By Saturday afternoon, the 10 inches of snow that took Portland by surprise had started to melt, despite temperatures below freezing at night.
On my walk home from the park, that melting sidewalk snow and ice had finally made possible, I got to thinking about the heaps of snow on my car. Some had melted and slid off, leaving a trail of moisture. There was still quite a deep pile on the roof and windshield. I figured I should help Nature along so getting to school Monday morning would be easier.
Once home, I grabbed my broom and went to town pushing and sweeping aside the accumulated snow. Once it was all gone, I realized that there was about two inches of ice around the wipers. Unable to break it with my tiny little fists, I decided to use the broom like an axe on the passenger side. It broke the ice, but set off my car alarm. I dashed into the house, grabbed the keys, ran back out and turned off the alarm. It’s nice to know the alarm works, I thought.
I left the ice that remained and went back in the house where a message on my phone let me know someone might have been trying to steal my car.
Sunday afternoon, I decided to tackle the driver’s side. I left the broom behind, hopeful that two days of melting with a freeze in the middle, might have loosened the residual ice. It had, but not quite enough. I set the alarm off again. Another dash back to the house for the keys and the alarm was off once more. I kept the keys with me and finished the job with the car unlocked. Maybe I was gentler, maybe the presence of the keys helped, but the alarm didn’t go off again and the car was finally ice free. As I re-entered the house, I wondered, since I hadn’t remembered the alarm issue from one day to the next, would I fall prey to the same issue the next time Portland experiences a snow and ice storm.
booksandbassets 
Hope that day isn’t today! I know Lincoln County is having a delay…such a large district with different elevations and road conditions—though there is nothing but a bit of slush at my house. I have been in your position before, pre-alerts from car manufacturing entity, which tells you how old my car is!
Watching the news, I was wondering how you were making out. I find it annoying that after shoveling out the car, after I clean the snow off the car there is just as much to shovel as there was when I first went out.
I was afraid you were going to break your windshield. So much better that it just set off your car alarm. Try starting your car next time for some extra help from inside to thaw things out. Seattle just received a bit of snow this last round. So glad!
Whew! Reminded me of all the work it is to clear away snow (I lived in Norway for a few years, many years ago). Here’s wishing you warmer temps!
I grew up inCanada. Snow is pretty but a lot of work.
Bravo to cleaning off your car with that much snow! We had 11 inches last week in Wisconsin. I was SO sick of shoveling.
I don’t even own a shovel. Snow is rare here.
I cannot even imagine that! I have four shovels and one I keep in my car for emergencies!
Ha! I was expecting your windshield to break! Did this little storm remind you why you don’t live here any more? 🙂
Absolutely. It’s pretty but too much work.
I’ve been there where you go off the snow but then the thick layer of ice smirks as if to laugh at your satisfaction knowing all along you still had to break through.
The car alarm alert was quite funny but also very useful that your phone has that setting! I’ve had that happen when I forget a password too many times or something, and then get a notification that someone is hacking my account..
Like several other commenters, I was relieved the story didn’t include a broken windshield. I lived in Portland in the late 1970’s and survived a huge ice storm… since our apartment lost power, we left to stay with friends. When we came back, we discovered the power came back on just in time to welcome us home- the pot of beans that had been simmering on the stove before the power went off was cooked perfectly!
That sounds like the seed of a tory you could write another time!