Many Hands

Make Light Work

We've all heard that saying. Yesterday my girls helped it to come true. Snow and more snow. Snow and then ice and rain...

I couldn't imagine what it would be like for my husband to drive home from work to face the unshoveled driveway. In our house -- the shoveling is his domain. We of course help by clearing the walkway and stairs, but he is the master of shoveling ceremony. Still we gathered the shovels.

The little one, like a tiny plow that could, pushed the snow in front of her giant-sized shovel. Soon enough we had cleared enough room to get his car off the street. He would be safe. Then without a word, a bit of playful banter, and a little extra effort, my Big Rig was cleared without complaining. My silent mantra: Each shovel full we move is a shovel full that he won't have to move later -- when it's dark and frozen into a 6 inch layer of ice.

We kept going. Counting the shovel fulls of the heavy slush deposited at the end of the driveway by the town plows. That stuff, once frozen would be impossible to drive over. By the time our path to the street was clear, I lost count.

The middle one and her friend made quick work of the walkway and stairs. Then salted and sanded to keep it clear -- before heading off for some sledding fun.

For all work and no play makes Janice a dull girl.

And for the man, it was a tough commute home, followed by hot homemade soup and no shoveling.