Ken, from England, had a lot of fun with the little snowblower, but when we woke up this week to find nearly 8" of snow in the driveways, and more falling, it was time to gear up.
Big snow calls for big machines. Now, Brian has two trucks that carry plow blades and do most of the work keeping our driveways driveable, but here's the thing: you have to have somewhere to PUT snow. This is the catch that causes so much grief in cities. Despite being Canadian cities, despite the fact that Canadian winters include snow, most city planners set out street scapes that are positively tropical in design, with no place to put the snow as it falls. That's why country roads often have such wide shoulders and ditches (and a side bar, if you're driving such a road, don't believe that the wide shoulder is in fact a shoulder -- it might just be a ditch full of snow...)
So, here at Bondi, Brian ensures that the snow gets moved well back, to allow for room to put more and more snow throughout the winter. Sooner or later, that is not a job for a plow, which can only push the snow, so out comes the snowblower, which can throw the stuff out of the way, and leave us 'snow ready.'
Because there's one thing we know for sure -- it's the middle of December. The snow has only just begun to fall!
And there's something else we know. While we're told that it is rare that two snowflakes are alike, when you pile enough of them in the driveway, it can be hard to appreciate the differences... there is a curious sameness to plowing the roads!
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