Some people have been perpetually wandering around with a scowl on their faces, complaining about how rotten this winter has been. I can't understand what the problem could be with these people.
How can anyone take issue with mountains of snow and the perpetual backache that comes with the shoveling of these mountains? How can anyone complain about the multiple bruises they've sustained from falling on ice hidden under the mountains of snow or scraped skin on your legs from falling through layers of snow to the crusty layer of ice formed the week before during that delicious ice storm? And how dreary would our winter be without the excessive build up of ice on the roofs of our homes causing sudden surprise leaks inside our bedrooms and living rooms! How can anyone have a problem with shoveling out an area for their pets to use as a potty or making a pathway in chest deep snow so the oil man can find the fill spout? And of course the price of that precious oil has gone up and up...like we lost a bet on predicted snowfall accumulation and that's our pay out. But that's no reason to be grumpy is it? Come on! Where's your New England sense of humor? Where's that pioneer spirit??
There's actually many reasons to be grateful. For example...the snow is piled so high you now have a legitimate reason to hit the neighbors brand new car as you are pulling out just as he goes by with that smug look on his face. You can't see a thing pulling out of your driveway, right? And the layers of ice on the roads, left by the plows that only come through on alternating storms, well that just gives you a perfect reason for bumping off the neighborhood bully kid...the one that keeps finding sticks to throw at your dogs all summer long...then runs to tell his parents when the dogs bark their heads off at the little beast of a child. What a shame to lose little Johnny from our happy neighborhood! And with so much snow on the sides of the sidewalk, I'm sure that will give you a lot of extra time to find a way to blame the snow plow drivers for the reappearance of that crabby old lady from down the block when she shows up in a snowbank....still clutching the cane she threatens to hit people with and with a surprised expression on her frozen face.
And lets not forget that all this snow is covering up the bits and pieces of junk I couldn't sell at that tag sale last summer. I remember the exact moment I discovered it sinks so well and is covered so quickly with snow when I 'accidentally' dropped it in someone else's yard 2 streets away. (Happy day!)And the broken snow shovels will look so festive and be such a welcome surprise in the yard of that woman that likes to let her two little dogs crap on my lawn during the summer,when the snow melts in her yard. (You are welcome!) I can still see in my minds eye the way those two old tires 'got away' from me and went rolling into the back yard of the man that never mows his lawn. He'll be pleased as punch in the spring when he finds he's got two more items to use for decorative flower planters. (No need to thank me...just being neighborly!)
So yeah, it's been a tough winter but there's been some compensations too. I got a great big belly laugh out of the mailman's attempt (and failure) to walk on top of the crusty snow in my yard in an attempt to take a short cut to the neighbors house. Once you're in chest deep snow it's pretty much over, Dude! But he's got a lot of pluck and apparently very little concern for his safety. He was back again and trying something new the next day. That's pretty much why I make sure he gets home baked treats every once in awhile. The guy has no idea how much he makes me laugh!
And today we've got a wee melt going on and it's a perfect time to 'redistribute' some of that snow. I tell people I want to get the snow away from the foundation of my house but really it's just that I want to keep some things hidden until spring. Nobody needs to know right now that I forgot to put the grill away before it snowed...or that the compost bin tipped over some time ago and I thought I had time to clean that up before the snow came...or that several of my planters were left outside over the winter and are now broken pieces of pottery hiding under that snow. We'll just keep that to ourselves for now shall we?
