nichepoetryandprose

Our first big snow arrived Saturday night. Twenty centimeters of fluff. Time to begin snow removal duties.

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This year my husband has about 30 clients for snow removal and he has been getting ready for a couple of weeks — staking driveways, buying diesel, replacing lights in the tractor array, removing stressed bolts and moving things around the yard to make moving the snow as simple as possible.

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My duties are simple and few. I set the alarm for 3 AM, print off the client list from the computer and run the checklist — water, raisins, earplugs, client list, flashlight, cell phone, “go bag”. The “go-bag” has about sixty pounds of chain, a roll of tow strapping, assorted connection devices and anything you would ever want to pull yourself from a ditch.

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I also supply diesel when needed and lunch. No set times for anything. Just a hearty meal, packed to eat on the road, when my husband gets hungry.

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lunch packed into a cooler (or in this case, a heater) … lots of protein and calories …

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Otherwise, I answer the phone, work away at various editing projects and worry. Things can go wrong out there in snow-land and they often do. A stray two-by-four goes through the blower. The tractor slips off the side of a driveway into a deep ditch. The plow for the main roads is late. There are three cars in the driveway and no one at home to move them!

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My husband is the only one I know who talks about snow and winter longingly in the middle of summer. Everyone should love their work as much as he does!

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Enjoy your snow-day where-ever you are.

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017