COLUMBIA SPY

There it is in black and white:   Shovel your sidewalk.  At least three feet in width.  Don't throw the snow into the street after the street has been plowed.   Up to $600 fine plus costs possible for non-compliance. No parking at designated times, even if the sweeper is not running.

Warmer temperatures produced the beginning of a thaw.  Soon, we'll be back to where we started before all the recent snow, which leads me to believe the whole episode was nothing more than an exercise in futility by whoever perpetrated it.  Three geese went sailing by . . .  but this laggard chose to walk.  Actually, I use Bing quite a bit. High on (the) pot

I took a walk this afternoon, because the sun was shining, and I wanted to escape impending cabin fever. Also, because my back hurt from shoveling snow, and I thought a jaunt around town would alleviate aches and pains.  Along the way, I helped a woman with a walker get across an icy sidewalk that hadn't been properly cleared. Good deed done. Later, on Locust Street, I was walking behind a young woman of about 20 and a boy I assumed to be her son, who appeared to be about five. The kid was lagging a bit, as kids do, but "Mom" wasn't pleased and told him, "I'm not gonna keep f**kin' stoppin' dude. You're gonna walk. You're gonna shut the hell up." She didn't say it angrily, just matter-of-factly, in a normal, conversational tone. I hadn't noticed the kid saying anything. I wondered how many times he must have heard similar language at home at his young age for some small infraction, real or perceived. And we wonder where kids ge...

The controversy also exists elsewhere, namely Harrisburg. Click on the link below for more info and residents' opinions on the matter. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/02/parking_etiquette_in_the_snow.html#comments

 A casualty along Barber Street  A uniquely designed snowman that's also . . . if not anatomically correct, at least anatomically explicit , thus the censored photo.  This is a family blog, after all.  There's a time and place for such expression.  But in one's backyard, facing the sidewalk where children play, isn't appropriate.  We got a lot of snow recently. Well, at least they cleared the snow off their car, even if they can't get out of their parking space.

On Sunday morning, work crews were busy clearing excess snow from Locust Street.  Although notices had been posted along the street last Wednesday, some vehicles had not been moved. Those remaining were ticketed and towed.  This lady in white moved her car at the last minute.  Snow was blown into dump trucks and hauled away.  Vehicles continued to be towed.  Here's a closer view of the humongous snow blower that was used.  Further down the street  A side view of the giant snow blower  More vehicles being towed  The morning's work yielded some good results . . .   here . . .  and here. Our borough workers deserve thanks for working hard on a Sunday morning to make our streets clear and safe.