Keeping Great Falls Beautiful: The Unexpected Breakup With My Shovel

Picture this, Great Falls Montana, February 7, 2024.  It's snowing, and a brisk 27 degrees.

I arrive home to ankle deep snow that had accumulated throughout the day.  I put my purse and lunch box in the house, and grabbed my trusty shovel.

This shovel and I have been partners for around 4 years.  We team up to clear snow from the walk and in front of my garage to make my little slice of Great Falls a tiny bit nicer place to be.

My House Is In The Alley, So, Technically, I'm Not Required To Shovel Anything

It is one of the perks of living in an alley house.  I'm not required by the city to shovel or mow anything.  Some days I really like it.

But I hate walking through snow, so I always shovel. It's such a small area, even on a hard day it's only around 6-10 minutes.

Back To The Shoveling

I'm shoveling in the front of my little alley house, with the most important part left for last, the front of my garage. My shovel just snaps.  Seriously, it didn't have a bucket full of heavy snow, I didn't hit it hard on something like ice or anything like that, it just snapped.

There I am, standing in the snow stunned. I felt so betrayed.  AND what about the space in front of the garage?  If it's a foot of snow in the yard, it's two feet there because the wind blows it into the alcove.

I Had To Finish With Just The Bucket

Thank god I live in an alley so nobody saw me clear the rest of the yard with just the bucket.  It must have been quite the sight.

Guess what I'm shopping for this afternoon when I get off work?