Snow Job

Friend-husband is the gallant type. He loves doing things for people. He also likes hard work. Really. It de-stresses him, and since he is prone to anxiety and worry, hard work is a good remedy. Now, I am not especially fond of hard work, in fact I have been known to avoid unpleasant jobs. It’s not that I am lazy, it’s just that I prefer curling up with a good book and my stash of bonbons. [By the way, what are bonbons? And while I’m at it, is a single bonbon called a bon? I’ve always wanted to know that. …but I digress.]

It’s nice having a husband who would do anything for me, and that includes dishes and laundry. Lucky me. It frees up a lot of my time. [Don’t worry, I help too. Sometimes.] Since husband likes hard work and I don’t there are some things I have never done. For instance I have never mowed a lawn, and until this year, I had never used a snow shovel. Never.

I’ve been struggling with my blood sugar this winter, due to lack of exercise. I traded in my walking shoes for a bike last summer, because of plantar fasciitis. Riding the bike in the cold is not my idea of a good time. Riding a bike in snow does not work well for me. On the odd sunny day, I have considered it, but procrastination has won nearly every time. It occurred to me one snowy January afternoon, when Friend-husband was away, that shoveling snow might be good exercise.

Indeed, shoveling snow is a magic bullet when it comes to lowering my blood sugar. It works every time. Should I pray for snow? Seems a little extreme, but after all my health is at stake.

It just so happens that Friend-husband inherited a non-working snow blower a few years ago when his parents died. Since he loves shoveling snow [ours and half the neighborhood’s] he took his time getting it fixed, but this winter he decided to have our genius friend who can fix almost anything take a look at it. Now Friend-husband has a new snow toy, and I have to ask him to save me a patch of snow. Seems wrong somehow.

You may think this story is a bit of a snow job, but it’s the gospel truth. I promise.

Linda Garner