Day 41- the great dig out

NASA took this image of snowmageddon from space. Pretty cool-- you can click the picture and read the article


Snowmageddon, that's what the media called it. I preferred Snowmg, because it was easier to spell.

My town got 38 inches-- yuck.

Figures I tried to be nice to people in the worst winter in Maryland history. As bad as it's been I'm grateful I live in a time period where I don't have to worry that the snow is going to kill me. I just knocked on wood as soon as I wrote that last sentence.

For three days I shoveled. Hubby and I split our driveway and digging out the cars. Mostly he did the cars and I did the soul crushing wall of snow created by the snow plow.

Funny side story:

A plow came by at 11:30 am Sunday.
At 11:00 a guy who lives a few doors down decide he was going to drive to BWI --- please note the time and that the road hadn't been plowed out yet. He tried driving his van down the road. He got about ten feet. Then he put it in reverse and pulled back in the driveway... then he tried again in a SUV. The neighbors who were outside digging out, felt socially obligated to help get this guy down the street so they dug tire tracks for him. Please note, we live in the back of the neighborhood, on top of a hill. They got about another 25 feet and gave up because they saw the snow plow coming.

I'm all about being nice to people, but I don't have to be nice to stupid people.

Event:
You guess it, I dug people out. Again. On Sunday I dug out the woman who I helped last time. She had done her entire driveway herself on Saturday. I came by to help her with her soul crushing wall of doom. We chatted and good news, her husband is coming home in a few weeks.

Monday I was going to dig a path from the street to the community mailbox. Guess what? It was already done. I've lived in this neighborhood for 5 years now. I've watch people go out of their way NOT to help people. Now suddenly people are stepping up. I guess I should be proud and say that my positive influence is paying off. But in reality it was pretty annoying. How can I be nice to be nice to people if other people are doing it.

Instead I helped a few more people dig out their cars, who hadn't done it the day before. I also extended some of the parking spots people made.


Reaction:
What was cool about this time around is I met a lot more of my neighbors. People who I had one opinion of, once I got to know them, I walked away with a completely different opinion.

I also continued to give coffee to all the snow plow guys. We were dug out a whole 24 hours before most of the county. Our snow plow guys were pretty amazing. They even came by to salt.

Would I do it again--- Well as I'm writing this, the first flakes of blizzard number 3 are falling so it looks like a great big yes.
Cost- I did lose another metal coffee cup-- now my hubby bought insulated paper cups with lids. Each time around we're getting a little better at this.
Effort- Yes-- a lot. I've shoveled everyday for three days. My whole body hurts. My neck hurts, my back hurts and even my fingers hurt.
Time: Hours.. probably 2 hours helping other people.

During blizzard 3 I'm going to shovel out the mailbox--- as you are my witnesses I'M DOING IT!!!!