Dear Crabby,
Nothing could be more frustrating than to spend two hours clearing your driveway of snow, only to have another several inches fall on it again. Really though, what is the point of snowplowing if it is only going to snow again?
Sincerely, Snow B. Gone
Dear Snow B. Gone,
I can see your point and have thought the same thing several times in the past. I have a couple of thoughts for you. One, move to Florida! That is why people down there call us “snow birds” anyway. When people from Michigan head south for the winter to avoid the snow, they are referred to as “snow birds.” But if you are not in a position to do that due to age, job, finances, or other reasons, then I suggest another solution. This other solution is to get someone else to do it. This is one of the main reasons I agreed to have children – cheap labor! I figure as soon as those little guys are able to walk and talk, they can use a shovel 
too! I used all my dad’s old lines like, “It builds character son!” Or, “I had to do this when I was half your age and it was twice as hard back then!” However, if you do not have children, try to hire it out. I have had my fair share of issues finding a good service though. One company showed up eight hours late to plow my driveway, but when I complained about it they offered me a chance to pay more money to move up on their priority list! I refused to stoop to that level. Another company told me that I would be near the top of their list so I hired them. Then one day it snowed hard all night and we had a party scheduled that evening. So I called the service to make sure they could handle clearing my driveway by 5pm when my guests were supposed to arrive. They said they could not and asked if I could just clear it for them with my shovel. I was irate! And to make matters worse, of course Mrs. Crabby loved to rub it in! As I came back in the house covered in snow and freezing to death, she asked how the new snow service was working out for me. The last company I hired really made me feel like there was no hope out there. I was watching them clear my sidewalk from my living room window, but they could not see me. My newspaper was right in the middle of my walkway so I watched as they came closer to it. In my mind, I thought it would be really nice if they tossed it up by my front door for me. To my horror though, I watched as he tossed the paper out into my front yard, into two feet of snow! He just kept on walking as if he did not even care. I wanted to run out there and toss him into two feet of snow! I guess if we are going to live in Michigan, we need to learn how to win this battle with the snow! Good luck, and let me know what you find out.
Sincerely, Dear Crabby
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