Raking record
Just for my own purposes, since I've been keeping the record here for many years.

10/24/2020 first roof raking of the winter. Unusual Oct storm, about 7 inches wet and HEAVY.

Last winter was easy, with only two rakings needed, both in January. Total snow for year was average, but it was distributed in smaller storms with space between, so didn't accumulate much and didn't need much raking.

12/26/2020 after a long and welcome gap, 2nd raking. 4" powdery.

12/31/2020 3rd raking, 6" powdery.

2/16/2021 4th raking, 5" powdery.

3/12/2021: Weather Bureau is pretty sure the snow is done, so we'll close out this year's record at 4 rakes. The winter was a full LaNina in terms of precip, but a lot of the precip happened when the temp was warm enough for rain. If the temp had been cold in Dec, this would have been a giant like 2008, in the 90 inch range. Instead it was about average. I'M NOT COMPLAINING.

Thanks, weather gods! You're the only merciful and sane rulers in this horrible year. Some of the mercy was highly specific, and we thank you specifically.

Labels: coot-proofing, TMI

  ¶ 12:01 AM

  Putting down a snow bet
Winter is starting early this year.

Last year around this time I put down a bet. I had a strong feeling that the snow would end up at 60 inches, and turned out to be exactly right.

This year I don't have a strong predictive feeling. A weak hunch says slightly under mean, around 40 inches. I'm basing the bet on a moderate correlation: The worst winters tend to start late. This one is starting early, so it's somewhat less likely to be awful.

Remains to be seen.

More immediately, the infinitely evil copkilling "city" has pretended to revise and reform its snow handling. Last year they used an idiotic digital algorithm approach which predictably failed like all digital methods. This year they claim they will return to the older analog policy: Plow the fucking streets when the fucking streets need plowing.

Remains to be seen, but this result will be checkable much sooner. Next day, checking: This storm was a bit too warm to cause problems. About 3 inches on grass, but the air and ground stayed above freezing, so the roads are just wet.



====================================

Monday: Despite the minor size of the storm, the fucked former "city" has fully flunked their alleged "reformed" plan. Hoffman Street is nearly impassable.

I do not see any deicer and I do not see any


= = = = =

Dec 15: second real snow. Weather bureau missed on this one, predicted 1 inch, got 4. As before, the alleged "city" dysgovernment has already failed on its supposed new promise to "plow when the streets need plowing." No SAND, no deicer, no plows.

I didn't fail my promise to protect this poor old long-suffering house. First roof-raking of the season. Got a new ladder, 8 foot instead of 6 foot. Can step one rung higher safely, which makes a noticeable but not dramatic difference. Somewhat easier to reach a little higher.



Time to bring out the American Roof Raking League symbol. I notice the other obsessive raker in the neighborhood is following the same rule that I use. He didn't rake last month's snow, but started with this one.

Dec 25: Another 3 inches. Second raking. Not crucial, but this time the temps are cold enough to form ice dams, so "abundance of caution".

Dec 29: Third raking, definitely needed.

Jan 11: Fourth raking, probably not crucial but had to satisfy the vow.


Feb 14: Fifth raking. 6", definitely needed.
Mar 10: Safe to say no more snow. Total at airport about 46 inches, just about mean. Blows up my guess of 40!

Labels: #bluelivesmatter, #DeplorableLivesMatter

  ¶ 8:35 AM

  Not aluminum
Raked the roof again this aft. For the record, third raking of the season.

As I was clattering the aluminum rake down the roof, I heard another clattering behind me. Hmm. The neighbor back there has never raked. What's going on?

Looked around, saw that the clattering wasn't aluminum. It was antlers.



Two of these deer were having a gentle play-fight with their antlers. They weren't bothered in the slightest when I got off the ladder, put the ladder away, walked into the house, walked out with the camera, and snapped several crappy pictures. They just kept grazing.

Random sidenote: If curling can be a sport, why not competitive roof raking? There is a fair bit of strategy in placing the ladder, judging the depth and iciness of the snow, and reaching the maximum height. A sneaky competitor could spoil his opponent's dismount by quietly letting a herd of deer into the yard behind the opponent's back.

Jan 1: Fourth raking, for the record.

Jan 9: Fifth raking, for the record.

Jan 12 through 18: Sixth and seventh, I think. It was hectic for a while, but it PAID OFF. Now that we've finally got a thaw after four weeks of supercold, I'm free of ice dams and both sides of the roof are flowing nicely, nearly bare.

Feb 4: Eighth raking after a welcome two-week break in snow.

= = = = =

A couple more random thoughts:

Waist-high snowbanks are inconvenient in most ways, preventing you from using sidewalks even when the walks are clear. But a hard bank provides a handhold to prevent falling, and a place to set things when you need to pause and gather energy or retie shoes. It's almost like walking down an aisle with railings and counters on both sides.

The luckiest roofs in snow are the unlucky houses that still carry blue tarps from the windstorms of 2014 and 2015. The blue plastic is the most perfect snow-shedder of all. Snow simply WILL NOT stick to those tarps.

Labels: Heimatkunde

  ¶ 2:55 PM

  Raking spreads
Local media are noticing that roof raking is starting to spread. I'm still not seeing it in the neighborhood. Last year we ended up with about 6 nearby houses raking, and they raked in time to prevent ice dams.

At this point it may be too late for some houses. I learned the lesson the hard way in 2008. If you wait until the dam is several inches thick, there's no cure. Since then I've been obsessive about raking after every significant snowfall.

It's directly parallel to plowing. If you plow early and use



early, the streets remain usable with MUCH less work.

Bit later: Aha! A new raker, almost across the street. I'll assume 'trendiness' for this one. Good thorough job.

Labels: defensible spaces

  ¶ 2:34 AM

  Big Niña, fashionably late
La Niña finally got here! After nearly three months of cold but extremely dry weather, we got some serious snow. Remains to be seen if the bitch will stick around, but I still can't complain. She's missed more than half of her opportunities to make trouble and spring isn't far off.

This time I was ready for her. Back in April I had four trees cut down. Mainly to avoid being crushed when the wind blows, but secondarily to clear the back yard for usability, and to clear the roof for easier raking. Branches and trunks had blocked the area so completely that raking was difficult, dangerous and always incomplete.



All the preparation and expense has paid off! Now roof-raking is satisfying. Won't call it fun, but it's become a fast, smooth and systematic task. Nothing to dread, just good exercise. [Note: Raking after an 8-inch snow is probably a bit obsessive, but the expense and trouble of remodeling a room in 2009 taught me a lesson: NEVER AGAIN! No more ice dams!]
  ¶ 5:37 PM

  Snow notes


First rake-worthy snow of the season. About 5 inches. As usual one of the near neighbors has joined the obsessive raking trend; I don't expect to see more rakers until we get a truly serious snow.

I'm guessing this will be a six-rake winter, somewhere around 60 inches total.

I don't give a fuck if nobody joins the trend. I learned the ice dam lesson in 2009. Not gonna let it happen again. Anyway, raking is good upper-body exercise. It's almost fun.

= = = = =

Update March 9: My prediction for snow was on the dot. Weather Bureau totals at the airport are now 60.6 inches, with snow probably finished except for an occasional flurry. My prediction for six rakings was low; ended up raking at least 8 times. Got hectic and nearly continuous at one point, lost count. Maybe obsessive, but saved the roof.

Labels: coot-proofing, Heimatkunde

  ¶ 1:43 AM

  Wintersmith 2
In the last few years I've been leaving the ladder and roofrake out all winter, which makes the task of raking a lot easier ... and thus easier to DECIDE to do. Previously I had brought the ladder out and assembled the rake for each raking session, which basically doubled the time and effort and caused me to skip some needed rakings.

I'm guessing that this winter is mostly over. Total snow is just about mean, 46", blowing my earlier guess of 40".

Might be a few more inches, but warmth seems to be moving in at last, so the snow will melt quickly. I won't need to worry about raking the roof. So it's time to bring in the ladder and rake, partly as a confidence-building gesture for myself. The rake was iced up and hard to disassemble, but hand-warmth loosened the little stud things. The ladder is still FIRMLY locked in ice, even after several days above freezing.

I tried to dislodge it but couldn't. Ice is STRONG. The good part: At least I don't need to worry about thieves! Winter provides its own anti-theft lock.

Labels: Heimatkunde

  ¶ 9:23 AM

  Really dumb thought
Thinking about the trend of roof raking, which seemed to spread last year but not this year. Now it's just me and one other obsessive raker.



Random thought: In an earlier era this would have led to a Raking Club. What would be a good name? Aha! American Roof Raking League.

Oops, that acronym is already taken by the ham radio association American Radio Relay League.



Well.... since roof rakers and hams are similar types, let's just modify the icon.



Works rather well. You can see the rake, the ladder, and the snow flying down to the ground.
  ¶ 4:08 AM

  Just for my records
I've been keeping track of this for many years, so might as well continue the habit. Yesterday was the first SERIOUS snow of the season, about 7 inches. Today, first roof raking of the season. Much easier without the ladder. No big deal.

1/16 second raking of the season.

March: Looks like that's all. Thie was a nice non-rakey winter. Total snow was 41 inches, just a bit under average. The storms were more spread out than usual, with more warmish gaps between storms, so the snow didn't accumulate as much.

Labels: Heimatkunde, Metrology

  ¶ 12:56 PM

  Constants and Variables 121, Unneeded Ladder edition
I DIDN'T NEED THIS LADDER AT ALL.

WHY IN THE HOLY FUCK DIDN'T I TRY THIS EARLIER??????

For 10 years I've been obsessively raking the roof, using the same rake, always mounting a ladder. Last year my old 6-foot ladder was getting wobbly, so I bought a new 8-foot ladder. It's less wobbly, but it's also a lot heavier and harder to lift and move. So raking is harder than before.

I raked yesterday and again today, after back-to-back big snows. Today I was tired, the ladder was especially hard to move in deep snow, and the rake was slippery. After a brief try I said: Fuck it. Let's just work from the ground and get a halfassed partial try. At least clean the edge. Might be slightly better than nothing.

Working from the ground turned out to be BETTER than the ladder. It was IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS. I was able to reach HIGHER than I ever could from the ladder.

Why is it better? Two reasons. (1) Feeling less precarious means I can move the rake more freely and strongly. (2) On the ground I can walk forward and backward to get the best angle for each pull. Can't do that at all on the ladder.

WHY DIDN'T I TRY THIS 10 YEARS AGO?

In fairness, I did try it a few times over the years, but for some reason didn't find the right technique or didn't move the right way. The result was halfassed.

Labels: Constants and Variables, coot-proofing

  ¶ 10:02 AM

  Preachy Poser
Finally released the finished Cape Cod project.



The two Cape models came out nicely, with good proportions and swoopy curves.



It strikes me on reading my descriptions of the last few projects that I'm getting 'preachy'. A little too close to the historical authenticity fanatics that Schickele mocked expertly.

Latest description:

Inspired by a hard winter. I noticed that Cape Cods were staying snowless much better than modern houses, and realized that 'vernacular' designs shaped by experience are naturally superior. So I did a tribute to Cape Cods in winter. ... Three new models and four repurposed models.

This is true, not exaggerated. The idea started in February when I was busy raking my own roof and observing which roofs were successfully fighting snow on their own without the need of raking. Patient things.

My observations were proved at the end of winter. The Cape Cods that were EXPERIMENTALLY designed to shed New England snow came through unscathed, while the low hip roofs designed THEORETICALLY to look like California sustained considerable damage. My own roof was OK because I raked intensively; if I hadn't raked it would NOT be OK.

Probably shouldn't worry about the preachiness in the description; it's not the same as a preachy movie or TV show where the preaching is contained in the product. You can use the houses without listening to the preaching.

Still, it's noticeably 'academic' compared to most graphics products that have only one point. Or rather two points. TITTIES! BOOBS! KNOCKERS! BAZOOMS!

Labels: Patient things

  ¶ 9:11 AM

  Storm mode 2
Interesting snowstorm yesterday. For most of the day the temp was around 35 here, which meant that the snow stayed on places that were already snow-covered but melted on open cement and grass. Nominal total was 6 inches, but the 'shovelable' amount was more like 3 inches.

The Weather Bureau missed this, and most of the TV/radio "meteorologists" mindlessly went along with the Weather Bureau. Mark Peterson of KXLY predicted it right. Snow in the morning, rain-snow mix in the afternoon. Peterson has a good record of accurately describing reality instead of quoting the Official Version.

Note from the Weather Bureau, by their measurements: "With yesterday's storm, Spokane has now had more snowfall so far this season than all of last winter! This year so far: 18.5 inches. Last year (total): 17.6 inches."



I did some intensive raking, adding the third section to the rake pole for the first time and reaching higher on the roof. Cleaned the outer half of both sides, making ice dams impossible.

Oddly, it seems like I'm the only 'raker' in town, at least on the streets I normally see when walking or busing. In previous years a few other raked roofs were starting to appear at this point in the season.

One welcome difference from previous snowy years: More people with snow-blowers are clearing the sidewalk on their entire block. Previously, each homeowner cleared his own frontage and maybe one or two lots beyond it. There are always non-shovelers in each block, which means that everyone's work is useless. It's like vaccination. When the blower owners catch the unshoveled lots, everyone's work is worth doing. Thanks, blower owners!

The sidewalks are especially welcome because the alleged "city" is doing a bad job on the streets. Copkiller Condon, Bloomberg's best bitchboy, is too busy sulking about the police rejection of his NYC "husband" Copkiller Straub. No time or energy for optional hobby-type activities like PLOWING AND SANDING THE FUCKING STREETS.


= = = = =

12/25 update: Now I see two other rakers. One is familiar from previous years and sort of minimal, clearing only the first foot above the eave. The other is fresh. A nearly new house, a block west of me, and he seems to have emulated my technique of baring the bottom half. Are we starting a trend? Raking up with the Joneses? Probably not, but I can pretend.


1/1 update: Now we have two more rakers along my street. Still none visible on other streets. We got a Convoy!

1/2 update: One more. Total of 5 rakers, all within about one block of my house. Still none visible elsewhere.

Labels: Heimatkunde

  ¶ 3:13 AM

  OW again, dammit


Why I'm in 'brief fucking comment' mode this week: Back pain is back. I made the mistake of digging in the yard again, and got duly punished. (Not exactly a mistake; I'd been raking and digging fairly often for 6 weeks without any further problems. For unknown reasons it caused a problem this time.)

Random observations:

(1) Seems like the pain and spasms depend mainly on the gamma feedback system, responding primarily to accelerations instead of steady stretch. Wonder if a drug or technique that mainly suppresses the gamma receptors would be especially helpful?

(2) A tiny house with lots of furniture is good. Not exactly 'Universal Design', but there's always a table or desk nearby to pull on, to boost your way past the acceleration point.

(3) The trunk muscles seem to know what they can get away with. They allow moves and positions that won't hurt, and they simply prevent some moves and positions that will hurt. This causes one icky and hard-to-discuss inconvenience: Properly wiping after a dump apparently includes a slight automatic twist of the pelvis, on the totally reflexive level. The stiff trunk won't allow this twist, which makes it hard to reach all of the requisite area. I developed a workaround, but it's still unhandy.

(4) Couple days later: This set of exercises on Youtube definitely helps. Recovering faster than before by using these tricks. The exercises don't look nearly as good when I do them, but still work.
  ¶ 4:46 AM

  Slow going
Been 'under the weather' in a literal sense. Trudging through snow to the grocery store, shoveling walks, raking the roof, and trying to break up ice dams, have sapped my physical and mental energy. No spare neurons available. Good old cabin fever!

One interesting item: It appears that Wash Gov Gregoire is being vetted for an Obama cabinet appointment. Polistra has observed before that Gregoire has a unique talent for handling emergencies, and would be a great FEMA director. News conference expected tomorrow, so we shall see.

= = = = =

Later: Apparently the Gregoire rumors were unfounded. She's staying on as Governor. This is good for the state, though it would be interesting to see her in a national position.
  ¶ 10:28 AM

  First snow! Sort of.


First snow of the winter. Unimpressive. Weather bureau was predicting 4 inches, and we got about 1.5 inches. Not enough to properly shovel. Too bad; I was actually looking forward to shoveling the paths and raking the roof. Good exercise and sense of accomplishment.

Not too surprising. This is a Nino year, which means the storm track is mainly heading for Calif. They need it and we don't. Nature always reverts to the mean.

If this snow wanted to get some respect, it should have jetted over to England where it would be seen as a DEADLY LETHAL UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER BOMB!!!!!

Next morning after walk: This snow didn't amount to much, but it turned into a formidable obstacle to walking and driving. It got clumpy toward the end then froze HARD. Result is like walking on lava. Good traction but throws your ankles in all directions at once. Amazingly noisy. CRUNCH! CRACK! POP! I suspect we'll see a lot of flat tires this morning.

Labels: Carbon Cult, Shack people - Cottage people

  ¶ 4:21 PM

  Heavy stuff by the dream-scripter
Since the LOOOOONNGG winter finally released its grip, I've been making up for lost sleep and lost exercise.

Shoveling and raking snow provided good upper-body exercise but walking was dangerous. I kept daily walks to a minimum, canceling entirely a few times. Now I'm adding extra blocks to the daily walks, seeing some areas I'd never seen before.

Sleep was shallow and short in the long semi-emergency. Now I'm getting extra naps. More importantly I'm pouring out dreams that were suppressed by shallow sleep.

Last night's dream was HEAVY and well-organized. I found myself aboard a yacht or cruise ship, with no particular goal in mind. A series of test-like encounters occurred. A full wine bottle appeared. Would I drink it or toss it overboard? Tossed it overboard. Some thug-like men approached with a proposition to commit serious crimes for a lot of money. I turned them down; they got angry and threatening; I turned them down again. They walked away. These tests had a solemn Injun flavor. Osage.

Finally I was invited into the captain's cabin, sat down at a conference table, and heard the purpose of this nonsense. The 'board' offered me the presidency if I would fulfill their conditions precisely. The 'board' would give me a loyal wife and a son. I was required to rule the country with exactly one goal in mind: USA should become a place where the young son could grow up and live a normal life, a place where he would NOT be forced to overdose or jump from a bridge.

I accepted the deal.

Obviously these events will never occur, but the CONDITION was remarkably deep writing by the dream-scripter. A valid government will have to work toward that goal. Turn the country into a place where a young MAN of ordinary skills and talents can acquire status and respect by WORKING and MAKING THINGS.

Labels: defenestration / depontication, Make or break

  ¶ 8:52 AM

  Relevant observation 2
Last winter at the height of ice-dam season I tried to observe patterns in ice-dam formation. I couldn't find any clear correlation.

I started with hypotheses that steep roofs should be better and newer houses should be better. Nope. Shape and age are IRRELEVANT.

Even the steepest roofs and the newest houses can form ice dams. Some metal roofs have icicles, but on a metal roof it doesn't matter because there's no way for the water to force its way through the membrane.

This year (almost the same date!) the pattern is far more distinct.

My morning walk includes a dozen houses of this species. Nice late-50s ranchers, well maintained, often still occupied by OEM owner.



All the houses of this species have formed 5" high ice dams. No other houses have visible dams. Remarkably sharp correlation.

Also unlike last year, I'm not seeing a growing trend of raking. It's just me and the other predictable regular. Not coincidentally, the other regular raker is one of the abovementioned OEM owners, and not coincidentally his house is the only exception to the abovementioned rule.

Labels: Heimatkunde

  ¶ 8:17 AM

  Irrelevant observation
After doing snow work (shoveling path, raking roof) my shoes and pants are completely snow-covered. I take off shoes and turn them upside-down to melt and drain better. This accomplishes the intended purpose; the inside of the shoe is dry the next time I put it on. It also has another effect that I can't figure out. After sitting upside-down, the inside of the shoe is noticeably warmer than the floor. Feels like at least 10 degrees above 'usual'. The shoes aren't near a baseboard heater, so it can't be from that source.

New Years Resolution: Before next winter I'm getting a metal roof. This ice-dam fight is ridiculous and unnecessary. Good exercise, but I'm too old for the risk.

Labels: Shack people - Cottage people

  ¶ 7:12 AM

  Thanks to Safeway
La Niña hasn't landed on our rooftops yet this year. In the previous two LN winters (2008 and 2010) we got hit hard and early. 2008 gave us a record-breaking 30 inches in early December. 2010 didn't break records, but started in early November and continued well into April without relief.

So far this winter has been strictly average for temperature (high 30, low 20) and well below average for snow. Total is only 7 inches, none of which stayed long. And the rest of December looks to be the same, if NWS is right.

Thanks to the weather gods for giving us a break! Presumably we'll still get whacked in January, but LN has missed two whole months when she normally gives us hell. That means we've missed two whole months of shoveling sidewalks and raking roofs.

(Superstition prevents me from showing the usual animation of Polistra and Happystar with a patron saint; somehow feels like tempting fate at this point.)

= = = = =

Special thanks to the Northwest Blvd Safeway for thoroughly de-icing their entire parking lot every time it's needed. This morning the parking lot was just about the only securely walkable place in town; everything else was glazed by freezing fog. This fits into the pattern I've noticed before: NW Blvd merchants show an unusual friendliness and concern for customers.

= = = = =

Another random seasonal note: This year a half-dozen houses within my visual range have mounted rather fancy Christmas light displays, of the type that you have to put up and take down. For the previous 20 years only one house had lights, and they were always the same permanent string of lights along the eaves. The new effort at cheerfulness fits into the overall resurgence and 'brightening' in this part of town.

Labels: coot-proofing

  ¶ 5:49 PM

  Constants and variables, stupid old geezer edition
For several months I've been noticing an odd smell sometimes. The sometimesness argued against crawl-space mold or drains. I know those smells and can spot them near the appropriate source. This smell seemed to be around the part of the room where I sit to use the computer. It seemed organic, not electrical or smoldery.

Was it me? Always hard to tell, but it didn't seem to vary with before/after shower or before/after brushing teeth. It seemed to be weaker inside my clothes than outside. Was it the clothes? Again hard to tell.

Finally I noticed that the smell was especially strong for a while, then it stopped entirely. Okay. What did I do BETWEEN those intervals?

Figured it out. During this LONG winter my back was hurting from shoveling and raking snow, so I developed the 'efficient' habit of putting chewed gum here........



... and waiting for two or three pieces to accumulate before hauling them to the kitchen wastebasket along with filling the coffeecup. The sudden cessation of smell came immediately after hauling two pieces to the kitchen.

What is RIGHT NEXT TO THE GUM? The inlet for the computer's cooling fan, which was spreading the smell all over the room.

Labels: Asked and answered, Constants and Variables, coot-proofing

  ¶ 3:21 AM