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January 2010
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Look Out Below!

The fact is that it’s been both a cold and a snowy winter here in Weimar and after a lot of snow fell earlier this season—really last year—it’s stuck around.

There was a period of time when I wouldn’t leave my house without wearing my aforementioned thick socks and my heavy boots because not only was it cold out, but the deep snow was not melting.

For Weimar, it wasn’t a problem on the sidewalks, but the side streets aren’t really plowed and it was slick crossing the streets—putting your feet down on any thing from bare cobblestones to asphalt covered in a thick layer of loose snow, and everything in between.

The hike from the Jena West train station to my office involves a certain distance of unpaved path walking, stair climbing, and streets without sidewalks, so while I might be willing to tolerate the snow issues in Weimar, Jena is just plain treacherous.

Happily there’s been a heat wave in Weimar—since Friday, it’s either been just below or right at freezing. On the one hand this is fantastic because it means that my water pipes aren’t going to freeze any more and that I can leave the water mains turned on all the time. On the other hand, one could go out for a walk and return home with a hole in the head.

Yup, it’s warm enough that the mountains of snow perched on roof-tops are starting fall victim to that most basic force of forces, gravity. Icicles that had been forming off of the gutters are now falling without warning. When there’s a sidewalk below the eves, this leads to the exciting game of Survivor: Weimar.

So far I’ve won my games—although I’ve seen multiple cases where large blocks of snow have just barely missed others. Downtown I’ve taken to walking in the middle of the streets (traffic be damned), while in other parts of town, nervous hausmeisters have blocked off sidewalks adjoining their buildings.

There’s an added element of excitement for me since I live under the roof. I get to listen to, and sometimes see, blocks of snow and ice make their way down. Just moments ago I looked up to see a block go tumbling down, pushing snow and ice across the skylight above my kitchen.

The reprieve is only temporary though: it looks like Weimar temperatures will return to the sub-freezing zone toward the end of the week, although my personal forecast looks a lot warmer come Thursday and Friday.

6 comments to Look Out Below!

  • Ah, the joys of living in the north during winter. Only a few more months till the decent weather arrives.

  • G

    Starting yesterday (and continuing today- on Sunday- amazingly enough) the firetrucks have been going around knocking icicles off roofs. the ones across the way were enormous. I wonder if someone got hurt, because they certainly don’t do any plowing for public safety here in Berlin.

  • starman1695 – let me count the minutes…

    G – Wow – It’s an interesting service for the fire department to offer — actually pretty cool! I wish I’d seen that happening in Weimar.

  • I don’t think I’m going out of my house until all the snow and ice is gone. I’m going to be killed in Weimar.

  • Reko

    But just imagine how wonderful the weather is in Bloomington, Indiana. Come back home, Adamo! We miss you, we love you, we need you!

  • Copito – Your post about the block of ice is wonderful – I think its pretty safe now. Maybe not perfect, but getting closer.

    Reko – I’ve experienced ice storms in Bloomington, Indiana. Those are the spawn of satan.