<i> WOW, that's some risky behavior, Cigalechanta!</i>

JJ5-Got a call from youngest daughter who is in Chicago on business. She's talking white-out and staying in room ordering room service. She's worried about getting into Boston tomorrow afternoon. Speaking of what we used to call &quot;Sister School&quot;, do remember the patent leather shoe thing so the boys couldn't see up your skirt???:)

Mimi, you remind me of the first NYC snow I lived through. My husband and I walked through Central Park, empty, white, still. The lake was frozen over, the boats in the boathouse. We walked across the lake.
When I look back on that, I am amazed that we were so stupid LOL Neither of us can really swim, especially in winter coats and boots.

Just got off the phone with my good friend Suzie in Manhattan - she could only see one block down. It's a white-out there. Told me all the toy stores in the City are sold out of snow toys - looks like Manhattan will be a big playground tomorrow. Still only freezing rain here in Williamsburg ...

Someone send in some photos. Be careful out there and stay warm.

I was pregnant with my first child during the Blizzard of 78. We were trapped for about 5 days. The best thing about any snowstorm is the silence and the beauty. Go outside before the clean-up has begun. The moon shining on the snow is the best. There is no quiet like the quiet of being the only person out in the snow.

Yes, bounty. I actually know the writer of the play &quot;Do Patient Leather Shoes Really Reflex Up&quot;, John Powers. He lived in my neighborhood and went to the next parish school. We were football enemies. We have some common friends as well.

And after I was done with grade school and the plus mile walk four times a day to that location, I then went to the largest all girls liberal arts Catholic High School, at that time and until just recently, in the entire United States, Mother McAuley. To that one I walked 7 blocks to a bus before I even started the commute and then 3 blocks after I got off the bus. We would roll our skirts at the waist to above our knees until we got to the edge of campus and then we would unroll them for the day, and do the reverse sequence while going home. We were not allowed to wear pants/slacks for any reason. We had to wear white cotton blouses and a bolero jacket. Lots of the girls would just iron the front and collar as that is all you ever saw. But it was a great school, and is still rated one of the best in the nation at that level. Many a blizzard found me walking home from there as well. I remember one time it took me 3 full hours to walk home as I stopped to warm up in cornor stores or shops on the way. Half way home I would hit a McDonalds for the 15 cent french fries to warm me up as I walked.

They would check at school if your skirt was long enough by making you kneel. If your skirt wasn't dragging the floor in that position then you were not in uniform, and consequences occurred. We were also very policed in similar ways for those ridiculous doily lace caps in chapel. Smartest woman I ever met was my English/Literature teacher at McAuley. She is Sister Brian
(Sisters of Mercy- their initials are RSM and we used to call them the &quot;Raise Several Millions&quot; bunch)and is or was until just recently head of the entire Catholic school system out of DC.

I think of those times whenever there is a blizzard as I remember SO WELL that edge of the 3 or 4 foot snow drift that you would trudge over and then have the freezing razor edge honed to a sliver hit your knee or shin area. OUCH! And we seldom had boots that went up very high either, more like galoshes that you had to struggle in over shoes.

Company coming, got to go. But I forgot in all that walking down memory lane, that your daughter may want to just relax where she is. And she should call the airport, or get online to her flight vendor, but should really do that frequently instead of going to the airport. Many, many times- it is better to stay were you are. I doubt if she will leave on time. It has to take at least 1 full day to dig out of this one and even then the planes will all be in the wrong places, as it is not only ORD or Midway but almost everything else east also.

I wonder how this will affect the Eagles game tomorrow here in Philly!! I want them to win so bad. The snow is bad, and it isn't over yet!! We are do another round tonight into tomorrow a.m.

Scarlett and cigalachanta: Several years ago 3 local law students decided to walk across frozen Lake Erie from just south of Buffalo to Ft. Erie, Ontario (where Lake Erie narrows and enters the Niagara River). Their bodies were found in the Niagara River after the spring thaw.

I'm guessing about a 2-3 mile walk across! I can't imagine what (or if) they were thinking!!!

All you guys in the snowbound regions, can you give us an update?

diann,
They made sure all the roads around the stadium were cleared for the Eagles game. The mayor was on TV this AM saying what a great job they're doing. The problem will be the wind. That could have a huge effect on the kicking and throwing game.
I had everything all shoveled out last night and we got another six inches of snow overnight!! I don't even want to go out there today. Wind chills below zero.

Weespxx- I don't know why I am surprised to find it is actually still snowing. We have gotten about 12-15 inches, judging by the car parked out front &amp; allowing for on drifts. In NJ, we have had a few minor accidents, no fatalities. Reports say problems on the roads from SUV drivers who move well but neglect to allow for turning or stopping.

Though I planned to venture out early, I don't want to get sick and the wind chill is keeping me inside for now.

My husband and I returned from Oahu yesterday morning--we were on separate flights both of which were over sold. I was on the later flight and for both of our flights, Honolulu to Dallas, American needed 7 volunteers--they offered flight vouchers and a seat on the next available plane that included a re-route through Chicago sans any mention of the snow conditions. Surely American had to know what the conditions were in Chicago?!

SW Chicago

It was better than right now when I went to bed around midnight CST. At 7am it was beautiful, cold (12 degrees) and most of the blowing had stopped and no snow was falling. But now it is starting again and they have changed forecast to snow flurries all day and into tonight. For all of the people east and north, I think this means there are series/ clumps of cells and that you will probably get more. Not a lot more depth, but a steady light coating. Hope I'm wrong.

I'll watch the game. I have a tape of the famous Soldier Field &quot;fog bowl&quot; game. It was not a play off game, fortunately. That was one of the funniest situations I have ever seen.

Our roads are about a 5 or 6 on 10 point scale. Icing is bad near intersections and open roads have ice and drifting. I-80 looks like it is moving with sparce traffic.

Unfortunatately, I forgot to take my camera downtown yesterday, where I would have had the opportunity to take pictures of some of the interesting people I saw (Ryne Sandberg, Dusty Baker) in addition to the near blizzard conditions. But I did take a few quick shots on this sunny morning-after, while it is still pretty and white outside -- starting with this one:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...57535578WRDDXO

Aside from some pretty bad driving conditions yesterday, this didn't turn out to be all that bad for us 40 miles west of Chicago (anyone remember New Year's Day a few years ago?). We probably had about 10 inches when it was all done, and the wind subsequently blew it all around. But it is 6 degrees outside as I write this.

JJ5, your Catholic school sounds just like mine! My Mother used to make us wear bulky &quot;leggings&quot; under our uniform. My sister and I used to take them off in the garage and hide them. They were hideous and you could hardly move in them. And, I had to wear those ugly galoshes too. Hid those too, until the nuns sent a note home. :-)

Good morning, everybody - here's an update from Toronto. The sun is shining beautifully but it's -20 celsius, with a windchill of -34 or something lovely like that. We had to go out last night because my sweetie was singing a concert. Normally to get from here to the hall would have taken about 25 minutes, but it took us over an hour last night with the snow coming down, and blowing around even when the snowfall lightened up a bit. Visibility was difficult because the windshield wipers kept icing up. We got there to find that they hadn't plowed the parking lot, because there was no point - there was a guy out there with a snowblower, but as fast as he cleared a path, it got snowed over again. After the concert it was a lot better in terms of visibility and this morning the only problem we have is that we have to go grocery shopping and the snowplow has cleared the street, leaving Mount Everest at the foot of our driveway. :)

ms go, your picture looks very similar to my block in Tinley Park. But we have quite a bit more than you got, about 14-15 inches as measured at the local high school. Our large bushes are totally covered now. But sun is shining brightly also, as more flakes are coming down as well. GOOD picture.

buckeyemom, I think taking those &quot;over the shoe&quot; galoshes off /on, but especially off, should have been an olympic event for all the gymnastics you had to go through to do it. Most would just give up and take one foot out, and then try to manipulate/free the shoe. (Of course getting the rest of your sock wet in the puddles, if it wasn't already.)
Bad invention.

And didn't you love when the gaps at the top filled up with slush like a snow cone.

I see my grand-daughters with their red leather boots that look so comfy and cute with stylish heels. Oh, time does go on.

I also posted this on the NE travel disruptions thread. Sorry to those reading it twice. But figured I had a better chance of getting an answer if I hit both threads!

My daughter is scheduled to fly into Bradley tomorrow. She has to be back at school Tuesday AM. Her flight leaves Chicago around 6PM our time, arrives Bradley 9ET. Is she likely to have problems? Or should things be pretty much back to normal by then?

CAPH52, do you know what airline or which airport?

I just did a search for SW &amp; ATA at Midway and they are offering no charge change of any flights delayed or cancelled Jan.21-24, 2005. That sounds like things are not going to be back to &quot;normal&quot;. But that does not mean your daughter's flight will be one delayed or cancelled either. I'll try to get OHare info and post.