The Day After...

On Monday morning after the blizzard of 2010, New Canaan's residents attempted to shovel out or waited to be plowed out from what seemed far more snow than the National Weather Service's total of 11 inches for our town.

Blame it on the wind gusts. Walking at , one would be on firm footing on a frozen grass surface only to step off into a drift that reached thigh high.  

With many stores, gyms and businesses shut down and Metro-North not even running, many people genuinely enjoyed the break from their routine while some others did not. Most people seemed to take things in stride and made the best of the situation. 

Al Ely, shoveling snow in front of , has seen many customers' reactions to big snow storms during the five years he has worked at New Canaan's premier hardware store.

"They're coming -- not all are happy but they're coming. Most stocked up on Sunday, but today we're selling salt, shovels and sleds," Ely told about Town. "I like it. It's part of winter. If you don't like winter in the Northeast, then move!"

The New Canaan Train Station was deserted.   was closed.  was scheduled to open at 11 a.m. but at noon the door was locked and the steps were not shoveled.

would not open for the day.

The church bells tolled as a hearse led a funeral procession out of and onto Pine Street  

A mail delivery truck turned onto South Avenue.

Art Kean was shoveling around his pumps at the and said to About Town, "Hey Baby, Life goes on..."

People walking in town, marveled at the height of the snow piles on Elm Street and some even climbed up and stood on them.

The was closed in order to plow out the parking lot.  

"I'm a creature of habit." said Bill Buttenwieser who was hampered from pursuing his normal routine of an early morning workout at the Y. "As cool as the blizzard is, it disrupts my routine and that drives me crazy. I love snow in places where you want it -- Vermont, Colorado and ski resorts."

Lisa Wolff was also feeling cabin fever this morning.

"No matter how inclement the weather is, you can always depend on the Y opening at some point," she said. "So if you can't run outside, you can get a workout done inside."  

The New Canaan Y eventually did re-open at 3 p.m. 

cancelled all their classes for the day and said, "Enjoy this time to be with yourself and your family and recognize we are not supposed to run around and be active all the time." 

As to be expected on a "snow day" in New Canaan, the hill at Waveny was packed with many happy kids by mid-afternoon. They were thrilled to have their first sledding day with parents happy to join them after finally being dug and plowed out.