13 responses to “In the lane, snow is glist’nin’…”

1. 

   Joe Kobiela said on December 16, 2007 at 4:12 pm

   Next time Al Gore talks about global warming, he can Kiss my butt.
   Joe K

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2. 

   alex said on December 16, 2007 at 7:47 pm

   Next time Joe denies global warming, he can eat my dried green tomatoes. He’ll have to wait ’til next summer, however.

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3. 

   ashley said on December 16, 2007 at 10:02 pm

   I remember a Drew Carey routine where he talked about taking an aerosol can outside and just spraying into the atmosphere. “Global warming my ass — I’m cold *now*”.

   Of course, I used to think that people with snowblowers were wimps. Goobers who weren’t ballsy enough to shovel it. Then, I lived in Chicago. Carry on, Alan.

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4. 

   MichaelG said on December 16, 2007 at 10:53 pm

   A snow blower. I’ve never even looked at one up close. Hope I never have to. I did grow up in the “Chicagoland Area” and once had more than a passing acquaintance with a snow shovel, but that was in my youth. Let’s keep it that way. I once perused a web site that was selling Chev V-8 powered snow blowers. It’s out there somewhere. Wild. I’m glad I went to Susanville last week. This week it will be very difficult. You all cold country people are stronger than I am.

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5. 

   nancy said on December 16, 2007 at 11:00 pm

   We used to be strictly shovel people, until we bought a house with a long driveway and an even bigger cement apron. Parts of the back of the house get no direct sun until spring, so the first year we were here we were breaking up compacted ice on 50-degree days in March.

   The next year: Fossil fuel-aided snow removal.

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6. 

   John C said on December 17, 2007 at 6:52 am

   I’m with Nancy. (and am a fellow Grosse Pointer) We don’t have a long driveway. But we have a very long sidewalk and are only three blocks from town, which means a lot of people walk by our house. Our village plows the sidewalks, but not very well, often leaving ankle-wrenching frozen lumps. So not long after we moved in I bit the bullet and bought a blower (they aren’t cheap!). I don’t especially care for the noise. But they are fun. And our sidewalks are clear.
   What great snow today, by the way. A solid foot and good quality. I came in from clearing our sidewalks, looked at my wife, and said: “This will be the snow by wich our children will measure all other snow.” I was right. Our kids are 8 and 5 and they and pals were out in it for hours … building forts, making snow angels, sledding. I know those of you living in snow-free zones feel sorry for us on days like this. Don’t. It was magical.

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7. 

   brian stouder said on December 17, 2007 at 8:17 am

   What John C said! The young folks loved it. We let Grant run our blower, once I made the first cut down the driveway, and then Shelby wanted her turn….so all dad had to do was go out and finish up (the foot of the driveway was knee-deep with plowed, packed snow)

   – plus they got a snow day out of it today!

   Life is good

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8. 

   MichaelG said on December 17, 2007 at 8:56 am

   I hope nobody thought I was criticizing the use of snow blowers. When I was a kid with a shovel there was no such thing as a home snow blower. I would have loved to have had one. Now I live in a snow free zone and am most pleased that I don’t need one. If I had a use for one I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

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9. 

   nancy said on December 17, 2007 at 9:27 am

   None taken, Michael. I used to be opposed to blowers on the noise issue alone, but once you’ve run one, you quickly become a fan. It’s not the labor-saving, but the way it makes these perfect paths with 90-degree, sheared-off sides. I’ve long loved the sorts of tasks that have a definite beginning and end, and snow removal is one of my favorites.

   Why can’t they put decent mufflers on two-stroke engines? That’s what I want to know.

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10. 

    MichaelG said on December 17, 2007 at 10:03 am

    Now leaf blowers . . . Ever watched some dope out there trying to blow wet leaves?

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11. 

    Connie said on December 17, 2007 at 10:20 am

    Had 10 inches here in Goshen, and it took my husband 4 hours to shovel us out while my daughter and her boyfriend were both asleep in the house. Didn’t seem quite right to me. We cancelled our planned day with family in Holland, somehow driving up 31 through blowing lake effect just didn’t do it for us.

    And of course we have to shovel our deck so the dog will deign to go out.

    We talked about making soup, but couldn’t come up with the right combination of ingredients for any of our faves. The long grocery list finally went to the store yesterday evening. I can make soup now but will probably make Christmas cookies instead.

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12. 

    LAMary said on December 17, 2007 at 10:49 am

    With four brothers there was no need for a snow blower in our house when I was growing up. Between us we cleared the driveways and sidewalks, then hit the neighborhood to make money shoveling other people’s walks. Do kids do that anymore? Snow shoveling, grass mowing, leaf raking for bucks? Maybe we were just more mercenary than other families.

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13. 

    Julie Robinson said on December 17, 2007 at 2:01 pm

    Yes, we actually had two boys come to our door yesterday with big shovels and even bigger smiles! Bad luck for them, we’ve got a 20 year old son out on Christmas break. Last year when he was away at school I would’ve hired them in a heartbeat.

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