Shoveling

HEALTH UPDATE: Mostly the same! Physical therapy was great! Also tried 20 minutes of yoga. Feels hopeful. Otherwise, zero major health drama!

Ramblings…

I love snow. I’m craving frosting because today the beautiful snow looks just like a million pounds of powdered sugar. I love to shovel. I have close and strong feelings for my shovel. It’s a special shovel. It’s the second one I’ve gotten. The first one broke during a 17” storm of heavy wet snow. I can’t recall the year. I remember feeling really disappointed that there was no fix. It was several years old. What were the odds that I could find a replacement? I went back to the source and there she was. Same shovel except for the stick part. Orange instead of yellow. I wanted an exact duplicate but beggars can’t be choosers. Orange it is! The new shovel handled just like my old broken one. It is so light. If it’s only a dusting outside I can sweep up the flakes with one hand. Her plastic scoop dances over the concrete like we are hand in hand on a ballroom floor. She’s delicate but sturdy. If it’s a heavy snow adjustments are made. Smaller scoops but with the same reliability.

The whole thing just gets more bizarre. When it comes to shoveling I’m completely crazy. I don’t know when this started or why. I’m just so particular. There is a certain level of clean up that must be done. I live in the city so there is a sidewalk, curb and gutter. The two corners at the end of the driveway must be exposed and clean of snow. If it isn’t, the width of the driveway becomes smaller and smaller as winter progresses. Next thing you know the car won’t fit through the end of the driveway! There must be room for our most amazing mail carriers to reach our mailbox. There must be room for our garbage can on every Thursday. Therefore, snow is shoveled until at least a speck of curb is exposed. The sidewalk and driveway must be shoveled to the edge of the concrete. Like the end of the driveway, if you let it go it will freeze and never be the full true width until spring. If you are reading this and are my neighbor, I hope this answers a lot of questions you may have if you have ever watched me shovel. Ha ha.

Today was the best shoveling day, possibly ever. It was so deep, light and fluffy! Neighbor Bill is so kind. He removed all the snow from our entire driveway and sidewalk! It was awesome because there was so much work yet for me to do. As I was carving out my corners, I reflected on last year this time. I could barely sit up, let alone shovel. I was too exhausted to reach for a tissue. I was so sick. I missed the entire shoveling season. I really do not recall shoveling once. Neighbor Walter took care of our snow removal all of last winter. Another kind and generous neighbor. Many thanks!! I’m praising God for my renewed strength and energy. I’m looking at my work. The front looks good. It won’t last forever though. The city plow will surely cover my exposed curb and corners. There is so much snow. It will be a job for the blower. It will take care of the heavy weight of street snow. My beloved shovel will take care of the details. Cancer has the same concept. It will likely get messy again at some point. I’ll just need to go clean it up again. Another real life story to add to my analogies of having cancer. There are new coping skills to be applied to my current situation everywhere I turn.

I’m not done yet. This is winter 2021, covid-19 style. We’ve got activity space in the backyard. It’s no cook out in the front but it will have to do. I go to the back next and take care of the paths. I have one from the driveway, along the side of the house and down the back to our hillbilly skating rink. We made a little one for Willow out of a waterbed liner. It took longer than expected to freeze but that baby is ready to skate on! Next is the path down the sledding hill for easy return up the hill. It’s a fun little hill! It’s not enormous or steep but it’s still fun. It’s perfect for Willow’s snow scooter. Tom and Willow love to ride the sled down together. I love it too. Especially getting on the ground and even funnier, getting back up.

What an amazing day. I loved every bit of it.