8) 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......
I think I once saw a snow blower in a catalog...
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
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.
It got up to 38 here, today. I went outside in the garage without a jacket. I had to salt all the wet spots because now, it's 31 on the way to -5 over night, and a high of 14 predicted tomorrow, with -13 overnight and more snow....There is no too hot to ride!!!!
I have always tried to help out my neighbors, no matter who they are. Some have been great, some not. Burn me too often, I quit being mr. nice guy. Used to have a shared driveway, and used to do the neighbors for them. Picked up a rock, (in his driveway) and was down for a week waiting for parts. He helped out with the shovel until parts came in, after that he shoveled the driveways if I was gone. Worst thing that ever happened between us (we used to mow each others lawn if the other was away) was when they were on vacation, a few days before they came back, I used my fertilizer spreader to write "CUT ME" on his front lawn. Kept him scratching his head until he saw it from a distance....we had a good chuckle over that.
Quote from: 49Reo on January 19, 2014, 20:02:32 PM
, I used my fertilizer spreader to write "CUT ME" on his front lawn. Kept him scratching his head until he saw it from a distance....we had a good chuckle over that.
You're quite the prankster, 49. So did you write "THIRSTY... NEED WATER" with your Round Up sprayer in the spring, too??? He'd get a real kick out of that!!
Sorry to hear about your troubles, Ratman Sounds like the "kid" needs to pull his weight.
Don't want to sound like I am whining or anything, but before the son moved back in ,I had no issues clearing their driveway, but to have a person half my age sitting inside playing games or watching TV while his dad and I clear the driveway just bothers me, and of course he is living rent free and he has a decent paying job so I am confused.
I remember as a young lad, my dad getting ready to go out and shovel snow, he would let me know who in the neighbourhood was old and should have help clearing their driveways, like right now, and of course you will not accept and money for doing what is your reward for being young and healthy......ok...got me here too......
Next time sonny walks by give a shout "I got you something!" and pass him Dad's shovel. >:(
I'm a southerner but have lived in the frozen wastelands... 12 FEET of snow, -65 degrees F... Down here people have LEAF blowers, never understood that myself. Fortunately for me everyplace I lived with massive snow, someone else was doing all the snow removal! It got to 52 here today, but will be 17 tomorrow! No snow except a dusting in spots so far this year.
Of course I can also remember some really great riding up north in the summer... none of the oppressive humidity and heat we have down here.
We get a bit of snow but it is always washed away by the rain..
We get a couple of days of sunshine every year as well, but that is washed away by the rain as well..
Did I mention that we get rain..
John.
You have white waxed cotton underwear, too?
Quote from: chief on January 20, 2014, 20:28:49 PM
Down here people have LEAF blowers,
My wifes brother uses a leaf blower to clear his driveway and sidewalk of snow. Says it works good unless you get a big dump of snow; couldn't use one here, it would get buried in snow!
Snow? I love the $#@^&* snow! I can't get enough of the @#@$%& snow. I live for the #@$#%& snow! Phew! I think I need a drink!
....and maybe a pill...... :o
....yes a pill...as soon as I finish blowing the @#@#$% snow!
;D think positive and all the cardiac work out that the shovelling of snow gives you......fantastic work out, and you can use all them new words you can not use in the house......
Quote from: CDNRatMan on January 19, 2014, 16:32:26 PM
8) 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.
They may be
really old like me, but they need to get on the stick with the snow removal. I just use my the front loader on my tractor. Makes quick work of things.
I have one neighbor that believes everyone should be willing to lend him whatever tools and machines he wants. We already had this discussion that, as a policy, I do not lend things out. It keeps things simpler when something breaks down, why did it break, who's fault was it, and who pays to fix it. And I certainly would not be lending out my tractor for someone to get themselves in trouble with. If we got some serious snow that the neighbors blowers couldn't handle, I have no problem digging any of them out with my front loader, or sending some wives over to shovel the sidewalks.
DC buddy it is not you old people that I have the issues with it is there live at home pay no rent kids who cann ot even come out to help once in a while with the snow moving.......tractor, you can actually climb up into a tractor, or climb down into it?........cool.....
Not exactly a snow rant, but my next door neighbor, Mark had an issue with his house last night. He and I swap snow removal for the sidewalks that belong to the "city". He rents the bottom half of a house, and has been there for years. The upper half has been vacant for 3 years. Last night, about 5:00, we noticed that water was pouring down the outside of his house, and freezing into a huge lake right by his back door. It must be a frozen pipe in the upper apartment. Mark is a bar babysitter, so we tried to get in touch with him where he does adult daycare (bar tending). We left messages, and he suddenly came home, and was there, working with his landlord until around 11:00 last night. There is a ServiceMaster truck and a plumber here, right now. It wasn't even that cold when it happened...only -4. It's warming up, here. I'm going out for a walk in a little while...it's +2 right now, and the sun is out! maybe I will take a pic or 2 of our new skating rink before someone shows up to go ice fishing in it!
Boy, thats bad ju-ju when a pipe breaks, big damage in a short time. Hope it all works out.
Quote from: CDNRatMan on January 29, 2014, 09:40:42 AM
DC buddy it is not you old people that I have the issues with it is there live at home pay no rent kids who cann ot even come out to help once in a while with the snow moving.......tractor, you can actually climb up into a tractor, or climb down into it?........cool.....
What do you think I am? I'm not climbing up into a tractor. I put a harness on and winch myself up into it.
The sub zeros are gone...for today. It got up to 35 about 2:00, and it snowed, about another 4"...then the wind changed and now it's 20 and going down to -5 over night. Damn, I hate Winter!!!!!!!
lol snowed again today and calling for more over night......so wait till the morning to see how much I have to move.....
About 3 " here, no biggie. Problem is it covers up the ice, which I then find the hard way, forcing me to try some funky dance moves......
ok got about 2" here and now the sidewalk plow just went past and so if I go out and clean the driveway and walks, oh perhaps 20 mins later the road plow will go past so might as well go out and do it.....lol......more fun and a good work out for me......
The sun came out, our 2-3" is now about an inch. Gotta like it...
;) yup got it done and it is over for the day , I have company tonight ....Capt. Morgan and Dr. Pepper dropped in for a visit and will be my company for the evening.......
Quote from: CDNRatMan on January 31, 2014, 20:02:19 PM
;) yup got it done and it is over for the day , I have company tonight ....Capt. Morgan and Dr. Pepper dropped in for a visit and will be my company for the evening.......
You have good taste in visitors