The pictures I’ve posted don’t do it justice. What’s hardest to believe is that there is no place out of doors to put your foot that doesn’t feel like stepping into dark brown Crisco. Only if you can find a patch of ice to stand on, and that’s melting fast. There isn’t a solid patch of dirt anywhere within miles of where we live, except — as noted earlier — where my neighbors have dead cars parked.
One simply can’t do anything outside without engaging massive quantities of mud. Whether stepping out the door to feed the birds or walking to get the mail, you’re in for extended filthy hell. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced, and I swear, it’s just about broken me. I suppose that has to happen before things get better, no?
it’s the unrelenting nature of it that’s pushed me to the edge of my sanity, and the little things one takes for granted that grate on a person when they’re not there. Like going three months without being able to park in front of the house, which means leaving the vehicles 50-60 yards away on a dark, isolated muddy road. Sure, small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. There are people out in the country literally trapped in the homes — we’re psychologically trapped in ours — some areas with grand new houses are pitifully flooded, and all over town you see alleys and streets barricaded to prevent people from entering and getting stuck. Taos is infamous for all the dirt roads — it’s something of a point of pride to have a dusty car that says “I’m from Taos,” but this winter shows the other side of that! It’s the only local topic of conversation, too.
People from other parts of the country would be amazed, however. Want to buy or build a new house? I can absolutely guarantee you that you’ll never have paved access to it. Not an exaggeration, either. This is the wild West, which I generally love, but geez am I ever fed up with the mess.
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Good golly John!This is beginning to look like the Somme. “Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag….” Watch out for “trench foot” and all that rot.. Time to start crafting “duck boards” or something commodious in “cubits”. Remember 2 x 2.
I think I’m over the hump.
The Somme…
Thank you for that. There are at least a few billion people who wouldn’t understand the reference.