Hunkering, for now

Although I didn't mention it, late last week we got almost a foot of snow -- wet, heavy stuff that turned to hydro-concrete when the temps dropped. It took me 45 minutes yesterday morning to liberate my wife's car, which hadn't moved since Friday afternoon and was encased in five inches of stubborn stuff. In the process I destroyed my best snow brush and a brand-new ice scraper.

Now it's snowing again, and the "experts" say that we'll get another five to eight inches by this time tomorrow. They also predict winds gusting over 40mph.

Schools are closed. (Natch.)

I'm on my third cup of coffee here, re-reading Mike Lupica's biting (and correct) column from yesterday's edition of The Daily News and preparing for another satisfying day of work.

I do need to get out more, though -- and I will, in a big way, this weekend. My family and I are going to log more than a thousand miles over two-and-a-half days, driving to southeastern Virginia to retrieve a few of my late father's possessions. On the return trip we plan to visit one of my wife's old friends and (we hope) make a quick stop in Morgantown.

Time and road conditions will tell. With iffy weather and mountains ahead of us, I'd better ready the TrailBlazer and our grab'n'go kits.

It'll be both an adventure and a grind, that's for sure, but at least it'll get me out of the house -- way out.