Genuine Hype

I have been shoveling snow for many moons, when I was much younger we used to walk the neighborhood looking for extra cash and would spend all day digging people out. This of course, was a pre Pong era when you would leave in the morning and be home by dinner. Fast forward 30 years.

Truth be told I like shoveling snow, I consider it my outdoor workout, or Nautilus for free if the snow’s really wet and heavy. My commune with mother nature, the deep inhale of crisp, clean winter air, being one with the snow.

Admittedly, when my neighbor Brad purchased his snow blower a couple of years ago, I was intrigued.  Brad would fire up his beast, spewing unspent hydrocarbons into my pristine N.E. air, buzzing and blaring like a Harley soft tail on a tear.

Twenty minutes later he would be inside again all warm and toasty and I would first be getting to the walkway having just finished the driveway.  Occasionally Brad would swing through and do the walk for me in an act of pity plowing or just good neighborly relations. Always appreciated and sometimes a serious time saver.

Here’s the thing though, in my twenties I had a Norelco electric shaver for a while (triple head) and never found satisfaction in the feeling of cleanliness or closeness the electric shave had versus the razor, warm shaving cream and great care not to cut myself would render.  Since then I have graduated to a triple blade and use a glycerin beard softener.

Why am I talking shaving and snow blower’s in the same breath? This year I have used Brads snow blower several times and my driveway/walkway has always had remnant snow. A film if you will. The same kinda feeling/look electric shavers left on my face.

Not totally cleaned up but adequate. The snow blower just does not do as good a job as the manual efforts hand shoveling produce.  Good old fashioned hand to asphalt combat provides a much closer and cleaner finished product.

So, today when I went out to clean up after mother natures 8 inches of purity, I went with the shovel, weapon of choice. I huffed and I puffed and the kids kept getting snow on the driveway but after all was said and done, I have a marvelously clean and tightly paved path for autos and pedestrians alike to pass without impunity.  Sometimes there are no substitutes or shortcuts.  I still love winter and shoveling and I guess I  will always stick with a razor for shaving too.