Sleighbells Ring . . .

It's a Winter Wonderland here in Chicagoland this morning. I'm just waiting another 15 minutes or so before going out and firing up the snow blower. The official snowfall is 9.8 inches. That's a lot of snow, folks. I don't think I got quite that much, but here's the view out my back deck.

It's similar out the front. I need to sing this morning, so normally I would be out shoveling like mad to get the car out of the garage - this will be a whole new experience.

Every year I say I'm going to get one . . . I said it as recently as last week, when it took me an hour and half to shovel the driveway and the sidewalk at 5:30 in the morning. It's a big driveway. So, last Saturday, in the midst of final party prep, I had stopped at the Ace Hardware at Cherry Creek to get some coolers for pop and beer, and there it was. All put together - the last one they had that looked to be a manageable size for me. Not that I'm a teensy person, but the others looked like you might need a license to operate them. It has an electric starter, and that's always the hardest part of using the weed whacker . . . I hesitated, but not for long. Sold!

I had a momentary hour and half of panic on Friday morning - I put the bag with all the instructions, the key, and the starter cable away . . . and couldn't find it. All was saved when I found it on the floor of the hall linen closet along with another small bag of cosmetic stuff. Guess that was the closest hidey hole when the first guests rang the bell last weekend ;-D

Anyway - I've read the directions multiple times, stopped yesterday and got gas for it (thankfully - or I would be shoveling now), mixed in the oil, and am about to clear my driveway.

Wish me luck!