It really shouldn't come as a surprise that it snows in the winter...

[MoonCat]

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.

[Catwoman2965]

I 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.)

I 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.

[AriRashkae]

But 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!

Ours worked a few weeks ago. And got halfway through the driveway(s) today before it crapped out.

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.

[Sapphire Silk]

I 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.

I 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.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I 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.

I thought the same thing Sunday night when I was watching the news for the Monday closings.

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.

[Frantic Freddie]

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.

[Argus]

The coworker who opened at the service desk got screamed at for cutting in line when she tried to push through so she could get in.

Was 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!"?

[LadyAndreca]

Was 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!"?

That's exactly what I thought of when she told me. And of course, some customer came up right at opening to pick up an order and was pissed off that she wasn't at the desk on time.

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.

[AccountingDrone]

Years 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.

Actually the best thing for in the car is an old ww2 folding entrenching tool. Solid as all hell for whacking at stubborn ice without breaking, all metal and wood so it doesn't normally break when you take hard whacks at stuff, and short so you can gopher under the car easily. Actually what I have right now is an old soviet era sapirka. Same shit, different side of the cold war =)

Add a pair of expanded metal grates for traction, and you are good to go.

[Frantic Freddie]

Actually what I have right now is an old soviet era sapirka. Same shit, different side of the cold war =)

You mean the Eastern Bloc folding one with the pick & the pushbutton release? Damn fine tool,I have 3 of 'em!

[Android Kaeli]

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.

[Seshat]

and the screw holding the shovel blade to the handle is loose and has to be tightened from time to time.

Options:
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.

[AccountingDrone]

You mean the Eastern Bloc folding one with the pick & the pushbutton release? Damn fine tool,I have 3 of 'em!

Yup=)

and when sharpened make a spiffy throwing weapon =)

[BookstoreEscapee]

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.

[Pagan]

But 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.

Hell, I live in a part of the country that only gets snow bad enough to warrant snow shovels once every 50 years*. Last time was in 2006. 3 feet in Albuquerque. I couldn't get my car out for 3 days. Didn't have a snow shovel then. I now have two. One is in my storage room at my apartment the other is a fold-up one that resides in the trunk of my car.

* I don't mean in the mountains, I mean down in the valleys.

Up 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" signs

Even then, they aren't that bad. You gotta wait 50 years or so for us to really get creamed!