Up and out the door before 8:00
before I have even un-cricked my fingers
I slip into my husband’s snowpants and boots
and bundle up to shovel some snow
my husband helps to clear the end a little
where the snowplow has pushed in the heavy stuff
then he is off to work
now
it’s just me
and the dog
over to the neighbour’s house first
we set to work, clearing
well I say we, my partner is Ted (my dog)
he instantly picks his spot to lay down
and just keep me company
as I go
when I am nearing the top of the drive
my neighbour comes out for a brief chat
I ask how she is doing, and if her son
will be coming for Christmas
we chat about the weather, then I shoo her back indoors
as she doesn’t like me to have to do all this work
and at 85, I don’t want her doing any of it
once back across the street, Ted and I
begin at the house beside us
I do her front walk, and then my front walk
Ted lays down
I do part of her drive
then part of my drive,
stop for a brief chat with a man from down the street
who’s just moved in
then Ted’s had enough of this shoveling business
and decides he’s going in
now that I have stopped for a minute
it’s harder to get going again
before I am even half done the driveway
of the lady next door
I feel myself running out of steam
I can push, but now I can barely lift
maybe I’ll just do half
I start to grumble to myself
she has kids, who are adults, and grandchildren
they come to see her, take her for groceries
they all drive, aren’t that far away,
but
they never shovel,
never have …
my shovel digs into a rut, and I am jolted
that’s it, I can’t finish, I grumble
then I stop, for a breath
lean on my shovel
look up at the trees
listen to the little chickadee singing me his song
chickadee-dee-dee
a small flock of geese fly over
calling their chorus
I smile, and carry on
when I am almost finished my neighbour
pops her head out
I check to see she is doing ok
take her garbage out
she thanks me again, as she always does
and I say,
it’s no problem
and then I go back
to finish my own
Ted returns to join me
my moral support
the tiniest second wind
spurs me on
and I finish up
we go collect some fresh birdseed
for the feeders
then Ted and I are ready
to go in
taking off everything I have now sweat through
I return to the comfort of
my jammies
grab my morning coffee
a homemade chocolate chip cookie
and sink into
my chair
it’s now 10:15
I think, I’ve earned it
from my chair
by the window
the snow
and the world
look quiet lovely
today ♥