You know how karma has a way of biting you in the butt, even though you know better? Or how irony is a funny thing until it applies to yours truly?
Allow me to explain. I think I’ve said before how I don’t mind snow shovelling that much, You know it’s exercise I wouldn’t otherwise get, I get some fresh air despite myself and there’s always a moment or two when you take a break and look out at the winter wonderland before you, and, well, truly appreciate it as a work of art.
And then you start shovelling again.
Some of the irony Thursday night when I returned home from work is that nature had pretty much taken care of things through mild temperatures and a drying breeze. Plus it hadn’t actually snowed that day.
The driveway was basically dry and bare and it hadn’t been that way for weeks. The stairs, which I hate doing, were maybe a little wet, but clear of snow and all was good with the world.
So really there was no need to do anything and I could just go inside, get dinner ready and have a comfortable evening at home after a difficult day at the office.
That’s what I should have done.
But, seeing how no one was home yet, and the snow shovel was sitting there just begging to be used, it was the perfect, ahem, opportunity to touch up the driveway just a little.
I quickly brushed aside the snow that my truck tires added to the equation and then noticed the piles of snow that were invading the driveway just a little more than I would have liked (I could blame it on my assistants, or sons, but that wouldn’t totally be fair).
Anyway I started to attack the piles in a hurry, cause I still had to cook dinner after all and I wanted to get this little chore done, and soon realized the snow had half melted and was waterlogged and a lot heavier than I had anticipated. Plus I wasn’t just pushing it aside, I was actually lifting it up and off the driveway.
Once I had realized the difficulty and heaviness of the task at hand, like after the first shovelful, I should have abandoned ship and gone inside. After all who was that snow hurting and what did the irregular snowbank reflect in the bigger scheme of things, other than reflect a certain untidiness to the neighbours and the world at large, but then I think they already know that about me?
But, no. I quickly finished the job cause it looked easy enough and it wasn’t really that much snow. I of course rushed it and didn’t use my legs nearly enough while lifting, and even felt my back tweak early on and ignored it cause, after all, I was in a hurry and it would all be over very soon, and I’m tough (ahem) and I could feel good about getting it done and it would be neater and it would be…..
The consequences were almost immediate as by the time I got into the house and leaned down to put the pizza in the oven (it should be noted my cooking repertoire is usually of a higher calibre but it had been a tough day), I was hurting.
Nevertheless I trudged upstairs to get out of the work clothes and turned on the TV to the Weather Network to see what the weekend was going to be like….and, instead had to watch a feature on a health professional discussing the top five tips for safely shovelling snow.
I think I had just knowingly broken all five of them and I would have laughed, but it hurt to do so.
Check out another column at http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/opinion/392943651.html