Having lived in western NY all my life, I consider a shovel an absolute necessity. I have three, plus a nasty-looking ice chopper (great for taking out your frustrations...I bang it really hard when I'm pissed at the neighbors, it makes a lovely clanging sound that echoes all down the block). Those items plus ice-melter can handle most of the crap winter throws at us.
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
It really shouldn't come as a surprise that it snows in the winter...
Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
-
Quoth Phantomgrift View PostI think it's more an issue of people just never expect it to happen to them.
(All my other worries come from the fact that in places like Virginia Beach, none of them yahoos know how to drive in heavy rain.... Much less the occasional surprise snowfall.)
Comment
-
Quoth LadyAndreca View PostBut a snow thrower? Really? They even come with a manufacturer's warranty. Just pull them out at the end of the fall and test them BEFORE it snows!
To be fair, even with the one snowblower, doing all the driveways for the house & the animals is an all day job. And of course, the company who made it is out of business.Sears carries the parts, but online only. And sadly, the 1 piece of metal my husband needs to weld the plow for my Dad's tractor (and thus turn this in a 3-4 hour job instead of all day) has sprouted legs and wandered off.
Any day you're looking down at the dirt instead of up at the dirt is a good day.
Comment
-
Quoth Catwoman2965 View PostI hear you; I'm currently stuck in Williamsburg, and NOT moving as no one here knows how to drive in one inch of snow, let alone the 12 we just got! they plowed one half of my mom's street this morning, and the other half about 5 hours later? yeah ok.
My neighborhood NEVER gets plowed . . . we just have to wait for Mother Nature to take care of the job.They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.
Comment
-
Quoth Panacea View PostI know what you mean. We got less than 6 inches, and the governor declares a disaster area for the ENTIRE STATE. What a joke . . . the kids aren't even in school!
My neighborhood NEVER gets plowed . . . we just have to wait for Mother Nature to take care of the job.
Of course GCS are closed, Doofus. Check your calendar and I bet it'll show the same date mine does.
And we're glad we bought our shovel back in late summer as soon as the fall/winter items started hitting the shelves. Our old one broke after we'd had it for a number of years (and we do NOT loan anything out like that. It all stays locked up in the building.)
And that reminds me: I've got to go see about restocking up on Ice Melt this weekend (hopefully Blowes will have more in stock by then) . . .my brother used up all we had left over from last winter on the ramp last weekend.Human Resources - the adult version of "I'm telling Mom." - Agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (NCIS)
Comment
-
I talked our new neighbor out of buying a snow blower,he's from Florida & thought it'd be handy to have.That is until I explained why nobody else around here has one: all our roads & driveways are dirt & gravel.It wouldn't be 10 seconds before ZING!!! CRASH!!!! as a rock or rocks went flying through a window."If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you.This is the principal difference between a man and a dog"
Mark Twain
Comment
-
-
Quoth Argus View PostWas anyone else reminded of a joke with the punchline "If you don't let me through, I'm not going to open up the store!"?
It was just an insane day. According to the store manager, we did nearly $100k in JUST seasonal items in the first four hours we were open. I ended up doing $5k more in sales at the returns desk than I did in refunds--on the day after Christmas!--just trying to keep the lines down those first couple hours.It's little things that make the difference between 'enjoyable', 'tolerable', and 'gimme a spoon, I'm digging an escape tunnel'.
Comment
-
Quoth Panacea View PostYears ago, I lived in North Dakota where having a snow shovel is a necessity of live. I lived on the college campus, so I didn't have to shovel or ice myself (thank god). I kept a regular snow shovel in the trunk in case I ever had to shovel my car out (did several times) along with survival supplies in case I got wrecked in the middle of no where.
Then I move to California for 5 years. Through all that time I kept the snow shovel and the survival supplies (replacing the candy from time to time), with nary a use for it: it doesn't snow in California unless you live in the mountains (I didn't).
When do I throw it out (the snow shovel I mean)? Right before I move to North Carolina. Bam. Ice storm city.
Finally, last year, I realize I need to replace the snow shovel. And of course, I put it off too long, and everyone is out of both shovels and ice melt. So instead, I buy a scoop shovel (the kind you use to shovel manure). With the exception of the handle being a bit short for shoveling snow, it actually works quite well.
Necessity: mother of invention.
Add a pair of expanded metal grates for traction, and you are good to go.EVE Online: 99% of the time you sit around waiting for something to happen, but that 1% of action is what hooks people like crack, you don't get interviewed by the BBC for a WoW raid.
Comment
-
Quoth AccountingDrone View PostActually what I have right now is an old soviet era sapirka. Same shit, different side of the cold war =)"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you.This is the principal difference between a man and a dog"
Mark Twain
Comment
-
I live in the south where two snowflakes = blizzard. Even so, I STILL have an ice scrapper and should look into a snow shovel, just because it could happen. Well, it did kinda happen yesterday -- maybe I should move further south.Eh, one day I'll have something useful here. Until then, have a cookie or two.
Comment
-
Quoth eltf177 View Postand the screw holding the shovel blade to the handle is loose and has to be tightened from time to time.
Loctite (a special glue).
Fill the screw hole with putty & wood scrapings (or matches, or toothpicks), wait for it to set. rescrew.
Remove handle, turn handle upside down, replace handle, rescrew.
Rescrew with screw one size larger.Seshat's self-help guide:
1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.
"All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.
Comment
-
Quoth Frantic Freddie View PostYou mean the Eastern Bloc folding one with the pick & the pushbutton release? Damn fine tool,I have 3 of 'em!
and when sharpened make a spiffy throwing weapon =)EVE Online: 99% of the time you sit around waiting for something to happen, but that 1% of action is what hooks people like crack, you don't get interviewed by the BBC for a WoW raid.
Comment
-
I hope to prevent it from snowing again for the rest of the season by buying myself a proper snow shovel* and my own snow-appropriate boots (I borrowed roomie's yesterday).
*I have a shovel, just not a snow shovel; luckily my neighbor finished with his when I had come upstairs to take a break, and I was able to borrow his to finish digging out my car.I don't go in for ancient wisdom
I don't believe just 'cause ideas are tenacious
It means that they're worthy - Tim Minchin, "White Wine in the Sun"
Comment
-
Quoth RxBoy View PostBut regardless, there is one thing that puzzles me. How can so many people be desperate for a snow shovel once it's started snowing? I live in an area where it snows like crazy all winter. I don't understand the big run for snow shovels every year when it starts. I mean, it snows like this every year where I live. I don't understand how anyone can not have at least one snow shovel at their house. You would think it's the first year that it's ever snowed in my city.
* I don't mean in the mountains, I mean down in the valleys.
Quoth Frantic Freddie View PostUp here in the high desert people know we'll have a bad winter every 2-5 years & yet won't be prepared.C'mon folks,how hard is it to just stash the shovel & scraper 'til you need it?
Us local Realtors joke that the fastest growing crop in spring after a bad winter is "For Sale" signsIt's floating wicker propelled by fire!
Comment
Comment