Rant #1,145: Happy (Snowy) Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day.

It is supposed to be a happy, joyous occasion, where you celebrate the love that you have for your significant other and your family.

This year in my neck of the woods, well, we have had enough misery to start our own company here.
It has been a horrible winter, and this has been the week from hell.

We got pummeled yesterday with nearly a foot of snow, and then last night and into this morning, we got even more.

I shoveled three times yesterday: in early morning, at work--yes, I went, and my car got stuck in about a foot of snow in the parking lot--and at home again.

I work for a company that has absolutely no regard for its workers during weather situations.

They leave it to the individual employee to decided whether they want to trek to work or not.

This, of course, is a highly ineffective way of doing business. They have no weather plan, and they seemingly do not care about the safety of their workers.

I went to work yesterday, decided at about 10 a.m. to leave--after getting in at around 6:30 a.m.--and was told to wait, "because the rain is coming."

Yes, it came, but all it did was buttress the existing snow, making it even more difficult to get out of the parking lot, when I decided that I had had about enough, at about 12:45 p.m.

It took me about a half hour to get out of that unplowed lot. Thank God for a co-worker having a shovel, and for a guardian angel--a person I had never seen before--helping to push me out of the lot when I was caught in the ice and snow about a foot from the street.

And now, in a few minutes, I have to go out and shovel again.

So this isn't the greatest Valentine's Day I have ever had. My wife and I will exchange our cards tonight, and we will probably go out to dinner with my son tomorrow--but again, snow is forecast, so who knows?

I hurt all over. Every inch of my body is sore. Yesterday, after all the shoveling, I felt like I was ready to be shoveled into the ground, if you know what I mean.

I am firmly convinced that any adult who loves the snow as much now as he or she did when they were kids doesn't have to shovel as an older person.

Those people are lucky.

Not only is my prize for the continued snow another period of shoveling, but I also get the double bonus of having to go to work today.

I also may have to bring my son to his alternative BOCES school today--and pick him up when he is done--because his regular school district does not provide bus transportation when they are on a delayed opening schedule, as they are today.

This edict just came down last week, and as you can tell, I am completely thrilled about this.

Have a great Valentine's Day. I can't wait for the day to end, with me all nice and warm, fast asleep in my bed right next to my Valentine, who will be doing the same thing.

(Happy President's Day--speak to you again on Tuesday.)