Tuesday, 08 January 2008 - Sturdy snow shovel, strong back

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for one sturdy snow shovel and a strong back.

The bad news:
Each January, when S makes his annual pilgrimmage to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, snowy or icy weather visits the neighborhood. This year is no exception.

Yes, it snowed last night, quite heavily in fact. Yes, because of our home's location along the cul de sac, we got more snow than our neighbors. Yes, since S isn't home, I have to shovel the snow all by myself.

The solution:
It took three sessions to clear the snow - all completed under T's expert supervision.

During the first session, I shovelled a path from the garage to the mailbox along the south side of the driveway so I could set out the recycling bin and trash bag. I swept the front porch and steps. I also cleared a narrow path from the front porch to the end of the driveway so T and I could reach the street and proceed to the park for our morning walk.

During the second session, I shovelled the sidewalk in front of our house and Bill's house. I also widened the path from the front porch to the sidewalk. During the third session, I finished clearing the driveway. I also cleared a large 20' x 20' area of the cul de sac that sits in front of the driveway and mailbox - didn't want the mail delivery person to get stuck in front of our property like she did last year.

The good news:
I am finally finished with my task du jour. I am tired in a good way and won't have to workout this evening. Although I had a few near misses, I did not slip and fall on the ice. My front yard garden now lies beneath an extra thick blanket of fresh snow. I earned the right to eat a small piece of extra dark organic Belgian chocolate.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.