Shoveling Snow S##KS!

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

I spent my formative years in N.Y., Milwaukee, and Chicago. The wife and I "escaped" to Southern Tennessee in 1977. It's very seldom that we receive any real snow. Yesterday the Lord blessed us with 5" (measured on top of my trashcan lid).  We just spent the last 4 hours shoveling our steep driveway.  The snow was followed by sleet which left a nice frozen layer of ice beneath the snow.  We're exhausted! It will take several adult beverages to recover this evening. I don't remember shoveling being this difficult when I was younger. As two retired aging "Baby Boomers", this is not an activity we wish to participate in on a regular basis.

 

Bless you my Northern pards who have to look forward to this on a yearly basis! My brother who still lives near Green Bay, WI laughed at me when I sent him pictures. I had to remind him that he has a 10 hp snowblower and can mount a plow on his 4wd pickup. It's been decades since he has had to shovel anything.

 

Spring can't come soon enough for me.

 

  

[Rip Snorter]

You need a plow and / or a snowblower!  I shoveled snow everywhere I lived, till I got a snowblower.  Here I still have a little shoveling, but the plow is the greatest.  Last summer I bought a riding mower - should have done that years ago!  Same deal.

[Warden Callaway]

Got a half mile of private drive.  Use a loader with snow blade.

 

[Eyesa Horg]

21 minutes ago, TN Mongo, SASS #61450 said:

The snow was followed by sleet which left a nice frozen layer of ice beneath the snow. 

Just breaking your tired stones. If it sleeted AFTER the snow,how did it get under the snow?! I feel your pain, I'll likely have to plow our quarter mile drive tomorrow!!

All summer I can't wait for cooler weather, all winter I can't wait for warmer weather. 

[Rip Snorter]

Above freezing since I got up - waiting for things to soften up a bit then make a run down the driveway with UTV & plow.  It was glassy this morning.  If nothing else the cleated tires break up the soft ice for a bit of traction.  I have quite a long drive as well.  Some years ago we had a lot of wind and snow - 8 hours with the loader on the tractor to get through drifts to the road.

Edited January 11 by Rip Snorter
Typo

[Maddog McCoy SASS #5672]

I just came in for clearing the lane and the parking area here on the farm. Got stuck on the ice twice with the truck. Best part was my friend down the road had came over with his 4 wheel drive tractor and blade and cleaned most of it up and it is starting to melt. Bad part is my e-wife has my snowblower up in Chicago where I lived for 25 years and it has sat in her garage and not been used since I left in 2015. I called her today and told her i was coming to get it in the next week or so as she is now moving to a small apartment and about 1/2 her stuff is headed to storage. Just hope i don't get stuck moving more of her stuff to storage, I filled a 10x30 storage unit last year as my son was to do it but his dad (me) is the one with a trailer and a pickup truck. It took 6 round trips of 460 miles to move her stuff and I really hope I don't have to move any of her stuff next month.

Edited January 11 by Maddog McCoy SASS #5672

[Rip Snorter]

16 minutes ago, Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 said:

I just came in for clearing the lane and the parking area here on the farm. Got stuck on the ice twice with the truck. Best part was my friend down the road had came over with his 4 wheel drive tractor and blade and cleaned most of it up and it is starting to melt. Bad part is my e-wife has my snowblower up in Chicago where I lived for 25 years and it has sat in her garage and not been used since I left in 2015. I called her today and told her i was coming to get it in the next week or so as she is now moving to a small apartment and about 1/2 her stuff is headed to storage. Just hope i don't get stuck moving more of her stuff to storage, I filled a 10x30 storage unit last year as my son was to do it but his dad (me) is the one with a trailer and a pickup truck. It took 6 round trips of 460 miles to move her stuff and I really hope I don't have to move any of her stuff next month.

You might want to look into Pods - I used one clearing my folks stuff when they downsized. later when Dad passed, and again when we moved.  Useful.

[Maddog McCoy SASS #5672]

Thanks for the comment, I sent you a pm.

[Blackwater 53393]

I came up with a simple and less strenuous solution!  My vehicles are capable of driving in snow and ice and I can get to them easily.

 

I just let it melt and ignore it!

[Henry T Harrison]

Yep God put it there and he will take it away 

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

So far this season we haven't had much snow.  Latest one dropped less than 2 inches and shoveling it was not a problem.  Anything more than 4 or 5 inches, the landscaper plows it out.  I have many years of shoveling in NY and NJ, no more of that.  My neighbor and his 8 yr old son help out clearing the walkway from the house.  The boy loves to shovel the snow.  Lucky to have good neighbors. 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

1 hour ago, Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 said:

Just hope i don't get stuck moving more of her stuff to storage, I filled a 10x30 storage unit last year. It took 6 round trips of 460 miles to move her stuff and I really hope I don't have to move any of her stuff next month.

You will.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

Fellow up here had a storm sewer at the end of his driveway, so when he had the drive redone, he had heating cables buried under the asphalt.

City later passed a by-law ag'in it, but TOO LATE! He was in before the bell.

[Pat Riot]

41 minutes ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

Fellow up here had a storm sewer at the end of his driveway, so when he had the drive redone, he had heating cables buried under the asphalt.

City later passed a by-law ag'in it, but TOO LATE! He was in before the bell.

They passed a law that you can’t heat your driveway? That makes no sense. Why would they care if you pay for it?

 

 

Edited January 11 by Pat Riot
Forgot punctuation

[Eyesa Horg]

2 hours ago, Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 said:

I just came in for clearing the lane and the parking area here on the farm. Got stuck on the ice twice with the truck. Best part was my friend down the road had came over with his 4 wheel drive tractor and blade and cleaned most of it up and it is starting to melt. Bad part is my e-wife has my snowblower up in Chicago where I lived for 25 years and it has sat in her garage and not been used since I left in 2015. I called her today and told her i was coming to get it in the next week or so as she is now moving to a small apartment and about 1/2 her stuff is headed to storage. Just hope i don't get stuck moving more of her stuff to storage, I filled a 10x30 storage unit last year as my son was to do it but his dad (me) is the one with a trailer and a pickup truck. It took 6 round trips of 460 miles to move her stuff and I really hope I don't have to move any of her stuff next month.

But a new snowblower and stay home!

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Snow don't suck....... Snow Blows!

 

Anyhow, the Widder clan jumps on the ATV and rides.   I got normal lights plus 2 powerful light bars to light up the night for riding.

 

The 5-6 inches we got was wonderful for fun riding on Friday.

A family that rides together, stays together.....

 

..........Widder. (ridin in a Widder Wonderland)

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

4 hours ago, TN Mongo, SASS #61450 said:

I spent my formative years in N.Y., Milwaukee, and Chicago. The wife and I "escaped" to Southern Tennessee in 1977. It's very seldom that we receive any real snow. Yesterday the Lord blessed us with 5" (measured on top of my trashcan lid).  We just spent the last 4 hours shoveling our steep driveway.  The snow was followed by sleet which left a nice frozen layer of ice beneath the snow.  We're exhausted! It will take several adult beverages to recover this evening. I don't remember shoveling being this difficult when I was younger. As two retired aging "Baby Boomers", this is not an activity we wish to participate in on a regular basis.

 

Bless you my Northern pards who have to look forward to this on a yearly basis! My brother who still lives near Green Bay, WI laughed at me when I sent him pictures. I had to remind him that he has a 10 hp snowblower and can mount a plow on his 4wd pickup. It's been decades since he has had to shovel anything.

 

Spring can't come soon enough for me.

 

  

I got a plow guy that charges me $30 a push, he’s been here twice this year so far. He comes out at 3”

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

4 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

You need a plow and / or a snowblower!  I shoveled snow everywhere I lived, till I got a snowblower.  Here I still have a little shoveling, but the plow is the greatest.  Last summer I bought a riding mower - should have done that years ago!  Same deal.

You NEED to move!  I have experienced 4"-5" snow once maybe twice, in the ten + years I've lived in Central  Arizona. 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

1 minute ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

You NEED to move!  I have experienced 4"-5" snow once maybe twice, in the ten + years I've lived in Central  Arizona. 

I've experienced 4"-5" snow ZERO times in Tucson. A COUPLE times we had about an inch or so, but it left almost as fast as it showed up.

[Pat Riot]

I have never minded dealing with snow when I lived where it snowed. I prefer snow to cold and rainy, like when I lived in Oregon. 
In the past week I have gotten some great exercise shoveling snow. 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

1 hour ago, Pat Riot said:

They passed a law that you can’t heat your driveway? That makes no sense. Why would they care if you pay for it?

Because then you're not dependent on THEM to dig you out. Those types do NOT want you to be able to do for yourself. They want to take all your money, spend most of it on people who didn't earn it, give you a little of it back,  THEN tell you how you should spend it. 

[Rip Snorter]

12 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

You NEED to move!  I have experienced 4"-5" snow once maybe twice, in the ten + years I've lived in Central  Arizona. 

It is important to me to live in a free state.  Though the MT Supreme Court is working on it, generally, so far, so good.

[Texas Lizard]

I bought a snow shovel...Just in case I needed it....But sitting here in sunny California and 70 degrees...I might have a long wait to try it out....But I am prepared.....

 

Texas lizard

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

15 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

It is important to me to live in a free state.  Though the MT Supreme Court is working on it, generally, so far, so good.

I don't think that you can much free-er. Open carry OR concealed carry with no permit, though a Shall Issue permit is available. Most cops, (that aren't new from somewhere else) don't have a problem with it. If you have a lifted vehicle, nobody cares. No helmet laws, (even though it IS a good idea). 

What ELSE are you looking for?

[Rip Snorter]

Who gets voted in to office and how?  Who gets prosecuted and imprisoned for refusing to delete records that must be preserved by law?  I visited many times, never again until things change.

[Maddog McCoy SASS #5672]

Is this how you feel?

5 hours ago, TN Mongo, SASS #61450 said:

Spring can't come soon enough for me.

 

 

DIARY OF A SNOW SHOVELER:

Moved to North Dakota this fall. We heard that summers are fun and winter is beautiful. We think there is no more beautiful a place in the whole world!

December 8 - 6:00 PM It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So romantic, we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9 - We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had! Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks.

This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12 - The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry- we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14 - Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15 - 20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16 - Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17 - Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God! I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20 - Electricity's back on, but had another 14 inches of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all day. The damn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but. they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22 - Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white shit fell today, and it's so cold, it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob-who has a plow on his truck-for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the asshole is lying.

December 23 - Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she, nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago. She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24 - 6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, l broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snow plow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling, and then he comes down the street...at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents...but I was too busy watching for the damn snowplow.

December 25 - Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn slop tonight - snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to feed her through a chipper shredder.

December 26 - Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27 - Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $4,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28 - Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The BITCH is driving me crazy!!!

December 29 - 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30 - Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver, and now he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to her mother. Nine more inches predicted.

December 31 - I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8 - Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed ???

-Author Unknown

 

 

 

All reactions:

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[Michigan Slim]

I drove an hour to work to plow snow for five hours. Then an hour home. Did some things for Kaya at her new house afterwards. Got home to relax a bit and it was 64 in the house. Hmmm. Just spent a little time going through the cycles of the furnace. Flame sensor needed a little sanding is all. Now to relax. 

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

I lucked out.

It froze hard before snow fell.

Household broom cleared in front of the garage door for me to start moving light and fluffy with the electric leaf blower.

Last two snows, the leaf blower was enough to clear off the concrete.

This morning I had to fetch out the electric snow blower.

What little weak sunlight squeezed through the cloud cover was enough to penetrate what little snow remained, it sublimated off the concrete, my driveway is bare for the moment.

More snow a-comin'.

It's January.

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

3 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

Who gets voted in to office and how?  Who gets prosecuted and imprisoned for refusing to delete records that must be preserved by law?  I visited many times, never again until things change.

I have no idea what you're talking about.  I'm not sure you are, either. 

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

5 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

They passed a law that you can’t heat your driveway? That makes no sense. Why would they care if you pay for it?

 

 

The Rationale in the preamble to the City By-Law: Melt water from a heated driveway will find it's way onto the road and re-freeze causing a hazard for others.

The fellow who did the one I mentioned had a storm sewer in just the right spot to take the melt water form his heated drive.

[watab kid]

welcome to my world , i shoveled yesterday a bit over an inch , today it snowing - expecting 4-6 so ill look at firing up the blower tomorrow , i hate this time of year ....just so the record is clear 

 

i also hate our taxes and government but those are different topics , just weighing equally on my desire to leave this state 

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

if ya leave it where it be laying , it will melt of sooner or later 

 

  NO hard labor involved , as to the berm the road folks left in front of the drive way , running it down with the 4x4 

 

 CB 

[Pat Riot]

8 hours ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

The Rationale in the preamble to the City By-Law: Melt water from a heated driveway will find it's way onto the road and re-freeze causing a hazard for others.

The fellow who did the one I mentioned had a storm sewer in just the right spot to take the melt water form his heated drive.

I see. I can understand that concern. Thanks! 
They don’t have code enforcement people to verify proper drainage is installed for this type of things in the city limits? 
On the property owner’s side, heating that driveway electrically must cost a nice chunk of change. 
 

———————————————-

I just learned of this recently when my wife brought it up as I was sweeping off the Chevy Suburban. I left the snow on the roof that was between the roof racks and we were headed to Pennsylvania for some family errand.

 

Where Is It Illegal To Drive With Snow And Ice On Your Car?

It is mandated by law to clear ice and snow from a vehicle before driving it in the following states:

• Alaska
• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Wisconsin

In these states, a fine or even a misdemeanor can result whether or not a driver causes harm to another driver.

————————————-

I can understand the logic in this after seeing people slow down and a sheet of snow slides forward covering their windshield. 
Once while riding my motorcycle on a cold day a chunk of roof snow & ice came off an SUV and had I not been paying attention it would have clobbered me. I lived in Oregon at the time. 

[Chantry]

1 hour ago, Pat Riot said:

Where Is It Illegal To Drive With Snow And Ice On Your Car?

It is mandated by law to clear ice and snow from a vehicle before driving it in the following states:

• Alaska
• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Wisconsin

 

 

Here in CT I've seen people trying to drive with nothing more than just the driver's side windshield partially cleared off.  The problem with some SUV/Mini Vans is that they have roof racks making it hard to remove  the snow and the snow/ice in between the roof racks will come flying off in large pieces on the highways.  Just read a news headline where a large piece of ice came off a vehicle and went through the front windshield of an 18 wheeler injuring the driver.

[Pat Riot]

32 minutes ago, Chantry said:

 

Here in CT I've seen people trying to drive with nothing more than just the driver's side windshield partially cleared off.  The problem with some SUV/Mini Vans is that they have roof racks making it hard to remove  the snow and the snow/ice in between the roof racks will come flying off in large pieces on the highways.  Just read a news headline where a large piece of ice came off a vehicle and went through the front windshield of an 18 wheeler injuring the driver.

Yeah, getting the snow off our Suburban roof is kind of a hassle and it’s not lifted. It’s just a high roof. I need to use a push broom and good footing. I about fell on my arse the other day. 
Snow on the roof after a “wet” snow can be bad if it comes off and hits someone. Powder is no biggie until the roof heats and causes ice under the snow. Then it becomes a use sheet coming off the roof. 
 

There’s an automated car wash near us that is open every day. That’s a good way to get roof snow and ice off.