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This weather we are having with all the blowing snow, roads closed, schools closed etc. sure reminds me of the kinds of winters we used to get in the 70's in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
At least we have heat and electricity.
Stay warm and safe out there.
We have a flock of sheep and we cannot imagine how they survive this. The barn is like a wind tunnel. Imagine the deer with no water. Unbelievable. Thank God for furnaces and woodburners.
Yeah, it's not good. I haven't missed a day at work in years due to weather, but today I'm home diggin' out from our 18+ inches over the last several days. It just keeps blowin' in off the big lake.
It even got down to 9 degrees here in Sardis. Got a balmy 20 this morning.
Been awhile since my last post. Will update in a new thread.
The storm hit us hard over by Leslie. I have plowed snow for 4 days straight now. I took three days off from work just to be available to help my neighbors. I have always tried to live by the motto to "help thy neighbor". Many of my neighbors are retired, living on a fixed income, social security, or otherwise have fallen on hard times. They do not have the means to be able to handle all of this snow at one time. Many of them manage their driveways with small snow blowers, fixed blades on lawn tractors, or good old fashioned hand powered shovels. They are not equiped to handle this all at one time.
I am fortunate to have a good job (albeit with the federal government). I have worked hard to be able to have some luxeries (such as a nice 4x4 tractor, and a pickup with a snowplow). We have a very tiny old fashioned country store by our house that many people rely on for day to day goods. I have quietly been plowing snow in their lot for years. I am good friends with the owner and have never once mentioned who plows their snow. I just do it. Last week the cat was let out of the bag when the owner was present during one of my late night acts of kindness. The next day, I (Sunday night) I popped in the store and told the clerk not to worry, I would come back several times. I also very quietly handed her my phone number. I told her not to post it, but just keep it behind the counter. If anyone asks for some help, give them my number.
I had a feeling that the vultures would be out and about charging maximum dollars to do minimal work plowing snow. To date, I think I have plowed 25 driveways. Some as long as a 1/2 mile. When asked how much they owed me, I simply said $20.00. Not one of them would accept that as a good number and all of them paid me more. I told them that it was not our fault, we didn't ask for the snow, but I did not think it was right for someone to come in and rape these people for every dollar they thought they could get. I am very quite in my community and many people did not know who I was. I told them that I spend every day here, and I could not hold my head up and look people in the eye if I were to do what others were doing.
Am I run down... sure... Am I tired... yes... but, when I left their driveway, I felt good knowing that I provided a service to someone that otherwise would not have been able to afford it.
Maybe my acts will prompt others to be the same. If not, at least I know I did what was right in my mind and can sleep better at night. I can't say the same for the guys who took piles of money to the bank for providing less than adequate services to people that couldn't afford them in the first place.
Hey Rich, I wondered who pushed the end of my driveway open in the middle of the night - was that you? Ha! Anyway my 57 year old deisel tractor would not start in all this cold so someone (anonymous) was gracious enough to catch the end of my driveway. God bless all who helped out in this storm - it is appreciated.
Wasn't me Mike. But I sure would have. Sounds like the old tractor needs a block heater. TSC sells a good one that goes inline with the lower radiator hose. Works pretty good.
Rich, I have one of those big magnetic block heaters from TSC that usually works great. I have a feeling that it was the farmer that lives down the road that plowed it. Whoever it was we really felt blessed that he did it and know that he has been added to our prayer list. I'm going to check out the in-line block heater at TSC might be worth the investment. Thanks