Final Blizzard Post

9:30 AM

 The first pictures here will be from 9:30 AM this morning.  Shortly after declaring she no longer likes snow, Yaya decided she did indeed want to go outside.  So, we bundled up and headed out to play in the heavily falling snow.  We couldn't build a snowman because there was really no space to do it -- not to mention that after many years of trying, I've never managed to roll snow into a ball bigger than my fist.

Our hydrant being shoveled

The girls made many a snowball to throw at each other and me.  Bumble was chasing me down in the picture on the left, and Yaya was gathering her ammo to do the same.  I climbed over mounds of snow to take the street view below.  In fact, while taking the picture I was actually straddling one mound because I got stuck!   By the time we decided to go back inside the girls looked like snowmen.

After coming inside at about 10:00, we called Mat. Joanna to check up on her and learned that morning liturgy had not been canceled -- no one let us know that...  So, after wavering as to whether we should venture out for the end of church, we decided to go.  Since we would be missing most of liturgy, I tried to get the girls out of the house quickly and left my camera at home.  We did make it for the last 10 minutes of church -- how very Orthodox of us!  That made for a grand total of 6 attendees!

 We stopped to have a bite to eat at the corner coffee shop, which is open, before heading home.  I put Bumble down for a nap and settled everyone in before heading out again to get what I think are some pretty cool pictures, including a warning of why you shouldn't drive the day after a blizzard.  Chicago is a city that just won't give up.  It's a city of walkers, so even if they can't get their car out, people are still out and about.  And if you can walk to a major street, you can even catch a bus!  The buses and trains are running!

This is also a very friendly city. As I was walking around taking pictures, many passersby said hello.  One man even stopped me to ask if I had seen the van... "No, what van?"  "There's a burnt out van on the corner a block south of here.  It got stuck in the intersection and while revving the engine to get out of the snow. It caught fire."  Someone in the crowd, whom I think lives on the corner, said that the two passengers did get out safely and were even able to save the tools in the back.  The area reeks of burnt rubber, but the fire department was able to do its job and put it out rather quickly.  Fortunately, there is a fire house only a few blocks away.  I probably even hear the sirens this morning.

Finally, a couple of pictures of Holy Trinity Cathedral...