As soon as you've done these investments, the next winters will probably be entirely without snow...

Finally, enough cold air is currently creeping in to produce a tiny snow cover above 2,000 feet altitude in western Germany, so a small relief for skiing tourism.

Gary, unless you have a very big driveway, $100 is a lot of money for plowing snow less than 6 inches deep.

My old house had a fairly big driveway with two entrances as I was on a corner lot, and the most I got charged for that amount of snow was $25 Canadian.

Certainly, getting your driveway plowed is preferable to doing it yourself and running the health risks involved, but that does seem a bit steep.

Ian

Ian, my driveway is 10 feet wide, 320 feet long, with a 40 X 60-foot parking apron at the bottom. On a good day I can snow blow it in 2 to 3 hours with a self-propelled, 8 HP, 24-inch wide snow blower. That's if the snow is dry. When it's wet, it could take up to 5 hours, and at 73 I'm just too damned old for that anymore. Like Clint Eastwood said "A man's gotta know his limitations."

Donny rents a home in New Jersey where the snow removal is included in the cost of rent. I never had that option because I've owned all the homes I've lived in since 1965, which means if you want the snow removed, you either buy a snow blower, or get out the shovel. So, when he says he loves the change of seasons, that doesn't involve any of the work of home maintenance. I don't know about Dave, though, but I suspect a similar scenario there as well - I don't see UD out there shoveling a football field length driveway and 128 feet of sidewalk - all uphill.

I take care of a 2.5 acre front lawn, 7 rock gardens with lots of flowers, one with a pond, a huge deck, larger brick patio, maintain the household repairs, do the grocery shopping, and run a full-time music business. And on top of it all, I still make time for sailing and maintaining a 33-foot sailboat, which some say is a full time job in itself. Because I couldn't get out of my driveway during three snow storms this winter, I've lost 4 jobs, which translates to $500. So, that $100 snow removal fee is a bargain as far as I'm concerned.

On top of it all, I've had two heart attacks, my lungs are shot to hell from asbestos, the joints are shot from Lyme Disease, and the telephone is ringing off the hook with people wanting to book me for more and more music jobs. I sure wish I lived in a warmer climate and was 30 years younger.

Cheers,

Gary

AMEN !!!

... glad you came to your senses over the past couple of days ...

... it would be better if the Lyme Disease was shot from the joints ...

. . . and I suppose your love life is pretty much over too?

Hey, Gary...you really have your work cut out for you with a driveay and property like that.

That's why sold my house...paid off as many bills as possible, bought a new Tyros4, and tucked away what was left over, and moved into a secure apartment building with very reasonable rent, and all maintenance done for me, including snow removal and lawn care.

I was lucky as well, to have some great friends and a few new acquaintances that helped me out considerably, and I'm very grateful for having them.

I figure I put in enough years, and really, after all, we only really rent what we have...we can't take it with us. I've never seen a U-Haul trailer in a funeral procession.

I spend every day doing pretty much what I want, which is usually playing my keyboard.

I'm no financial genius, or doctor, but I do know there comes a time when it's best to be a passenger on the bus instead of having to always be the driver.

$100 is cheap insurance, especially considering the size of your property and the potential risks involved.

Ian

No, I'm still lovin life, but damned it's cold outside - just finished snow blowing the parking apron. It's 11 degrees out side and you'll probably walk on the golf course tomorrow in a short sleeved shirt. I have to get out of the driveway and go to work before the next snow storm hits. Both of us are gonna have fun, though.

Gary

It really has disadvantages to have a long driveway... In Germany most detached houses are right next to the street with just a few metres to the garage, except residences of very rich people. And in addition, in Westphalia we have an average of just 7 days of snow cover per year.

keep taking vacations with carol top Marathon key FL...
2x or 3x a year until she gives in ..

I'm working on it, Donny.