The humbling realization that we've gotten too old to shovel heavy snow; Thank Goodness for Mel Brooks; Live streaming tickets will be available for the Oldster Variety Hour March 4th...
I think, once you start receiving Medicare, you shouldn't even have to walk through snow. Big, good-looking guys should be posted on every block to carry you.
In our rural Argentine village 50 years ago, when there was a lot of rain, there were burly guys posted at the wash, carrying the older ladies across so they could get to market.
I hate to virtue-signal, but I'm one of those late-50s guys who puts ads up on NextDoor with "If you are elderly or disabled and you need someone to shovel your driveway, send me a PM with your address, I'll show up with my truck and do it, no charge."
It's my way of giving back. The town has been very good to me.
But I solved the problem of snow of any kind by moving 1,000 miles to Southern California Nov. 1. 70 and sunny for the rest of my life, thank you very much! The snow can plotz.
Well, I had no choice, I was evicted near Boulder (not for non-payment of rent, or nuisance - the building was sold) and as the date of “Get out by Nov. 1” approached and I still had no affordable housing or any housing at all, I said to myself “If I’m going to be homeless, I want to be warm,” so I packed my life, drove to L.A, dumped all my posessions in storage and here I am at an Air Bnb until further notice. And it’s 70 and sunny! HA! :)
You are more than welcome to visit anytime. We live in Wine Country, Sonoma County. There’s a great winery across the street. Fabulous restaurants. The ocean is 45 minutes away. And San Francisco is 90 minutes away, too. Life is good!
I can still muscle my craftsman snowthrower up and down my driveway, so of course I'm in great shape, right? (I can't touch my toes without bending my knees, but knee-touching isn't required in snow removal so what could possibly go wrong?)
Last year my area got an unexpected 2 feet of snow, all of which piled up in my 80-foot driveway. I popped open the garage door, fired up the snow thrower - and then just stood there defeated because there was no way anyone - let alone 70-year-old me - was going to muscle all of that out.
I was standing there feeling very sorry for myself and thinking about trying to find a snow removal service willing to come out (I live in a rural area) when I heard the rumble of a big blue tractor coming down my road. The driver stopped at the end of the driveway and pointed to each side of the drive. I thought, "Yes, thanks so much for pointing out that I have 2 feet of snow in my driveway," and forlornly nodded. Next thing I know, he's plowing my entire driveway.
I tried to give him some money, which he refused to take. He said, "I just like helping people out." So pushing my luck, I asked him if he would also dig out my neighbor, whose husband had recently had his third heart attack, and who I could see was actually trying to dig out with a laughably small shovel.
My guardian angel on the big blue tractor happily went over and dug her out. My neighbor told me later that when she saw this guy in her driveway, she stood there and cried.
I've since learned where this man lives but up until that moment, I had never spoken to him.
That said, I have found snow removal services who will come out if I need help. Can't always rely on guardian angels arriving on big blue tractors every time.
Here in Arizona, we seldom get more than a few inches, and I enjoy the exercise. But if there's too much, we just wait for it to melt because, at 82, we don't have to go anywhere.
Neighborhood kids still shovel! We have a pretty good amount of tweens and teens who do the door-to-door method in our small town with varying degrees of success. My teenager and a friend took on ten jobs on Monday/Tuesday--good money for kids who have the backs to withstand it. :)
As a Southerner, when I asked my friend in Maine what her monthly utilities were, she rattled off electricity, water, trash, snow removal... huh? I think I did a doubletake -- snow removal? Yep, it's a line item in her budget. A fixed expense that she prioritizes! And rightly so!
Yeah, maybe. I live in coastal VA, where we are about to be slammed by a foot of snow, for which we as a region are completely unprepared. And then we face a constant onslaught of hurricanes for 5 months of the year. Yes, we're warm, but no, we are not more relaxed, lol.
It has been humbling this year dealing with the snow! I live in Muskoka and have an enormous amount of snow! I have a plow guy who plows my driveway but I do clean up, front deck and walkway and back deck. I fell in my driveway 2 weeks ago on the literal last shovel and then I was done! They always say don't put your hand down, easier said than done. Lesson learned as I now have a fractured/sprained wrist and off snow removal. (a quick and painful way to get out of that job!) Sincerely ready for summer and flip flops!
I shovel. We get plenty of snow here in Chicago area, that's for sure. But I'm also one of those lifelong exercisers, so I look at it at just another workout: one has to warm up, stretch out, etc., and good form/technique is important to ensure you don't hurt yourself. I don't love it, but when I'm doing it, I will recite to myself, *shoveling is a great workout, shoveling is a great workout," while I toil up and down the sidewalk and walkways and driveways. And it is. But if you're not in good enough shape to lift weights on a regular basis, you probably shouldn't shovel deep or wet snow.
That’s a good mantra. Arthritis has made it hard for me to keep up with exercise. But exercise is probably also an important antidote, so… I find it hilarious that people are always like, “You’ll be fine as long as your bend your kneeds.” I bend my knees! It’s still shoveling heavy stuff, and it’s still going to leave you sore (or injured, in my case).
I used to have a large snowblower for the driveway, but sold it about 5 years ago when it got too hard for me to handle. That's when we got the snow plow guy to do the driveway. The expense is well worth it. Now the only areas I shovel are the front and rear porches, stairs and walks, and a 5 foot strip along the garage door that the snow plow can't reach. I'm 86, live in Maine, and have no trouble shoveling snow. I've never had a heart or blood pressure problem, I don't smoke or drink, and I've worked out regularly most of my life. These days it's at Planet Fitness 3 to 4 days a week.
As time goes by, however, there are more things that I can't do, more things to be outsourced. I gave up mowing our lawn a few years ago. I had a good power mower, but even with that, lawn mowing about a half acre became too much and I always noticed it the next day. Gave up skiing about 5 years ago, long hikes a couple of years ago . . . Cheating death ain't fun. It gets harder every year.
Wow, I’m impressed that at 86 you’re still shoveling at all! I’m ready to throw in the towel completely at 60. It makes sense that you are having to abandon certain endeavors. Glad you’re listening ot your body.
We started to pay for snow removal whenever possible, which I used to do myself as a single mom years ago, even in a blizzard. I identify with Brian’s can-do spirit. We’re both physically fit but realized it’s worth it to have a clean, safe driveway and walkway (and in record time!) without risking injury especially over 60.
Love this post. I'm 73, and I still shovel sometimes, but only when the snow is fluffy. (The guys with big plows handle the serious stuff. They came three times in 24 hours during the big storm a few days ago.) Since my driveway is long and vertical, my "shoveling" is mostly pushing the snow downhill and to the side with my big, wide ergonomic shovel.
I can remember my mother, in the early 1960s, looking fearfully out the window as my father shoveled. She was sure he was going to die. He was about 55 at the time. When he finally died of emphysema in his 80s, the doctor told us, "it is taking him a long time to die, for he has the heart of a 30-year-old man..."
My husband snow-blows up to 6", then we pay the plow to come. We still have to clear paths for the dog and to the oil tank, so it ends up being quite a lot of shoveling.
Ugh, I shovel so much (62 3/4). My husband is balance-disabled, so he can't do it. No neighborhood kids. I could call a snow removal service but I don't really want to shell out. The hard part is I have garage spaces right next to each other that open out onto a city sidewalk with only a few feet of "driveway" and not a lot of space to put the snow. I tend to push it across the street to the curb there, which has no driveways. But with a snow like this last one, that was a BEAST. Also: two sidewalk frontages, stairs from the house to sidewalk, walkway along the side of the house. It adds up and I feel it. But still cheaper than going to the gym, I guess, if it doesn't kill me.
Yay to having a company shovel your snow, Sari! Now you can hopefully enjoy the snow again? (I thought of my father who's turning 82 in a few weeks and still shovels the snow, also for neighbors if they are not able to do so from time to time... I'd better not tell my mother about the information on heart diseases you shared...) 😉
P.S. I also love your letters from the editors very much! Wonderful pieces, please keep going 😊
Thank you for let me know you enjoy these, Corina! That is amazing re: your dad. The truth is I’ve never liked snow. I mean, a little now and then is pretty and I like the hush it puts on the world. But it makes driving treacherous and turns grey after a day or so. But having people help us with snow removal makes winter a little less of an ordeal.
Yes, I understand what you mean about the becoming grey snow etcetera 😀 - I like it for a few days in December, but by February I am already through with the winter 😀 Have a lovely Sunday on the other side of the Atlantic!
This post was very helpful. Sent bro in NY a note about shoveling. Plan to watch Song Sung Blue and make 5 calls. Also, share info about 5 calls. Thanks!
SHOVELING, not shoving. 🤦🏻♀️ Fixed the typo.
I think, once you start receiving Medicare, you shouldn't even have to walk through snow. Big, good-looking guys should be posted on every block to carry you.
I second this motion.
In our rural Argentine village 50 years ago, when there was a lot of rain, there were burly guys posted at the wash, carrying the older ladies across so they could get to market.
And those guys should be offering refreshments. Everyone knows how dehydrating cold weather is.
I hate to virtue-signal, but I'm one of those late-50s guys who puts ads up on NextDoor with "If you are elderly or disabled and you need someone to shovel your driveway, send me a PM with your address, I'll show up with my truck and do it, no charge."
It's my way of giving back. The town has been very good to me.
But I solved the problem of snow of any kind by moving 1,000 miles to Southern California Nov. 1. 70 and sunny for the rest of my life, thank you very much! The snow can plotz.
Thanks for sharing that, Josh. Very kind of you! And good for you moving to Southern California. I wish it were easy for us to follow suit…
Well, I had no choice, I was evicted near Boulder (not for non-payment of rent, or nuisance - the building was sold) and as the date of “Get out by Nov. 1” approached and I still had no affordable housing or any housing at all, I said to myself “If I’m going to be homeless, I want to be warm,” so I packed my life, drove to L.A, dumped all my posessions in storage and here I am at an Air Bnb until further notice. And it’s 70 and sunny! HA! :)
Good luck!
And that’s why we will never leave our Mediterranean climate here in Northern California. Not as warm as SoCal, but no snow.
Can you adopt us?
PS Must point out I've been working out since 1980, all through the decades, 6-7 days a week, so there's that.
We have fallen behind on exercise. But we’ll get back on it soon, after our injuries subside.
You are more than welcome to visit anytime. We live in Wine Country, Sonoma County. There’s a great winery across the street. Fabulous restaurants. The ocean is 45 minutes away. And San Francisco is 90 minutes away, too. Life is good!
I can still muscle my craftsman snowthrower up and down my driveway, so of course I'm in great shape, right? (I can't touch my toes without bending my knees, but knee-touching isn't required in snow removal so what could possibly go wrong?)
Last year my area got an unexpected 2 feet of snow, all of which piled up in my 80-foot driveway. I popped open the garage door, fired up the snow thrower - and then just stood there defeated because there was no way anyone - let alone 70-year-old me - was going to muscle all of that out.
I was standing there feeling very sorry for myself and thinking about trying to find a snow removal service willing to come out (I live in a rural area) when I heard the rumble of a big blue tractor coming down my road. The driver stopped at the end of the driveway and pointed to each side of the drive. I thought, "Yes, thanks so much for pointing out that I have 2 feet of snow in my driveway," and forlornly nodded. Next thing I know, he's plowing my entire driveway.
I tried to give him some money, which he refused to take. He said, "I just like helping people out." So pushing my luck, I asked him if he would also dig out my neighbor, whose husband had recently had his third heart attack, and who I could see was actually trying to dig out with a laughably small shovel.
My guardian angel on the big blue tractor happily went over and dug her out. My neighbor told me later that when she saw this guy in her driveway, she stood there and cried.
I've since learned where this man lives but up until that moment, I had never spoken to him.
That said, I have found snow removal services who will come out if I need help. Can't always rely on guardian angels arriving on big blue tractors every time.
What a kindness!!
Your story made me cry. We need each other!
Here in Arizona, we seldom get more than a few inches, and I enjoy the exercise. But if there's too much, we just wait for it to melt because, at 82, we don't have to go anywhere.
Nice!
You live in the wrong part of Arizona.
Neighborhood kids still shovel! We have a pretty good amount of tweens and teens who do the door-to-door method in our small town with varying degrees of success. My teenager and a friend took on ten jobs on Monday/Tuesday--good money for kids who have the backs to withstand it. :)
Good to hear that tradition is still alive!
As a Southerner, when I asked my friend in Maine what her monthly utilities were, she rattled off electricity, water, trash, snow removal... huh? I think I did a doubletake -- snow removal? Yep, it's a line item in her budget. A fixed expense that she prioritizes! And rightly so!
It now makes perfect sense to me!! I also now perfectly understand why so many people move to warm places later in life.
Yeah, maybe. I live in coastal VA, where we are about to be slammed by a foot of snow, for which we as a region are completely unprepared. And then we face a constant onslaught of hurricanes for 5 months of the year. Yes, we're warm, but no, we are not more relaxed, lol.
Oh, boy. Good luck with this storm.
It has been humbling this year dealing with the snow! I live in Muskoka and have an enormous amount of snow! I have a plow guy who plows my driveway but I do clean up, front deck and walkway and back deck. I fell in my driveway 2 weeks ago on the literal last shovel and then I was done! They always say don't put your hand down, easier said than done. Lesson learned as I now have a fractured/sprained wrist and off snow removal. (a quick and painful way to get out of that job!) Sincerely ready for summer and flip flops!
Oh, no! Hope you heal up fast.
I shovel. We get plenty of snow here in Chicago area, that's for sure. But I'm also one of those lifelong exercisers, so I look at it at just another workout: one has to warm up, stretch out, etc., and good form/technique is important to ensure you don't hurt yourself. I don't love it, but when I'm doing it, I will recite to myself, *shoveling is a great workout, shoveling is a great workout," while I toil up and down the sidewalk and walkways and driveways. And it is. But if you're not in good enough shape to lift weights on a regular basis, you probably shouldn't shovel deep or wet snow.
That’s a good mantra. Arthritis has made it hard for me to keep up with exercise. But exercise is probably also an important antidote, so… I find it hilarious that people are always like, “You’ll be fine as long as your bend your kneeds.” I bend my knees! It’s still shoveling heavy stuff, and it’s still going to leave you sore (or injured, in my case).
I used to have a large snowblower for the driveway, but sold it about 5 years ago when it got too hard for me to handle. That's when we got the snow plow guy to do the driveway. The expense is well worth it. Now the only areas I shovel are the front and rear porches, stairs and walks, and a 5 foot strip along the garage door that the snow plow can't reach. I'm 86, live in Maine, and have no trouble shoveling snow. I've never had a heart or blood pressure problem, I don't smoke or drink, and I've worked out regularly most of my life. These days it's at Planet Fitness 3 to 4 days a week.
As time goes by, however, there are more things that I can't do, more things to be outsourced. I gave up mowing our lawn a few years ago. I had a good power mower, but even with that, lawn mowing about a half acre became too much and I always noticed it the next day. Gave up skiing about 5 years ago, long hikes a couple of years ago . . . Cheating death ain't fun. It gets harder every year.
Wow, I’m impressed that at 86 you’re still shoveling at all! I’m ready to throw in the towel completely at 60. It makes sense that you are having to abandon certain endeavors. Glad you’re listening ot your body.
We started to pay for snow removal whenever possible, which I used to do myself as a single mom years ago, even in a blizzard. I identify with Brian’s can-do spirit. We’re both physically fit but realized it’s worth it to have a clean, safe driveway and walkway (and in record time!) without risking injury especially over 60.
Hear, hear.
Love this post. I'm 73, and I still shovel sometimes, but only when the snow is fluffy. (The guys with big plows handle the serious stuff. They came three times in 24 hours during the big storm a few days ago.) Since my driveway is long and vertical, my "shoveling" is mostly pushing the snow downhill and to the side with my big, wide ergonomic shovel.
I can remember my mother, in the early 1960s, looking fearfully out the window as my father shoveled. She was sure he was going to die. He was about 55 at the time. When he finally died of emphysema in his 80s, the doctor told us, "it is taking him a long time to die, for he has the heart of a 30-year-old man..."
Being able to shovel helped!
Wow. What a ticker!
My husband snow-blows up to 6", then we pay the plow to come. We still have to clear paths for the dog and to the oil tank, so it ends up being quite a lot of shoveling.
I think we are going to need to figure out our inch-criteria for hiring people!
Ugh, I shovel so much (62 3/4). My husband is balance-disabled, so he can't do it. No neighborhood kids. I could call a snow removal service but I don't really want to shell out. The hard part is I have garage spaces right next to each other that open out onto a city sidewalk with only a few feet of "driveway" and not a lot of space to put the snow. I tend to push it across the street to the curb there, which has no driveways. But with a snow like this last one, that was a BEAST. Also: two sidewalk frontages, stairs from the house to sidewalk, walkway along the side of the house. It adds up and I feel it. But still cheaper than going to the gym, I guess, if it doesn't kill me.
<3
Yay to having a company shovel your snow, Sari! Now you can hopefully enjoy the snow again? (I thought of my father who's turning 82 in a few weeks and still shovels the snow, also for neighbors if they are not able to do so from time to time... I'd better not tell my mother about the information on heart diseases you shared...) 😉
P.S. I also love your letters from the editors very much! Wonderful pieces, please keep going 😊
Thank you for let me know you enjoy these, Corina! That is amazing re: your dad. The truth is I’ve never liked snow. I mean, a little now and then is pretty and I like the hush it puts on the world. But it makes driving treacherous and turns grey after a day or so. But having people help us with snow removal makes winter a little less of an ordeal.
Yes, I understand what you mean about the becoming grey snow etcetera 😀 - I like it for a few days in December, but by February I am already through with the winter 😀 Have a lovely Sunday on the other side of the Atlantic!
Thanks! You, too.
This post was very helpful. Sent bro in NY a note about shoveling. Plan to watch Song Sung Blue and make 5 calls. Also, share info about 5 calls. Thanks!
Glad to know this was useful, Kimberly. <3