So SAD!

Both times we’ve had a major snow storm, Nate’s been in Hibbing. That leaves me to try to clear our driveway. Ug. It’s 2+ cars wide, and long.

Today I successfully cleared 1/2 of it. Success! Only took 1.5 hours. I was actually really proud of this. The end of the driveway is always the worst, gotta love the dirty, salty ice chunks that are piled 2 feet deep and wide. Doesn’t help that the pile of snow I’m now throwing on top of is over 6 feet tall. You have to get a serious start to your throw if it’s actually going to go anywhere.

I was meaning to leave the rest for when Nate got home. It’d be something to do together, and then it wouldn’t take very long. But, I was pleasantly greeted by 3 young boys at my doorstep this evening. I open the door.

“Would you like your driveway shoveled?”. I ask if they’re from down the street. Those boys charge $20/time. $20?!? Is that a lot of money to a kid now? Guess I’m getting old… that seems like a lot to me (which is why I haven’t hired them yet this winter). Nope, these boys are from Ellsworth, making the rounds in Red Wing to make some extra money. I ask them what the going rate would be for 1/2 a driveway. The youngest one pipes up, “$5”. I think to myself… gee, it WOULD be nice not to have to do this when he got home. We have very little time together as it is. That’s probably worth $5 to me.

So, I scrounge for some cash while they start on the driveway. I walk out to hand them the $, and we talk a little bit. I head back inside, turn on the garage lights, and walk back to the entry door to watch. There’s one boy in the middle of the driveway, looking back at me. I feel bad that I’m watching him work, so I slip to the next room. 1 minute later, I check again (I can’t help it!) — and they’re GONE! Seriously, gone. I see them in the distance, so they had to have ran. Or they’re expert speed walkers.

I was crushed. Honestly. I actually cried on the phone when telling Nate. Sounds dumb, but hear me out. This was so exciting for me! I’ve had a rough first part of the week (nate’s gone, big snowstorm, flat tire, roadside assistance, finding out I had to buy 4 new ones, long hours at work yet WAY behind), and I was so thankful that someone was going to help! Am I just too naive? I really want to believe people would want to help/do a good job… the tears were more out of that this was the icing on the cake sort of moment, but I AM really sad that kids would actually do this sort of thing.

On a somewhat related note, when I was out shoveling earlier in the day some neighbor drove by on his snow-plow equipped 4 wheeler. His dog was running around near him & decided to take a dump on my driveway. I smiled nice & said not to worry, that I’d take care of it. Secretly, I hoped he’d object or at least offer the assistance of his snow moving machine. But he simply said, “Oh, great! Thanks!” and sped OFF!

(Sigh, shoulders droop. hopefully the rest of the week is better than the first half has been)