New Era

Have you ever had the experience where, for example, you bring a raincoat, but it never rains?

That has been my experience after purchasing and installing (with much assistance from my neighbor Mark G, without whom I don't know how I'd survive!) an agressive set of tire chains on our plow truck. (The photo doesn't really do justice to the "teeth" on these things -- great for traction and for chopping up the solid snow and ice that can make a driveway treacherous!) With all the snow we have had this winter, it has been quite a struggle out here in backwoods Richmond! Alison and I are like homesteaders up here on our hill, digging out our woodpiles, shoveling our roof, and plowing our 800-foot-long driveway. And, although I do love all the snow (and hope for more), it had gotten the better of me; on a couple occasions I got the old plow truck stuck.

No more. I put those chains on and waited for more snow, but it never came. Until yesterday. A good 10-12 inches covered the driveway, and I was ready at 5AM today. I plowed that driveway so it's nice and wide. I pushed snow uphill and then backed the pickup into position for the next storm around the turn in the drive and to the top of the hill. Readers, be the first to know: it's a new era in snow removal in Richmond.