Monday, December 31, 2007

Dealing with Snow

Living in Canada, you'd think I wouldn't be all that surprised by the amount of snow we've been getting this year. Well, consider the past couple years when skiing resorts opened late and had to make snow due to lack of the real thing. Seriously. Global warming at it's finest. And the melting polar ice? Yeah.


Getting back on point, this year we've been snowed over by record amounts of the white stuff. Don't get me wrong. I love the stuff and so do my kids. It makes everything look pretty and clean, and actually gets the kids out of the house and away from computer games. There is the down side, though. Getting rid of it, or moving it out of the way enough so you're not forced into hibernation. Good ol' fashioned shovels are losing favour with many people. And really, who can blame them for not wanting to be a statistic of the snow-shovelling induced deaths and heart attacks? The problem lies not only with our increased inactivity but with the alternative modes of snow removal. The snowplows and snow blowers and their putrid exhaust fumes, or toxic emissions if you prefer. Blah. We tell our kids to get outside into the fresh air, but then we fire up one of these "helpful" machines and pollute that air. When are we going to learn?? Maybe if we exercised on a regular basis throughout the year, our hearts wouldn't scream at the injustice and pain inflicted on them during a snow-shovelling session. Maybe our health would improve overall. Yes, all that good-for-you stuff takes time away from sitting in front of the television with a bag of greasy, salty, bad-for-you chips. So. We obviously know better. We just have to be willing to get a grip and actually DO what is better for us. Myself included.




Rant done. Over and out.