wideeyedfunk

Tag: shoveling snow

  • Snow shovel is worried.

    Does it have a reason to be ? I’d say so.

    20141210_161412There it is, leaning by the back stoop waiting for the new snow fall. The first big one this season was a bust in Buffalo, but Snow shovel got some snow removal action. Another snow fall is happening tonight and tomorrow. Not a big one – which is actually best for Snow shovel.  If the snow is only a couple of inches the WideEyedSpouse tends to grab the shovel instead of the snow thrower. It’s quieter. Snow shovel appreciates the action – you know it gets bored waiting around for snow.

    But.

    But snow shovel is broken. One whole side is fractured away. Too many freeze thaw cycles in Minnesota and Buffalo. Too many wet, heavy snows. Last year a whole chunk sheared off and fracture lines are visible throughout the entire scoop. Snow shovel has to know it is a matter of time.

    Today is the day.

    I was wandering through Lowe’s looking for a bin big enough to haul a dismembered axis deer carcass and moseyed past a rack of new yellow Snow shovels. Their scoops gleamed. Their blades were keen. I could hear their little bossy voices nattering at each other because they are bored, bored, bored sitting inside. They were still in China (probably) when the big storm hit a couple of weeks ago and the next one can’t come soon enough. At least that’s what I think they said – the overhead Christmas carols were a little loud.

    20141210_161301New Snow shovel is laying in the grass about 40 feet from old Snow Shovel. I didn’t want to put it too close to the old one, just in case. You know. Accidents happen.

  • The snow shovel crept to the front of the garage.

    Five months ago the bright yellow snow shovel lurked in the back of the garage, giggling and biding its time. It was creepy and irritating.

    SnowthrowerToday the show shovel made its move to the front of the garage. It rests on the snow thrower. The WideEyedSpouse and I excavated the snow thrower from under a heap of empty plant pots and landscaping tools in the back corner. It now lives in a prime position in the front so that when, not if, the snows come I can just crack open the carriage door and drag that wretched, growling, exhaust belching machine out into the winter calm.

    I like to stand for a moment in the quiet hiss of a million flakes landing and wallow in the low skies and monochromatic peace of the snows before I crank up the 2-stoke. After that it’s all shock and awe and far flung snow masses and the crunchy rip of dog toys grinding through the blades and fwoop, out the chute into the neighbor’s yard. There’s no serenity in these moments of driveway clearing. Of course there’s no pain either and that’s the whole point of a snow thrower isn’t it?

    One hundred feet of driveway. Fifteen minutes of roar, putt, putt, putt, roar. Ten minutes of detail work with the vile snow shovel and I’m back inside for coffee. The WideEyedSpouse always looks so fresh and clean and relaxed when I drag my snowy, motor oil stinking self back inside. He leaves for work early. I leave for work by climbing the stairs from the kitchen. An unfortunate side effect of my work-from-home life includes responsibility for the snow thrower.

    I guess I better get some 2-stroke oil and a gallon of gas. The clouds are rolling in, the temperatures are dropping.