The snow fairies

I got out the door early and shoveled the sidewalks this morning. Then I brushed off the cars. I knew it had to happen sometime. It's difficult to escape from some form of winter in the D. But it makes me pine for the days of yore.

There was a time in my life when someone else would do the walks for me. I would politely ask them, with no underlying threats involved whatsoever, and they would take shovels and clear the walk. I would gratefully watch them through the windows with a hot cup of coffee. Or hot chocolate. Or something...warmer. And they would clear the snow.

Our kids are supposed to grow up and go on their own, right? But isn't there a law somewhere that they're still supposed to come home after winter storms and clear our walks? 

Asking for a friend.

Saturday plans

You know what? Wet snow is heavy. Six inches of wet snow is even heavier.

But as with so many others, I had to get out this morning to clear the heavy snow because rain is coming. It will be followed by cold, which will freeze the rain on top of the snow. That would be heavier, and perhaps impossible to clear.

So I'll make another pass soon and then toss down salt before turning in for the night. Yep. That'll work.

Old guy planning his day signing out.

The first winter storm

Depending on exactly where you live, the Detroit area got 4-6 inches of snow yesterday. On the one hand, this is the latest I can recall (and I can recall about 48 of my 58 years) we've went before getting a significant snowfall. On the other hand, it's still snow, with all the problems that go along with it.

The older I get the less use I have for winter. It's just cold and slippery, and dirty once the pristine whiteness of newly fallen snow becomes mixed in with the grime of city streets and sidewalks. The irony, if irony is the right term, is that I'm really no fan of summer either. It's too hot and uncomfortable even with baseball and golf as saviors. I like May and September: warm enough that you can wear shorts and tees during the day, and maybe need one blanket at night.

I keep telling myself that I should be thankful that winter has been mild here, especially considering how badly beaten up the east coast and our neighbors south of here have had it. I remind myself hourly (okay, every few minutes) that we're actually only six weeks away from being past the worst of winter storms and temperatures. Yet when I look outside this morning and see winter's grip, to open my laptop to read the weather report for the next ten days (cold, too cold), such encouragement doesn't help.

Especially as I have to go outside and scrape off the cars in an hour.

Hating winter

It's official. I'm calling it right now, just like an election.

After shoveling snow off and on for over 24 hours, after clearing it from my home and my work, and after digging three cars out, I'm calling it.

Winter sucks. And it's only December 12.

Christmas aside, it is no longer the most wonderful time of the year. Nope, not by a long shot. Spring cannot get here quickly enough.