WE GOT CLOBBERED. I don't recall this much snow piling up in any one storm. (The snow depth is a bit exaggerated. North winds bring the stuff into the narrow space between the houses.)

Friday, about 2.30. The robins' nest is still on the downspout.

My recollections were accurate.

The city of DeKalb declared a snow emergency [Friday] morning, meaning city officials are urging residents to stay home and are only plowing arterial roads in an effort to keep up with the snow. The city announced garbage pickup for Friday would be delayed until Saturday.

DeKalb County Engineer Bill Lorence had one word for how efforts to clear the roads were going this morning: “badly.”

The county had all 11 of its plows out this morning, but as of about 7:30 a.m. one was involved in an accident on Peace Road north of Sycamore and another was stuck on Malta Road.

Even people who are used to driving in the snow “haven't seen this kind of snowstorm in many years,” Lorence said.

Bad as this was, it was mostly snow. Downstate, and Missouri, are getting the worst of it. The Alton Route is currently running only one train a day instead of four, and Interstates 55 and 80 are not in good winter driving condition.

Nearly 600 Amtrak passengers in Illinois and Missouri were delayed up to 10 hours Friday and Saturday morning, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. With many tracks still strewn with downed trees and power lines, passengers were eventually taken by bus to their final destinations.

Trees were blown onto homes and cars, and a big Christmas tree in front of the New Hampshire Statehouse was toppled.

Truck driver David Huwe just got his 18-wheeler and load of frozen food back on the road Saturday after being stuck for more than 12 hours at a rest stop near Princeton, Ill., on Interstate 80, which was blocked by scores of trucks and cars that slid off the icy highway.

This evening, I am getting "cannot find server" alerts for Missouri-based Signifying Nothing and Sports Economist. Report in when your services work, guys.

By Saturday morning, the city had cleared my street and I had the sidewalks and driveway cleared.

Saturday, 9.30.

The moon is near full and that Night Before Christmas stuff about "luster of midday" is about right.