Geri Sullivan: Girl Homeowner in Winter
Dec. 16th, 2013 09:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gerisullivanI've just operated a snowblower for the first time in my life. Yes, it's a full day and then some since the snow stopped falling, but I do tend to be a tad lackadaisical about such things.
The snowblower was Daddy's small one. My sister Sue had it serviced before I picked it up from her in November; she's much better at the care and feeding of small engines than I am. I bought a small gas can (when the heck did they get so expensive?!?) and the correct oil for the 50:1 mix right as it started snowing. It took me until today to look up the manuals online and read the directions not just for operating the snowblower, but also for starting it. That latter bit was in the separate engine manual.
Using the snowblower was novel enough that I cleared not only my side of the driveway, but also the side that usually spends the winter piled high with snow. If I managed to do that again however many times prove necessary between now and next week, there will be a convenient place for Sue to park when she comes for Christmas. Win.
I can't say it's all that much easier than shoveling. Well, it is, but manhandling the blower is a pain and I found myself working without a break. It needs a cushioned handle. The thing I like best is how far it throws the snow, spreading it evenly across the terrain rather than immediately piling into ridges that get harder and harder to throw shovels full of snow over as the winter progresses. And the stream of flying snow is pretty, even if the sound and smell are not.
For my next trick, I'll blow out the path to the fill spout on my oil tank, all the better to keep the Zeppelin Hangar warm this winter....
The snowblower was Daddy's small one. My sister Sue had it serviced before I picked it up from her in November; she's much better at the care and feeding of small engines than I am. I bought a small gas can (when the heck did they get so expensive?!?) and the correct oil for the 50:1 mix right as it started snowing. It took me until today to look up the manuals online and read the directions not just for operating the snowblower, but also for starting it. That latter bit was in the separate engine manual.
Using the snowblower was novel enough that I cleared not only my side of the driveway, but also the side that usually spends the winter piled high with snow. If I managed to do that again however many times prove necessary between now and next week, there will be a convenient place for Sue to park when she comes for Christmas. Win.
I can't say it's all that much easier than shoveling. Well, it is, but manhandling the blower is a pain and I found myself working without a break. It needs a cushioned handle. The thing I like best is how far it throws the snow, spreading it evenly across the terrain rather than immediately piling into ridges that get harder and harder to throw shovels full of snow over as the winter progresses. And the stream of flying snow is pretty, even if the sound and smell are not.
For my next trick, I'll blow out the path to the fill spout on my oil tank, all the better to keep the Zeppelin Hangar warm this winter....
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Date: 2013-12-17 03:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-17 06:04 am (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItdRfvYHPAY
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Date: 2013-12-17 09:23 am (UTC)I've never seen one in action in person, but I've stood in front of Northern Pacific Rotary Snowplow No. 2 and Northern Pacific Wedge Snowplow No. 19 and they were both impressive as all get-out. Thanks for the video; what fun!
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Date: 2013-12-17 11:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-17 09:10 pm (UTC)We did a joyous dance when my dad caved and bought a snowblower in the late '70s -- our driveway was long, and dirt, and hand-shoveled by us kids until that point.
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Date: 2013-12-19 07:59 am (UTC)I've got the deal down pretty good - shovel off the flying bridge down onto the driveway, shovel out the breezeway underneath into the driveway, blow the driveway up one side or the other, depending on the wind. Love it!