Volunteers clear out a path on a Sea Bright sidewalk. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Frank Bain’s register was humming yesterday, with regulars stocking up on ice melter, shovels and sleds at his Ocean Avenue business, Bain’s Hardware.
“They were more prepared for this storm than the last one,” Bain told redbankgreen.
After a treacherous pounding on December 26-27, locals were on high alert for what was expected to be another foot or so to drop last night.
In comparison to that blizzard, though, this one was a dud.
Twin brothers Eric and Joe Dark wrap up a morning of shoveling outside their Little Silver home. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
Throughout the Green, it was hard to tell, with the remnants of the last snowfall still piled up, that anything happened at all last night. Streets were clear, businesses were generally open on time and the ubiquitous sense of frustration that permeated the region during the last storm was replaced with relief.
“It could have been worse,” said Jeff Wiehl, of Fair Haven. “We were expecting it. It’s expected in this area.”
Little Silver resident Bill Dark said he didn’t have to do much prepping for last night’s storm because he had plenty of leftovers from the last snow drop. He was out with his two sons, Eric and Joe, clearing out the driveway, thankful it wasn’t even half of what they had to dig out of last time.
“I was a little disappointed,” Dark joked. “I thought I was going to have to go to work today.”
Considering there’s already been a couple snowfalls this early in the winter, Dark said he thinks there are going to be a few more off days in his future.
“It’s not a good start,” he said.
At Edie’s Luncheonette, bundled-up customers nearly filled the restaurant for a late breakfast. The eatery was open just an hour later than usual, at 8a. Server Danielle DeNigris said she could have done without the snow altogether, but she’ll take this kind of weather over a thick blanketing of snow.
“I’m really happy because I don’t like being snowed in,” she said. “I thought we were getting a lot more than this.”
She’s not optimistic that the weather beatings are over yet, though. Neither is Bain, who stood outside his hardware store Wednesday morning and took advantage of the bright sun beating down.
“We were very lucky. The last storm was just too big. There was no place to put anything,” he said. “Sixty-seven days until spring. Not that we’re counting.”
