Finally Over That Storm!!

   Thanks to Jeff's nephew, Doug, we are finally ready over that last storm and ready for the next one!  He was here yesterday and changed the decks on the Cub Cadet and plowed the long driveway with his truck and plow.  The riders and walk-behind blower do great jobs of removing snow but a truck with a plow has them both beat.  That was the verdict by the 'old men's club' at lunch yesterday.  Jeff had made one of his soups (chicken and sausage) and between what was eaten and what we sent home with Doug, about half the pot was gone!  Not to mention half the cake I had made!  Any way, Wally and Jeff were in awe of Doug for getting his truck and plow for such a great price (The original owner didn't want to pay the mechanic for some work done, so the mechanic kept the truck and sold it...to Doug...for that price!).  Wally kept saying we just have to find a truck that runs.  He doesn't plan to register/insure it, just put a plow on it and only use it to keep the driveway open.  As long as it has a heater that works!!  After opening the berm created by the town plow's in the mouth of the driveway with the walk-behind blower, Jeff agrees.  Wally has peripheral nephropathy in his hands and feet from diabetes and the cold really bothers him.  Jeff is so full of degenerative arthritis most activity hurt him.  A heated, truck cab sounds like a great luxury to those two right about now!
   I told Jeff before Doug got here that I was going to 'hire him' to change our wood stove pipes.  Jeff actually agreed with me without an argument!  (I knew he was hurting then!)  Jeff had had some trouble the last time he changed the outside pipes climbing up the ladder while balancing 5 lengths of stove pipe on his shoulder.  Now he couldn't do it.  His balance is pretty well gone and his shoulders are so full of arthritis it hurts to move his arms.  When I talked to Doug about it, I showed him the chimney from the living room window.  Jeff explained what had to be done and I added we'd get the pipes.  Doug agreed.  Now we just have to get the pipes and call him.  Oh, I am going to love having my wood stove back in operation again.  Knitting on a Sunday afternoon while watching the NFL...that's my idea of a good weekend!!  Today I'll just layer on an afghan!!
Let's see...Baltimore v Buffalo then KC v the Patriots.  I should be able to get a lot of my Christmas knitting done during those games!