Ice Dams

Well, it has been awhile since my last letter, so I thought I would drop everyone a line. In the last two weeks we have had 20 inches of snow, but a small melting off due to the higher temps (high twenties). Of course, with all this melting comes the evil ice dam. What, you may ask, is an ice dam? Well, it has been quite an education for me as well. The definition of an ice dam, from www.homedirect.com/glossary is :
A condition which can occur with snow and freezing conditions. When snow or ice melts on a roof over a heated or partially heated attic space, the melting water may refreeze over an unheated areas such as a roof overhang. This re-frozen water may create a "dam" and allow additional melt water to back up under shingles and cause leaks (Illustration "A"). Solutions include: proper roof venting and insulation (Illustration "B"), membrane roofing or roofing underlayment, and heat tapes. Once an ice dam occurs, remedies are difficult and or dangerous. Working on a frozen roof should be avoided, as should the use of any open flames. The use of hot water to melt the ice may help, it may also increase the amount of leakage.
Well, we have one of these, and the ice has worked its way into our attic above the bathroom. Very strange. Water and ice are forces to be reckoned with. Clay had been continually raking the roof (he bought a roof rake....see
http://www.plowhearth.com/plow_assets/images/shop/catalog/8593.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.plowhearth.com/product.asp%3Fsection_id%3D2005%26department%3D3006%26search_type%3Dcategory%26search_value%3D3120%26pcode%3D8006&h=253&w=230&sz=20&tbnid=63E0pMoJP24J:&tbnh=106&tbnw=96&start=12&prev=/images%3Fq%3Droof%2Brake%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN if you need a real mental picture), but it got so warm one day that there was a lot of melting and refreezing before he got home from work. I am not a roof raker.
I have been acclimating rather well to the weather here. Less of the hats and scarves. It really decreases the time it takes to get ready if you don't need those. Of course, my new coat really helps. I got the Lands' End Belted Down Parka in Antique Ivory (http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/0,,1_2_1930_2330_109214_87661_5:view=59,00.html?sid=4006181615566110010), and it is very warm. My wool pea coat was not cutting it. Too many places for wind to sneak into. I now know why hoods have fur or fake fur on them...they really help keep the snow out of your eyes when it is snowing. It is also good down to -15 without layers and -35 with layers. My kind of jacket.
New find in the grocery store: Lefsa (http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/shoppe.asp?cat=4&subcat=Breads). Not very tasty although someone told me storebought Lefsa isn't very good. I would call it a triangular tortilla made out of potato. You are supposed to spread butter on it, sprinkle with sugar and eat.
Take care and hope everyone is well.