Long Islanders tell their snow tales

Riverhead

Al Hand of Riverhead, who works at a food store in Patchogue, got the day off because of the storm. "I thought we'd get more than this," he said. "I think they panicked because of the last one. This I actually would have driven to work in." Instead, "we cleared the snow. Did some chores."

Plainview

Town of Oyster Bay plow driver Frank Klarmann got to work at 3 a.m. Wednesday. He said he expected to keep going - with naps and meals in the highway department's building - until the storm breaks. In past years, he's been gone from home for as long as three days. "I have a very understanding wife," he said as he plowed streets in Plainview.

South Huntington

Sunny Chaudry of East Meadow, owner of the Deli, Cigar, Beer Center on Route 110 in South Huntington, spent the day at work. "Business was steady today," she said. "We're the only ones open in the area. The roads were crazy but closing was not an option. I look at it as a beautiful winter wonderland."

Patrick McKendry of Melville was shopping at a pharmacy in South Huntington because his wife sent him out to pick up Valentine's Day cards for their grandchildren and a birthday card for a stepson. "We want to make sure we get everything in the mail first thing in the morning so the cards get there by Sunday," he said. "The snow doesn't bother me; I live only about half mile away and I have a four-wheel drive." Mission accomplished, he was heading home for a spaghetti dinner.

Valley Stream

Ida Simos and son Antony, 10, of Valley Stream went sledding on snow tubes at Hall's Pond Park in West Hempstead. "There's nothing else" closer to home, she said.

Lake Ronkonkoma

Lisa Pham, 15, of Lake Ronkonkoma, was building a snowman next to smaller one on her front lawn. Why? "I told my brother I would make a bigger one," she said.

Uniondale

Tom Buckman, owner of Automatic Heat Service on Nassau Road, spent a lot of time outside operating a snowblower to clear the driveway entrances for his trucks. "We were open all day," he said. "We did a lot of emergency no-heat calls."

Snowfall: 5.8 inches-

Westbury

Jose Roman, 70, spent 20 minutes jump-starting his goddaughter's Honda Accord after she left the lights on and the battery died. Finally, loud, energetic Latin music blew through the Honda's speakers. "I hate this music," Roman said as he prepared to disconnect the cables. "But I like the weather."

John Fitzpatrick of Huntington, manager of Donohue Cecere Funeral Directors in Westbury, spent the day answering phone calls from grieving families in need of the firm's services, snow notwithstanding. Despite the weather, Fitzpatrick said his office had not canceled the several services and viewings scheduled. "This is a 24/7 job," he said. "We adapt and we are always ready to go."

Nesconset

Michael Gordillo, 17, a Connetquot High School student working at a grocery store in Nesconset, was outside shoveling snow. "Normally I work inside" behind the counter, he said. But he enjoyed the change of pace and the cold. "I like snowboarding and stuff," he said.

Port Jefferson

Steve Biscari-Amaral and nephew Jesse Fallon wanted to do something to warm up their spirits while they waited out the storm. Suddenly, it hit them: Why not build an Easter Island Moai statue out of snow? "I used to sculpt ice in Hawaii, so I was thinking about the tropical thing," said Biscari-Amaral, who owns a restaurant in Wading River. He and Fallon, 14, enlisted Biscari-Amaral's niece Sydney Fallon, 9, and neighbor Allie Nieves, 9, to build a replica of the monoliths, most of which were carved from compressed volcanic ash between 1250 and 1500. They formed a snow mold with cardboard and carved the 7-foot statue with hamburger flippers over about 21/2 hours.

Amagansett

Kate Howarth, a graphic artist-bartender, ventured out to photograph some snow scenes Wednesday morning before heading to work at a East Hampton restaurant. "It's gorgeous out today," she said. "I particularly like to shoot stuff outside and this was my first chance to shoot in the snow this year."

Rockville Centre

Tracy and Brant Kasschau are both teachers "so we were lucky to have the day off," Tracy said. That provided the opportunity for their 1-year-old son, Karter, to try his first-ever sleigh ride. "We bundled him up and took him outside," she said. "He definitely enjoyed it. He cried when we wanted to take him back in."