was the general consensus of the group that we received a cumulative 8" of snow since the start of the first storm. Much of it settled, melted or was blown by high winds. There's still about 2" to 3" of it on the ground.
While at the Flying J, we were able to get our mail.
We should be getting about a two-day break from the snowstorms until about Friday.
Before the snow on the walkways and driveway turns to ice, I figured I'd better do some snow shoveling.
The snow was nice and soft, so it made the task at hand much easier. While I was out shoveling, I noticed that the road was still covered with snow. Hopefully, it will thaw out before too long. But it will be a wait as it is around 20° outside.
While I was out shoveling, I took some photos.
