The Tolerable Snowman

 
Today was characterized by... snow. I may track considerable snow inside, but I also remove much more from the driveway. To be honest, I'm hardly snow covered compared to the days it's windy. We have about a foot on the ground.

I love how each type of tree is enhanced by the dry white flakes. They've stayed on the trees all day. White Pine.



Blue Spruce.

Red Pine.



And a pear tree with no partridge.



And, it's back to work for the night in a couple of hours.

In other news: Worked till about 1:30. Cleared the driveway. Finished the beta-read of Murder on the Brewster Flats (a really fun book). Did a few errands. Wrote a little bit on Secret Cellar (may be past the part that is giving me trouble). Started reading a new book- not very interesting yet, and I'm losing my tolerance to stick with books that don't grab me. I have piles of books that probably will be interesting.

	See Fruity? for the pear tree in a different white phase
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It's a Snowblower

 
Well, the big storm we were supposed to get was pretty much a fizzle. The wind blew a lot but we had very little snowfall.

Nevertheless, I wanted to run the new blower in the daytime for the first time. I wish I could tell you it's just wonderful and such a joy compared to the old one and blah, blah. But, it's a huge snowblower that is difficult to deal with just like the other one. But it moves snow.

It's also really hard to take a picture while operating it!



In other news: I got a lot of the formatting done for the paper copy of DMS Druggist. Very good progress, in fact. Handbell practice and writers' group.

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Exchanging Red for Orange

 
Remember I did some hinting about a big expenditure? Well, it was delivered today.

The old snowblower is indeed dead. Dead. Engine blown.




It didn't really owe us anything. It was 23 years old. (Now that's scary, since it feels like a part of my relatively new life.) I figured out it cost less than $100 a year to keep the driveway open with it. Since we have often been charged over $100 just for one plowing, I think that's a pretty good bargain. Of course, it means I have to get out there and do it, but so far, so good.

This has been a great blower. 10 HP, 30" scoop, two-stage. It has handled this driveway, which is saying something.



I've been looking for its replacement. It's hard to find models that are big enough for this driveway. They all have about the same features, but what sold me on this one is the handlebars could be lowered. That means I don't have to haul a machine around that's made for someone a foot taller than I am. OK, it's probably still not made for someone 5'1" , but it is easier to move around.

Features all the brands have that have improved in 23 years: heated handlebars, separate free-wheel controls for easy turning (now there's a concept I can get behind), taller tires, LED lights, lighter weight.

I had planned to shop around locally. But I'd already done a bunch of research on line. There I stood... liking the handlebar frame that adjusted. Hating to shop. Extra year of warranty free and a $50 rebate. Said to self, "Why are you going to keep looking? Just buy it."

So... here it is. I bought a Husqvarna. (And he took the old one away- SO worth it to me. I still don't have a utility trailer.)



I'll let you know how it works out. Obviously, not enough snow yet to test it!

In other news: I didn't do much at all after work- just a few odds and ends. Free day!

	See Machines Can Make You Crazy
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All Quality - No Romance

 
The best I can do today is tell you how happy I was to be done at work this afternoon in time to snowblow the driveway before dark.



I'm sure this doesn't make your day, but today, for me, it's all I've got. Back to work for the night in a little while.

Oh... the bean soup is much better than I expected. Doesn't taste freezer burned hardly at all!

	See Encore
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Thundersnow and Slush

 
Last night, just after I posted a blog entry, it began to thunder and lightning! When this happens with snow, it can be an indication of severe weather. I went out to try to capture a photo. Didn't even try to catch a flash of lightning, but the flash on the camera showed that it was snowing pretty good.




It's snowed most of the day again today, but I wouldn't call it "severe." The snow really wouldn't be much of an issue, except it's really been slushing, not snowing. It's just above freezing and the driveway is a sloppy mess which turns to grease even after I've run the snowblower.

Needless to say, we are sure playing games with the cars. Hope it freezes hard tonight.

	See Encore
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Merry Christmas from Ester

 
Ester had to go home today. Darn. We sure had a great time even if we didn't take on any major activities. She made it home safely although she admitted it was kind of a white-knuckle drive.

We had another six or more inches of snow overnight with lots of drifting, and Ester decided she was going to pay to have someone plow the driveway for us rather than let me shovel for hours again.

Talk about a nice gift! Since our first snow was more or less slush that got all rutted and then froze, this was great. It packed the driveway flat and gave me a good base to work off of, from now on.



Here's the requisite selfie just to show that we were happy. This is not a picture I'd want to have framed, haha. But you can catch the mood.



And the snowblower has returned home, all fixed. It apparently decided to rupture a fuel line just as I tried to start it yesterday. I did check the gas when I was trying to start it, but the repair man said the tank was empty, so it all leaked out over the course of the day.

I'll probably get to use it in the morning. Still snowing (although not as much).

	See Machines Can Make You Crazy
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Machines Can Make You Crazy

 
Remember my great accomplishment at getting the snowblower all ready to run for the season? Ha! It started right up this morning, ran for 15 seconds and decided it was all done. End of story. Tonight it went off to small engine hospital. Ester and I dragged it down all the way to the road because the top probably isn't cleared well enough for the guy to bring his trailer up and turn it around.



The rest of the day was spent shoveling by hand or playing games with Ester. Since the snow is going to continue, I'm pretty sure that tomorrow will be more of the same. It's a l-o-o-o-o-n-g driveway.

	See What Would Eat a Gas Can?
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No More Cold Hands

 
This isn't a product review blog, and I'm not trying to turn it into one, but I have to tell you about a new item that actually exceeded expectations. That happens so seldom anymore, and the results are so positive, I'm making it my quality item of the day.

I bought this huge snowblower in 1992. It was an easy decision what to wear while using it... the trusty Carhartts, with a hooded sweatshirt underneath. I've never really been cold. Not at my core. I'm not crazy about snow blowing into my face and down my neck, but sometimes it's just part of the job.

On the other hand (haha), I've never been able to keep my hands warm while doing this job. Part of that is related to the fact that I've always relegated the "almost worn out" pair of mittens to the assignment. This is because the snowblower is really tough on mittens. You have to hold down a metal lever on each handle to keep the impeller and drive chain engaged. The edges of those aren't really sharp, but over time they just tear up the palms. That leads to air conditioning that is not pleasant.

This year, the snowblower mitts really couldn't even be mended again. So I went hunting, thinking I'd buy a cheap pair locally. Apparently no one even buys mittens any more. None of the box stores I have access to had any. I wasn't willing to downgrade my recreational mittens yet. They were expensive and are in really good condition.

Finally, I looked on line. Believe it or not, Carhartt makes mittens that don't cost an arm and a leg. I quickly ordered a pair.



I'm impressed. They are really warm. My thumbs got a little chilly today with the temps below zero and a wind blowing, but not bad. They have a polyurethane palm that should take the abuse. The wrist straps locks out the snow, and the cuffs are a soft jersey. And... are you ready for this? They offer them in SMALL. Do you know how hard it is to find work quality gloves for small hands? Nearly impossible.

My only complaint to date is that they are difficult to get on if your hand is wet (like when you pull one off to fiddle with something and then try to put it back on).

So, today I will celebrate warm hands while running the snowblower (12 times this winter).

	See A Hard Day in the Carhartts
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Out to Snowblow

New post soon. If you happen to catch this temporary message, I'm outside clearing the driveway. The joys of living with a person who has to get out at o'dark thirty. cya soon

Ug-ly Words

 

OK, it was a pretty good day. Went skiing with our trail club in the morning and the snowblower came home from snowblower hospital (see smiling snowblower) in the afternoon,so I spent another hour clearing the mailbox.

Mostly I fooled around on the computer, which may or may not be meaningful depending on what I do with the stuff I was fooling with, right?

Anyway, due to the fact that I ran across one of the following words in a book yesterday, here’s a little question for you. Of the three-letter words which can be formed in English, and which end in “ug,” how many are real words (example “hug”). So the maximum would be 26 words. Is the answer 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 ? Choose an answer before you continue.

Here are definitions of the real words in the list- make a list of the words that match them (go on, get a pencil and really try it!) No abbreviations.

Here’s our example again:
to affectionately squeeze someone = hug

Here we go:
to copy someone’s facial expressions =
a small, powerful boat =
an age of Hindu time =
a clumsy dolt =
slang for jail =
to knead clay until it is elastic =
a flaw or defect =
a cavity in a rock lined with minerals =
larvae or worm =
slang for a toupee =
understood =
a musty atmosphere =

So now you know that the correct number is 13. Here are the words in order beginning with the example: hug, mug, tug, yug, lug, jug, pug, bug, vug, sug, rug, dug, fug.

And how is that for a baker's dozen ug-ly words?

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Encore

 
This is the kind of thing I've been seeing a lot of lately. Just ran the snowblower for the 13th time this year. Only did 12 runs all last winter. Coming up on an oil change. The landscape was completely changed from last night. The wind had shifted to a new direction. The next two pictures are how the camera sees the snowblower's output.



This one is my favorite.

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