Shoveling Penance

Last night M2 came over and we walked to the nearest bar . . . about three blocks. The bar was okay. Nothing to write home about. Would have been better without the obnoxious DJ trying to play top 40 in a tiny local grandpa bar. It was starting to snow as we walked there and by the time we left . . . three beers and some onion rings later . . . it was really snowing. So I was looking forward to some snow shoveling in the morning.

Now you're thinking, "Emily? Looking forward to shoveling?" I hate shoveling but I figured it would burn off some calories and I wouldn't then have to do the "walking in the cold" thing that I'm loathing almost as much as shoveling. I slept in . . . put on my flannel lined jeans and layers, opened the door and . . .

Someone had done all my shoveling for me. It's like the snow elves came with their tiny shovels and cleaned my walk during the night. Not a bit to shovel. I was almost disappointed.

I do not know who the mystery shoveler is, but he or she did not do my neighbors walk. My neighbors are in their eighties, so as penance for somehow being lucky enough to have snow elves or gnomes or what-have-you, I shoveled their driveway and sidewalk instead.

That not really being all that much of a workout, I then walked to Starbucks to read the paper. It was warm for snow, must have been in the forties, and I considered just wearing long underwear and a jean jacket. Luckily, the mother voice (you know, when her voice pops involuntarily into your head . . . ) won out and I wore a coat because as I was wandering aimlessly around Barnes and Noble picking at Arvo Part CDs (bought another one and it's still not the one I heard in NYC . . . crap I'm going to have to call him just for that) the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. Suddenly what was melting and slushie was frozen again and the wind was very unfun to walk into. I really wished that I had a friend in Royal Oak that I could call and have them pick me up so I wouldn't have to walk home.

I made it home, before dark and everything. And I walked faster than usual, which MUST be better, right? Off to grocery shop, do laundry, clean out the refrigerator and take out the trash . . . oh, the joy in the mundane. I'll keep an eye out for the snow elves too.