Gift Box (Photo credit: Ken’s Oven)
On this Black Friday frenzy of Christmas shopping, which, by the way, I am NOT participating in, I wanted to write about the perfect Christmas present for me — a Northern Minnesota woman – just in case you were wondering.
The perfect present would be a snow blower – a two-stage, push-button-start, Craftsman model from Sears with a three-year warranty to be exact; a new machine to save me from being at the mercy of a thirty-two-year old Toro blower, which I inherited from my parents, who bought it when I left home for college and took my strong shoveling arms with me.
I love shoveling – I enjoy the exertion, and, unless the blizzard is still howling, it’s usually quiet and sometimes starlit work. If the neighbors are shoveling, they often end up taking a break, gathering in the street to shoot the breeze and make sure everyone made it through the storm all right. But there are times when the snow is piled too deep, and the need to get down my 30-foot driveway to the office is too urgent for shoveling.
The old Toro ran well up until last year when the pull cord got stiff and the auger started jamming. I promised myself the whole of last winter that this winter I would get a new one as a Christmas present of sorts.
I made good on that promise last week. But you know what the real gift was? The time my friend took to accompany me to the store and pick it out. Not to mention the pickup truck he provided to haul the snow blower home. Now, if I could just get him to read the manual for me so I know how to start it . . . . (smirk)
Happy Holidays everyone. May you find the gifts within your presents.
Marie's Meanderings 