I was almost feeling bad over the weekend. For a while, I was thinking I hadn’t really gotten any exercise. I usually get out to take the dog for a hike somewhere, but I didn’t manage to do that this past weekend. Too much snow.
Then I remembered. I shoveled. And then shoveled some more. And then a bit more. The additional shoveling was mostly the result of those operating the plows deciding the roads needed to be just a little bit wider. While I may tend to curse them a bit under my breath as I dig through the heavy, slushy stuff they have deposited at the end of my driveway, I will tend to think the opposite while meeting oncoming traffic when driving. It really is nice to have the roads wider. I just wish I didn’t have to shovel it.
There are alternatives. The easy way to move all that white stuff around is to get something with a plow attached and just push it while sitting in a nice comfortable seat. That’s not really an option I want to get into right now.
But there are things like snow blowers and electric shovels that offer the chance to make life a bit easier in the snow.
The snow blower does seem like a good option. Although I have found in the past that they require almost as much effort as shoveling. Moving them around, shifting them from one path to the next does take effort. But the snow moves much faster, so it is an improvement.
I don’t know much about the electric shovels. They seem like a good idea. I don’t know how well they work, especially in our climate where snow can very quickly end up with the consistency of porridge. But they look lighter and easier to maneuver than the snow blower, but move snow faster than a shovel. I might have to give one a try some day.
In the meantime, I’ll stick with the shovel. I get exercise. The dog plays in the snow as I use it, so she gets exercise. The snow gets cleared. Everyone is happy. Maybe not my back, but that will cheer up before long.
