why everyone is trapped. Cars left behind while drivers sought shelter.cars do NOT have snow or seasonal tires in Birmingham. It never snows. Birmingham is a very hilly/mountainy place. Cars were sliding like they were using ice skates. This is one minute away from my house. on my Facebook home page people started naming the storm. I read three posts from people who named it ClusterFlake…i think is was a brilliant name. 🙂
this army vehicle barely made it up this hillmy brother-in-law trying to get out of my neighborhood. he was working on a house a couple of blocks away. I just happened to have my camera in my hand. This was taken through my studio window. he didn’t make it up the hill. His wife got stuck on the highway 280 & had to walk 2 miles to our house. They spent the night. My oldest daughter didn’t get here for 36 hours. She was with a friend, she walked a miles or two home & when I saw her, I stated to cry. Didn’t even know I was that stressed, b/c she is 18 & with her best friend.a colorful way to apply chains
some people had to walk for miles & miles to try & get their abandoned cars.Almost all the cars are empty. Most photographs were taken by my brother, Gene Saab
Atlanta got it really bad. traffic there is awful on a great day. I’m so glad I was home. Wish my kids weren’t so nuts though. They’ve been home since Jan. 28th. Ugh. ~amy
Me too. Can’t take credit for it though…no idea who wrote it first. Saw it on my Facebook home page several times. It is very John Stewartish…:) Thank you, Gail! ~amy
That is what I said!!! I said that I wished I owned one. I’ve driven on the roads & looked for dinged & scraps on cars. I saw about five damaged cars on the roads…I thought there would be more! ~amy
I wish I could take credit for the name. on my home page of Facebook, I saw the name written three times by three different people, so I’m unaware of who thought of it-clever them. Thank you, Liana! ~amy
Hi Reggie. We are all done with the mess as of yesterday. The temps reached 65 degrees & I saw two dandelions pop up on my walk. Thank you for your sweet comment. ~amy
Hi SueBee…it was a mess. It was scary for so many. I was safe at home with my youngest kids. It was gone by friday afternoon…mostly. Then yesterday, Feb. 1st I picked a dandelion out of the grass on my walk, the temp was 65 degrees! ~amy
The pictures are some of the prettiest I’ve seen of this mess. Your brother did a great job.
In Childersburg we expected a light dusting and the roads were unsafe in less than a hour. I didn’t think any snow was predicted for Birmingham. Plus the weather man seems to exaggerate. If you cry wolf often enough and there is no wolf. Well, you know the rest of that story.
That is funny that you brought up, “crying wolf” I used that same analogy with another commenter on my blog. It was so true! My brother did a fantastic job & I was so happy to be stuck with him & his wife. He has boundless energy, so he played with the kids the whole time he was here. ~amy
I am so glad it made you laugh. I was happy to write it. So many think southerners are idiots about driving in snow…I thought because I am a Yankee, I would be able to give the reasons why we shut down in Birmingham Alabama. Thank you so much for reading it! ~amy
It wasn’t that people didn’t heed warnings this time, John. Kids went to school because the weather forecast gave no warnings. Everyone was on the road trying to get to their children! I would have been on the road desperate to get my own. I was just very lucky to have listened to my gut feeling about the lack of warnings. Only my 18 year old went to school & her school is about two miles away. She was stuck. Had my 10 year old & 12 year old been stuck at school, I would have had to be sedated until the snow melted. I believe most people who become trapped didn’t want to be separated by those they love…some are idiots 🙂 ~amy
2me4art 
my daughter is in Atlanta….no school for 3 days!!!!
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Atlanta got it really bad. traffic there is awful on a great day. I’m so glad I was home. Wish my kids weren’t so nuts though. They’ve been home since Jan. 28th. Ugh. ~amy
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I know the feeling….!
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love this title!
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Me too. Can’t take credit for it though…no idea who wrote it first. Saw it on my Facebook home page several times. It is very John Stewartish…:) Thank you, Gail! ~amy
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you can take the credit!!!
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On the flipside, the Auto body repair shops are doing a happy dance! 🙂
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That is what I said!!! I said that I wished I owned one. I’ve driven on the roads & looked for dinged & scraps on cars. I saw about five damaged cars on the roads…I thought there would be more! ~amy
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the title made me laugh! then the pictures explained it 🙂 your post is perfect
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I wish I could take credit for the name. on my home page of Facebook, I saw the name written three times by three different people, so I’m unaware of who thought of it-clever them. Thank you, Liana! ~amy
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Relieved to hear your family is alright, Amy. And I hope the roads get cleared again soon. Stay safe!
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Hi Reggie. We are all done with the mess as of yesterday. The temps reached 65 degrees & I saw two dandelions pop up on my walk. Thank you for your sweet comment. ~amy
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Oh my gosh what a mess. Scary and awful. ~SueBee
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Hi SueBee…it was a mess. It was scary for so many. I was safe at home with my youngest kids. It was gone by friday afternoon…mostly. Then yesterday, Feb. 1st I picked a dandelion out of the grass on my walk, the temp was 65 degrees! ~amy
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What a swing in weather! Hooray for the dandelion and staying safe. 🙂 ~SueBee
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Thank you, SueBee! ~amy
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The pictures are some of the prettiest I’ve seen of this mess. Your brother did a great job.
In Childersburg we expected a light dusting and the roads were unsafe in less than a hour. I didn’t think any snow was predicted for Birmingham. Plus the weather man seems to exaggerate. If you cry wolf often enough and there is no wolf. Well, you know the rest of that story.
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That is funny that you brought up, “crying wolf” I used that same analogy with another commenter on my blog. It was so true! My brother did a fantastic job & I was so happy to be stuck with him & his wife. He has boundless energy, so he played with the kids the whole time he was here. ~amy
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I find the kids are the most fun in a lot of situations.
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for short bursts of time. 🙂
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OK so now I have to clarify the name made me laugh and then I saw the rest of the pictures. Glad your family is safe and I hope it melts quickly!
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We are nice & toasty with temps in the 60s in Birmingham Alabama. Thank you! ~amy
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Oh, that was a good one! Laughing is good thanks! 🙂
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I am so glad it made you laugh. I was happy to write it. So many think southerners are idiots about driving in snow…I thought because I am a Yankee, I would be able to give the reasons why we shut down in Birmingham Alabama. Thank you so much for reading it! ~amy
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People just refuse to heed warnings. Hence this mess. Glad your family is OK. People in Michigan where this weather is common still don’t get it.
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It wasn’t that people didn’t heed warnings this time, John. Kids went to school because the weather forecast gave no warnings. Everyone was on the road trying to get to their children! I would have been on the road desperate to get my own. I was just very lucky to have listened to my gut feeling about the lack of warnings. Only my 18 year old went to school & her school is about two miles away. She was stuck. Had my 10 year old & 12 year old been stuck at school, I would have had to be sedated until the snow melted. I believe most people who become trapped didn’t want to be separated by those they love…some are idiots 🙂 ~amy
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