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Out and about in downtown Fairfield about 9 p.m. Friday, scarcely a creature was stirring — save a few cross-country skiers heading up and over the Unquowa Road bridge and a sun-glasses-wearing snowman out front of  Las Vetas lounge, which, alas was closed.

Only the redoubtable Mike’s Pizza was still doing business in the center of town.

Meanwhile …

The proverbial bowling ball could have been rolled down the middle of the Post Road (U.S. 1, for gosh sakes) and hit … nothing.

And over at the downtown railroad station here’s a sign that could break a late-night commuter’s heart …

But the “Service Change” has so far not stopped Metro-North trains from rolling through, in both directions, on a reduced schedule.  Here’s an eastbound train now …

Didn’t look like a soul got off. We’ll see about tomorrow.

Meantime, seems like someone left those eerie pink lights on at the psychic’s shop on Miller Street.

Snow has changed to a driven, icy sleet mix for the time being … but a forceful snowy re-boot is expected late night.

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As the blizzard and ongoing travel conditions have severely impacted our ability to deliver some of our newspapers to subscribers, we are offering free access to our E-editions.

You can access the electronic edition of each of our daily newspapers – whether from a tablet or desktop – by clicking one of the links below.

If you’re unfamiliar with an E-edition, there’s a quick tutorial link at the top of the page. This is an electronic version of the paper’s print edition – page by page.

We are making every effort to resume our delivery of newspapers as soon as possible.

Connecticut Post:
Desktop
Tablet/Laptop/Mobile

Danbury News Times
Desktop
Tablet/Laptop/Mobile

Stamford Advocate
Desktop
Tablet/Laptop/Mobile

Greenwich Time
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Shot this really odd tree on South Pine Creek Rd in Fairfield, Conn. What is it?

t is it?

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Following is a sampler of what Westporters were saying Friday about the snow storm that the National Weather Service predicted was poised to grow overnight into a fierce blizzard, pummeling the region with winds as high as 60 mph and leaving as much as 2 feet of snow in its wake. From reporter Paul Schott.

FIRE CHIEF ANDREW KINGSBURY, Westport’s emergency management director
“It’s actually been pretty quiet, except for a couple of motor vehicle accidents. We’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen. There’s still quite a bit of storm left. We’d advise residents to stay inside and stay put.”
Fire officials also say there are no plans, as of Friday afternoon, to open the town’s emergency shelter at Long Lots Elementary School.

DORIS JACOBY, Weston resident and visiting the Westport Public Library
“I’m looking forward to going home and hunkering down with heat, water and light. It’s kind of nice not have any appointments with this weather. There’s tranquility.”

STACIE KAPETANEAS, manger, Coffee An’ shop on Main Street
“We have a lot of people coming in today, looking to get out of the storm, and get something hot to eat or drink. We’re doing fine so far, so we can’t complain.”

JIMMY IZZO, owner, Ace Hardware Store on Main Street
“There’s been heavy traffic coming in for everything from ice melter, snow shovels, batteries, firewood, heaters, flashlights, windshield washer fluid and traction sand. It really pumps up the business and we’re looking to sell a lot of sleds tomorrow.”
He said business this week has matched the lead up the December 2010 blizzard. The demand for storm supplies picked up Thursday and continued Friday, with the storm very busy as of 7 a.m. Friday.

ROSS DENER, Staples High School senior
“It’s exciting being one of the last few people out here in the storm. It’s kind of cool to see Westport without many people around. If the power goes out, I’ll probably be kind of irritated.”

RILEY WARD, Staples High School senior
“It’s Friday, I don’t want to be cooped up inside.”

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From Staff Writer David Hennessey:

It’s Friday night and, blizzard or no blizzard, Greenwich residents need their pizza.

As of early Friday evening, with snow beginning to fall in earnest, Pomodoro in Riverside was still open for business.

And still delivering pizzas.

Though other popular Greenwich food and beverage spots — like the Starbucks on Greenwich Avenue — had already put out “closed for snowstorm” signs on front doors, the ovens inside Pomodoro were still hot and firing up calzones, pasta dishes, and flavorful pizzas.

Mark Mazzotta, restaurant president and founder, said Pomodoro is equipped with a four-wheel-drive vehicle to handle deliveries during winter storms. Though, for safety reasons, restaurant employees can’t deliver into the backcountry during wicked nor’easters, they’ll at least handle drop-offs within a couple-mile radius of Pomodoro for as long as the conditions allow.

Mazzotta predicted it would be “like Armageddon” later Friday with heavy snow pummeling the area and businesses closing up shop until the storm cleared, but he and his employees had no plans to lock up until at least 9 p.m. Friday, he said.

“We’re staying open as long as we can,” he said.

Mazzotta thought Pomodoro would continue to reflect the character of a cozy, welcoming Italian eatery as the storm progressed, offering weary travelers off the highways and diners looking for a piping hot, hearty meal a respite from the blizzard conditions.

Regulars can also rest assured that Pomodoro is ready to serve them — even when Mother Nature serves up a brutal storm, Mazzotta said.

“They’re absolutely confident we’re here and we’re open,” he said.

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Greenwich students might be thrilled with their extended February break, but the day off comes at the expense of summer vacation.

Hurricane Sandy, which closed schools for six days, erased the district’s snow day reserve. The district has five snow days built into the calendar, with school ending on June 21 if no more than five snow days are used.

The Board of Education decided in November that if school is shut for one more day, the last day of school will be on June 24. If there are two or more snow days, the days will be made up starting with the end of the April break.

So, good for kids who prefer to spend their days off skiing or snowboarding, not those who can’t wait to get to the beach.

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New York — Rush hour arrived at Grand Central at lunchtime Friday, as commuters scrambled to catch one of dozens of northbound trains before Nor’easter Nemo buffets the region.

With the cold rain in New York City turning into ice pellets about 1, into fat flakes by 2:30, and blanketing Midtown sidewalks by 5, Metro-North officials warned on big signs and over speakers that service could be cut with little notice.

“Once one or two o’clock hit, I was anxious to get out of the office,” admitted Carin Grossman, who works in marketing at NYU’s Langone Medical Center, looking relieved she’d get to board the 3:04 train home to Greenwich.

At work, the city residents were a picture of calm, she said, while her fellow commuters began worrying about spare batteries, portable radios and the potential for having to shovel up to two feet of snow.

“If we lose power,” she added, “it could be days.”

Steps away, the frustration had already piled up for shoe-shiner Adriana Chung.

“Ten customers, all day,” she said, slumped over the cash register of Leather Spa, beside train platform 104. That’s about 20 times fewer customers than normal, she added. 

“So guess what? No money.”

Bored and blind in the station’s basement, she had no idea what the weather looked like outside — or how she might get home to New Jersey if it got especially ugly (it hadn’t yet).

Her nearest problem: All around her, people lingered in rain- and snow boots. Leather shoes, the potential clients, could be found speedwalking past to catch a train — some sprinting.

“The whole office was dead,” recalled Richard, an investment banker from Wilton, settling into the 3:36 to South Norwalk.

One bonus: Richard — who asked if this reporter was only interested in “us idiots” who came to work today (Answer: “Well…”) — got to polish off a pile of work that he’d previously not been able to.

The other bonus?

Asked if he was ready for the blizzard, he cracked a smile.

“My wife is.”