Well, it was a nothing less than remarkable day with having awakened and found at least four or five inches of snow on the ground, and it was still coming down. Unfortunately, the City plows hadn’t cleared my street before I left for work, so I had to hold my breath while driving until I got to a more main artery which’d been plowed.
The first thing I did when I got to office, was change into my work clothes and boots, just so I could get my front sidewalk shoveled before the pedestrian traffic had it compacted on those pavers, along with creating a cut-out access from that snowbank to the street, just so people wouldn’t have to be trying to climb over it.
After that was done, I headed to get all the rest of my shoveling under my belt, which took me up until close to the Noon hour. The many patches of ice under that snow had me ever-careful whenever moving my feet. I knew it was going to be like that, so at least I was prepared. You have no idea how thankful I was with getting it all shoveled without a spill. Yes, that ice was very slick.
The owner of Bare Sugar happened to be next door shoveling for Roots, and since I hadn’t spoken with her in many months, I grabbed my shovel and helped her, just so we could visit while shoveling. I was happy to hear her business is doing well, and to my surprise, she’s adding more employees due to the demand for goods and services. I actually didn’t know that she was friends with Jen Pope who owns the business next door which as I mentioned, is “Roots” on one side of the building, and “Boards & Bars” on the other.
Not long after I got back to office, Jen Pope from Roots stopped by to give me a gift sack filled with what appeared to be a full Noon meal. Her reason for giving it to me, was because she noticed me out shoveling her front sidewalk. I told her she didn’t have to do it, but she insisted. Before she left, I promised her a plastic bag of freshly-cracked black walnuts which excited her because she said they’re not to be found, along with loving to use them in recipes. She even went to the extent of saying she’d pay me for them, which was an absolute “No”.
Since I hadn’t yet had lunch, I opened the package and found chicken salad, a sampling of specialty crackers, veggies and an accompanying dip, along with the desert being some really good granola which was likely the best I’ve eaten in years. It was all good, so hopefully she continues on building her bank of business, because as I’ve mentioned many a-time, it’s imperative we support our local businesses, because if we don’t, we’re going to have a ghost-town of empty storefronts. Without a doubt, we already have far too many empty buildings in our Downtown in need of tenants.
Since it’s been so long now, I can’t help insisting that if our City had allowed that hotel to be built next to City Hall, all the surrounding businesses would’ve benefited from it. Now tell me. How is that ghost hotel in the Mall parking lot, going to help the businesses located on Federal Avenue? For me, the logistics make absolutely no sense. I hope what they know they shouldn’t have done, haunts them into perpetuity. Yep, I’m a die-hard believer in karma, along with Divine Intervention, which I believe walk hand-in-hand.
Other than setting up appointments and placing some follow-up phone calls, the remainder of my day, was spent back at my walnut-cracking corner, and glad for it, because it offered me some much-needed quiet time to reflect on today’s happenings which had me more than once, scratching my head when seeing some of the things people were doing and saying.
Early this morning while out shoveling, a guy with a low-slung car who must’ve been parked all night across the street from my office, got himself hung-up on the bank of snow one of our snowplows had created, and instead of shoveling, he just about blew his engine up in trying to get it out. Of course he didn’t have a shovel, so he was trying to move the snow with his feet. What a sight!
Another incident which had me rolling my eyes, was seeing a young woman had backed her low-slung car, right into another bank of street snow, and while she was trying to get shoveled out, a neighbor yelled at her for throwing the snow on his driveway. Oh my goodness! The “f-bombs” coming out of her mouth being directed at that neighbor, was enough to make a sailor blush. Of course trying to be a referee in that situation, along with getting ready to help her shovel, she started in on me. Unfortunately, I can only take a teaspoon of such raw language, and then I walk away, which is exactly what I did. I swear humanity is in a state of devolution. Shame on that potty-mouthed woman!
One of the phone calls I received today, was from a long-time friend whom I actually worked with a number of years ago when I was employed at a local bank. I was delighted to hear she’s finally found her niche job which she couldn’t say enough good things about. I couldn’t have been happier for her, because I personally know she’s had some struggles over the years, but at least she’s now happy, and that’s all that matters.
Having known me for decades, I went on to say how many things would’ve been different in my life if I had known then, what I know now, and especially in regards to the years following my mother’s death. We both agreed we can’t change the past, which leaves us only to focus on our todays and tomorrows.
Tonight’s One-liner is: A straw vote only shows which way the hot air is blowing.
