Ian, my driveway is 10 feet wide, 320 feet long, with a 40 X 60-foot parking apron at the bottom. On a good day I can snow blow it in 2 to 3 hours with a self-propelled, 8 HP, 24-inch wide snow blower. That's if the snow is dry. When it's wet, it could take up to 5 hours, and at 73 I'm just too damned old for that anymore. Like Clint Eastwood said "A man's gotta know his limitations."

Donny rents a home in New Jersey where the snow removal is included in the cost of rent. I never had that option because I've owned all the homes I've lived in since 1965, which means if you want the snow removed, you either buy a snow blower, or get out the shovel. So, when he says he loves the change of seasons, that doesn't involve any of the work of home maintenance. I don't know about Dave, though, but I suspect a similar scenario there as well - I don't see UD out there shoveling a football field length driveway and 128 feet of sidewalk - all uphill.

I take care of a 2.5 acre front lawn, 7 rock gardens with lots of flowers, one with a pond, a huge deck, larger brick patio, maintain the household repairs, do the grocery shopping, and run a full-time music business. And on top of it all, I still make time for sailing and maintaining a 33-foot sailboat, which some say is a full time job in itself. Because I couldn't get out of my driveway during three snow storms this winter, I've lost 4 jobs, which translates to $500. So, that $100 snow removal fee is a bargain as far as I'm concerned.

On top of it all, I've had two heart attacks, my lungs are shot to hell from asbestos, the joints are shot from Lyme Disease, and the telephone is ringing off the hook with people wanting to book me for more and more music jobs. I sure wish I lived in a warmer climate and was 30 years younger.

Cheers,

Gary