Shovel is a four letter word!

Let me begin by telling you that even at my advanced age, I see the beauty in snow and the power in a South Dakota blizzard.  As the flakes waft quietly to the ground, or are blown here from some where in Manitoba, the cleanliness and the blanketing of all that is ugly is appealing to me.  That being said...cause and effect comes into play.  Indiscriminate.  That would be snow.  Could it just fall on the yards to cover the leaves?  Hell no!  It falls on the streets and the sidewalks.  Then, thank god, the city comes along and cleans the streets into our driveway.  I appreciate them.  I really do.  I hope they know that and don't/can't hear what I say when they go by.  Oh, I have learned.  There is never only one plow.  There are two.  Often in the past, I went out to clean out the detritus they have left only to be astounded as plow number 2 comes by and fills in the empty spots.  It's one of those "fool me once" kind of things.  So once #2 (a good name for it, scatalogically speaking) goes by, I take the snow blower and increase the snow in our yard...with gravel and leaves and anything else that might have been left in the street.  It's okay.  It's all good.  Snowblowers are a gift from god!  But that leaves the sidewalks, and lately, there hasn't been enough snow to bother with the snowblower--you know, just enough to need to be cleaned off and too much for a broom.  Out comes the shovel, and every foul, cantankerous, seamanesque word I have ever learned (and I AM a good learner!)  The task is odious at best, and we live in an older home...with older driveway.  It's not even.  When you push the shovel, you frequently hit a crack and discover that the shovel handle has now stopped...in your chest.  I often have threatened to sue for whiplash, but I would have to sue myself.  Methinks the insurance company might not take kindly to that!  And we are good neighbors!  We clean the walk and driveway to the north also.  Well, the sidewalk frequently, the driveway, not so much!  She doesn't drive and we do keep our cars in her garage, but we can fight a little drift now and then!  Is it apparent I just finished shoveling?  We're set for the next onslaught.  And it will be beautiful...and/or powerful...and cursed!  Next time I shovel, I'll just think of you and smile.  Know you are loved!