Snow

Yes, I know... it's beautiful. Yes, it is fun to play in when you are sledding down a hill, or making a snowman, or having a snow ball fight.

Let me tell you what is NOT fun about snow. It's not fun when a bunch of kids and a dog go in and out from the house, dragging that white stuff in on the boots, clothes, jacket, whatever it can cling to. Then it melts and you have to mop your kitchen floor 10,000 times in one day.

It's not fun when the snow plow goes by and knocks your mailbox off the post so that you can't get mail - especially when you are awaiting the first check of someone who will only be in town on one day to be able to cash it.

It's not fun when you get your driveway all shoveled (by Jeff and Conor) and then the snow plow guy drives by and puts a ton more at the end of your driveway so that once again, you can't get out, or into the driveway. And this happens when Jeff and Conor are miraculously not home.

Yes, all this has happened in the last week. The first one wasn't so bad - I really didn't mind mopping the snow up, I loved it that Conor was having so much fun with it. He had a friend over and they both were in and out most of the day. I made them hot chocolate - with whipped cream and chocolate syrup drizzled on top. Yes, I am mom of the year, thanks! Then made them chicken noodle soup to warm them up as well. It's what I remember getting as a kid.

But the other stuff? Now that was just annoying. And I'm sure I will be getting a letter from the Home Owners Association any day now to complain about my mail box. Because you see... I took the box and put it back on the post and secured it with an orange rope. HA! It is still sitting there, not able to open and close very easily, but... it's there to receive the mail.

And the snow being put back in our driveway by the plow? That went a little like this:

We left to take Jeff to pick up his rental car and all was clear. He got the car and was going to run to the store for some chocolate milk because I asked him to, he's nice like that, and I had pajamas on. When I came back to the house, I was in the truck, and there was a bunch of snow at the end of our driveway. I tried to just drive over it, but that didn't exactly work out, and I almost got stuck. So I parked on the side of the road and went in the house to check on my roast and start the sides.

Then I figured I'd just get the shovel and go start shoveling. Jeff would be home soon and he would help me. Just let me say... I hate shoveling snow. I would get a shovel full, go to lift it, and it would tilt and spill right back where I had just tried to take it from. I tried just pushing it along. That didn't work either, the pile got too high and just started falling back over the shovel. There were huge chunks of snow, too, that I had to pick up and heave to the side because I couldn't even break it up with the shovel. I would stop and rest and look down the road for Jeff, hoping he would pull up and take over for me.

I cleared the whole thing before he got home. I went back in the house, face red from the cold (and the hard work of course), eyes watering... dying basically, so I could check on the food cooking. Then Jeff and Conor walked in - great timing, right?

And as if their timing wasn't bad enough, he actually started complaining about the fact that I parked his truck on the side of the road instead of in the driveway! I could have choked him. I was stirring something though. I told him I couldn't get the truck over the snow at the end of the driveway and had to shovel it. He took the keys and moved it, then came back in and called me a noob!

Conor: Did you get it Dad?
Jeff: Of course, I'm not a noob like your Mom!
Me: Excuse me? Well of course you got it in after I shoveled all the snow out of the way!
Jeff: Oh, there was snow? But I shoveled the driveway.

See how much he listens to what I am saying?