Midwest Living: It all started with an ice scraper

Today started as many of our winter Saturdays do.  Breakfast at Dino’s and a trip to the range.  Because we were in Crystal Lake we stopped for dog food and made a run to Harbor Freight to pick up a new handle for our ice scraper for the driveway (the thing is pretty old so the handle finally broke a while back).  Needless to say Harbor Freight was a bust so off to Menards we went.  I asked the hubby why we don’t just buy a new ice scraper to which his reply was “The one we have is fine I will just replace the handle, it’s not a big deal”….Oh if only he had known.  We got our handle, a few other items, and off we went to slide on home as the snow was really starting to come down (we are expecting another 18” of this frozen white bullsh*t between now and Wednesday). 

Once home he took the new handle out of the trunk and went to switch it out quickly…not so much.  After about the first 5 minutes, a 2.5# sledge and the scraper not even budging in any effort to break loose from the handle it became apparent that this was no longer about fixing our ice scraper as much as it was about his pride.  While he was doing this I might have been mentioning that the cost savings between  buying a whole new scraper and what we payed for the handle would probably be negligible compared to the tools he may end up damaging in this little endeavor.  He just shook his head and said something about the cost not being the issue and it being the principle of it all.  After 30 minutes, a little heckling from me, a 2.5# sledge, a vice, a plumbers wrench, then a saw, 2 drills (the rechargeable was dying so he had to pull out the corded drill), 2 big drill bits, another hammer and (now broken) chisel…Success!

You would think he would have had a smile on his face after such an accomplishment😛

Since we now had this now functional ice scrapper we decided to clear the driveway of the snow and all of the ice pack left by our plow guys (they really don’t do a great job but the association hired them, not us).  There is one certain spot that pools at the corner of our driveway right at the garage that is particularly bad.  While working to clear the snow hubby set out to eliminate this icy problem corner…easier said than done.  We ended up having to pour some of our pet safe salt on it and let it sit for a bit in hopes to break through.  While we were letting the salt work we set out to clear the ice pack off of the rest of the driveway taking turns scraping and shoveling.  After a bit he went back to work at that corner.  This is what he finally was able to break and scrape up:

There was an area about 2 feet wide that tapered off for about 8 feet of this crap but we managed to clear that as well as the rest of the driveway in about an hour and a half.

Time to let the dogs out again while I go get my new camera so I don’t have to take the rest of the pictures with my iPhone.  Damn…both batteries dead…Oh well iPhone it is!

The doggies love the snow…especially Riley!:

 

Merlin would like to know where the heck are we going to put another 18 inches of this stuff! and I concur:

I guess they will have to figure that out when the time comes.

Before we went in I “requested” hubby climb the snow mountain so I could get a pic. After an eye roll or two he did:-)

While we were shoveling and scraping it was very warm because we were working hard, standing outside taking pictures…not so much.  I think we have earned the smothered pork chops and mashed potatoes that I am making for dinner tonight!  Into the house to cuddle the animals and warm up….pajama time? Why yes, don’t mind if I do! 

And that is how we do it here in the Midwest!

P.S.  Where it is not cleared of ice/snow pack is the neighbor’s driveway, we normally shovel the whole thing when we do but they had shoveled (just) their own and we were over the whole scraping thing when we were done with ours.

Have a great rest of your weekend everyone!!