my arms feel like jelly

hmmmm, it's feb. 3, right? yes, yes, it is.

we're still supposed to get snow during this month, right? i thought so.

what's that? you say february has the second-most snowfall during the witner season next top january.

so i have 20-some odd days left of possible heavy snow? yes, you probably do.

what about march? oh, we do get some snow in march, too. maybe a bit in april. who knows with all of this green hosue stuff and global warming.

all that said, it's official. i'm tired of using the damned shovel to clean off the drive way. i'm generally pretty cool about the snow and shoveling. i actually like it. there's something to say about having a clean drive way. at least i think so.

but this year it felt different. i think because there was no gradual snowfall leading up to heavier snow. we had some, but not much. then we got pummeled with snow. and more snow. and still more snow. it kept on coming in four or six inches at a time. that's all good and all, you know, so we'd get our annual snowfall of about 69 inches or so. it looks like we're heading for it.

all of the heavy snow had taken a toll. there were days when it was piled up high between our house and lisa's. i had to make sure the drive was wide enough for the car. make sure the area near the sidewalk and drive way was clear. and most importantly, make sure the entrance into the drive was clear. and this last is the worst.

once i 'd just finished clearing it when i heard this machine rumbling toward me. i looked to my left and saw a big, honking snowplow pushing my way. i stood there helpless as it roared on. it came up on me, pushing it's growing pile of snow forward gettin me wet and piling it up on the driveway i'd just cleaned. i set to work, cursing at the driver, who i'm sure chuckled as he passed.

today was a little different. not much snow on the drive. but the plow did make its way through the streets. so we had a substantial pile lining the entrance into our drive way. i set to work on it. it was tough, though. the snow left by the plows is heavy and wet, unlike the snow on the driveway itself. you can't really slide the shovel along the asphalt or concrete and get it off the drie. you have to scoop it, as if you were scopping up dirt when making a hole in the ground. i did the best i could and managed to make the entrance clear enough to get in and out of without any problems.

suffice to say, i'm bushed. my right arm feels like crap because it's the arm i make the force with to push the shovel into the snow.

snow god, have mercy on me.