Snow Rant

[zig]

Would you guys do me a favor? If I'm on here in July and August whining about it being too hot to ride, remind me of this so I'll shut up. Okay?
I've lived in the south my whole life. Only time I've ever shoveled snow was in Cape May, NJ in '85 during the Coast Guard boot camp. Thankfully, I've never had neighbors that take me for granted. I can see your frustration.

[jmbo]

I feel your pain! At least from the point of snow removal and "the-neighbor-who-doesn't-know-crap-about-machines-borrows-your-blower-and-punches-a-con-rod-out-through-the-side-of-the-crank-case."  Thanks to my neighbor (who no longer lives next door) blowing up my Simplicity, my current snow blower is a 19?? "franken-blower" made up of at least three different brands kludged together and painted Army camo-green.  It runs! And thanks be to the fact that it was originally built when men were men and snowblowers were steel, the beast does a pretty good job.

Now as far a neighbors are concerned, I am lucky. We've lived in this house for nearly 40 years. I've always had a snow blower.  (This is Wisconsin, Who doesn't) Ever since we moved in I made it a habit that when it snowed I'd do the sidewalk by the street - the whole sidewalk from street corner to street corner in front of six neighbor's houses.  Then our neighbors who are in their 80's got laid up and is unable to get around so I start doing their driveway and sidewalks as well as mine.  Here's the cool part. A younger couple move in on the other side of Mr. and Mrs. 80's.  He sees me blow the walks and the neighbors' drive. This goes on for about half a winter.  Next thing I know I get up and my front walk is done and so is my neighbor's drive.  That was seven years ago.  Ever since then whenever it snows, the first guy up and out blowing snow does the job - the whole job.

As I say - When it comes to neighbors, I am lucky

[chief]

I think I once saw a snow blower in a catalog...

[CDNRatMan]

      ok so I have a snow blower, Toro, 924, nice machine, just paid $300.00 to have it repaired, enough said about that, even though it was not my fault. So I have a shared driveway, retired couple living next door to me, he is really old and she is up there too, they are really old like DC, then on the other side is a single lady who is a PSW who works odd hours with her client base.
So the shared drive way couple she never comes outside other then to get in the vehicle to leave. Friday night it snowed and snowed hard and heavy, I was up and outside at 0930 and cleared behind my truck and was clearing in front of the truck and I was doing half of theirs, when the son came home, had been out drinking and fishing on the ice all night. He got a parcel and left again, I got the driveway done did about 6 ft. in the bank in front of the house, and then went and did the lady on the other side because she was away. So I was near done when son comes home and goes in house. I park and clean everything. Go and run some errands.  Come home and street plow has gone passed, so I back into driveway and get scoop and clear in front of my place, only. My arthritic knees are really sore and hurting. About 3 hours later I see dad clearing the drift behind son's jeep and the rest of the driveway.
Tinkering on the bike about 0200 this morning could not sleep knees were really sore, hear a car idling in the front......son coming home and spending time chatting in the car. Snowing really hard at this time........at 0700 the dad is outside and scrapping the driveway down and I look out and lots of snow. I am not going anyplace.....so I try to sleep a bit more......Phone rings ....brother in law...they are getting a major storm....so we chat, really snowing outside. I make brunch and relax watching TV at about noon I hear the neighbours car start up and leave, mom and dad are gone. Snow has stopped, so I go out and I clear all behind the truck and move the truck out to the street, clean were dad had done it and blow my banks back because dad had piled a bunch there. I was just getting ready to finish when son comes out to let his dog pee, and he then makes a pile of snow right behind his jeep, and I came in......
He wanted me to either come back out and clear it with the blower or loan it to him, I told him I was too tired to come back out and I was not going to loan my newly repaired machine out .....not sure who broke it.......but know it was him...duh....so shed is now locked.......do I feel bad...nope....ok vent over with......