Monday, December 9, 2024

Keeping Score

Well, our first snowfall of the season hit Ottawa last week, and since then I've been being careful, not wanting to injure or over-exert myself. I'm going on vacation, this coming weekend, and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my having a good time in the Caribbean.

I'm no spring chicken.

First snowfall.

In the two storms that we've had, so far, we've had snow accumulations of about 10 to 15 centimetres, each. And with the second snowfall, temperatures rose overnight, making the snow heavy to lift the next morning.

To avoid risk to myself, I've headed out with my shovel a couple of times, removing snow from my driveway and walkway when we've hit about five centimetres. When we reached another five, I'd go back out and shovel again.

So far, so good, although the Sunday-morning task went slower because, as I said, the temperature was above freezing and so the snow weighed a lot, even for about five or six centimetres.

Two winters ago, I thought I'd keep track of the number of times I'd have to go outside to clear off the driveway. I counted every time my driveway had at least a centimetre of the white stuff. In 2022-2023, I shovelled the driveway 55 times; in 2023-2024, it was half that amount, with only 26 times out.

When DW and I went to Costa Rica, for two weeks, Ottawa received no snow during that period between late January and early February of this year. Kid 1, who was at home and tasked with keeping the driveway clear, didn't have to lift a finger.

I hope she's that lucky, next week, when she'll again be responsible for keeping the driveway clear.

But so far, this season, I've been out eight times with my shovel. And my driveway is snow-free.

After the weekend storm.

We're expecting more snow, today, and possibly another accumulation on Thursday. But that's okay: I'll be ready with my shovel.

And keeping score.

Happy Monday!

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