Packard Forum Index » General

I wonder how everyone is doing from Tennesse, north to Washington DC thru Phila and onwards? Storm warning still up for another 12 hours here in northern NJ but thus far only about 8" of light fluffy snow, none of the predicted 18 to 24" with wind gusts to 50 mph or so. I guess we're wimps these days, back when I was a kid it wasn't a blizzard, it was a snow storm and you put on your ear muffs and galoshes, Pop put the chains on the car, and we all went about life pretty much as usual. Politicians protecting their backsides and wanting to appear proactive no doubt part of it.

Plenty of vintage photos of Packards out in the snow but this one was new to me, perhaps a Waterhouse? With Diplomatic plate.

Attach file:

---

  (116.85 KB)

Quote:
No doubt about it. Almost like comparing yesterdays mechanics working with a dim trouble light in basically a barn with todays mechanics with heated shops and all the trimmings.

I grew up in New Mexico and while there were no big blizzards like in your area and relatively few of what you would call huge storms, we still could get several inches of snow at a time. We survived by doing as you did. As kids we even walked to school on many occasions and had all kinds of fun with the snow along the way.

Looking back, I kind of find it amusing. Locally here in Central Calif the last time it snowed was in 70 or 71. I barely remember it but total was only an inch or two that accumulated overnight. Maybe a few drifts a bit deeper. When morning came there were so many accidents with that little storm some areas closed schools and told people to stay home and off the roads.

When I was a lad and Shep was a pup. We use to walk uphill both ways going to school in our bare feet.....

John

Yeah and it was two miles there and three miles back.

Quote:

I never did the bare feet and the walk was only a few blocks but according to my parents they both did the bare feet or had worn out shoes and had to do it after milking cows and feeding chickens all while it was still dark. That lecture usually came after we had asked for a ride to school.

They were kids in the early 1900s. Mother grew up on a farm so maybe the livestock and distance but father was a city boy for the most part. According to them each of their schoolhouses was several miles away and their parents did not do the mollycoddling (fathers word) that my brother and I had come to expect by the 50s.

Compared to 70-100 years ago we absolutely are way to nice to our kids these days! And the bad thing is that these days kids give up easy. If it doesn't come easy they quit. I see that with my own kids, and its bugging the living daylight out of me. I also have been repeating a million times to my kids: just because you have money, it doesn't mean you have to spend it. That's another one that bugs me. My grandfather was 6 yrs old and he had to milk 6 cows before he could go to school. And every year he got older he had to milk an extra cow. After school get all the manure and straw out of the barn and load it up the wagon to spread it out in the field. If I have to do all the work that my grandpa did in his 86 years on this earth, I need to live to be 300 years, and I still be very busy every day!

Is this thread for the storm or bashing the next gens? Ten inches at noon, now about 15 or18. May have 24-27 when it ends. Everyone be safe.
Young folks not putting in the effort? True or just our perception im not sure but I am lucky my kids are putting in the effort just in a different way. College, grad sch etc. now- the fact that a much larger percentage of our young people need the above to get a decent paying job and only start work/ pay tax n ssi at 28 orlater and have a mountain of debt and cant buy a home plus the 18-20 yr olds are working for min wage instead of decent paying union jobs is a topic for another place. Maybe the are smarter- and see the futility. Or maybe its the lead in the water( flint) that our ... Are supplying us?

2 feet of snow!

Attach file:

---

  (7.30 KB)

We had fair amount of snow spent about 4 hours cleaning snow from my driveway and walks. Also went up the block with snow blower to clean the route my dog and I take. This reminded me when I was younger use a snow shovel to clear away snow now I have gas powered snow blowers. When I looked up and down my street noticed how many people were using snow blowers rather shovels. Glad I have the snow blower I think using shovel would take the fun out of snow removal.
On related matter I have a set of tire chains in the trunk of my Lincoln and a shovel in case the snow tires with studs don't work. Being older I like a backup plan.

Ye Gads. I just watched the news and what is happening to some places on the East coast. Now that is a storm and a half. I hope everyone makes it thru intact. Saw the power lines down in the Carolinas but news didn't say if there is a big ice storm along with the snow and if that has brought down any power lines further north.