We have received all kinds of advice and commentary on our decision to move to Bismarck, but today I want to focus on a specific area. Many of you have taken to following the weather in Bismarck for us, and delight in telling us the current temperature or snowfall. I have been trying to live in denial about this, but as our move nears completion, this is no longer possible. So, today, we talk about snow. Specifically, snow removal.
Shortly after we decided to move, I started gathering some intelligence on this subject. We have never owned a snow blower. In fact, until recently, we did not own a snow shovel. I was on a road trip a couple months ago with my friend Rick, who was in the process of moving to Bismarck, and my friend Dennis, who lives in Bismarck. Dennis asked how we dealt with snow in Seattle. I told him the second there is a quarter inch of snow on the ground, everyone freaks out, and the city comes to a halt until it melts. I wondered if he thought we could institute this system in Bismarck, but he doubted it. However, Dennis also told me that since Rick and I were both moving there, if we both bought brand new snow blowers, then Murphy’s law would ensure they would sit unused the entire first winter. Personally, I think my friend Dennis is full of it on this subject. I decided to stop worrying about it until we moved.
Then, in early January, I was at a dinner in Boise with several people who live in Bismarck. My friend Doug told a story about his own move to Bismarck in February. The temperature was below zero, the house was unlived in, and very cold, and the moving van was full of all their stuff, which by then was also below zero. He characterized it as moving thousands of pounds of ice into a freezer. Apparently the furnace ran for several days. As we are moving into our house in February, with temperatures expected to be in the single digits, I didn’t thank Doug for this great story.
But what was potentially worse, at the same dinner, my friend Del told me that by January or so, most stores no longer carry snow shovels. What?? Apparently, by then, everyone that needs one, has one, so the stores stop stocking them. Well, this was not good news. I shared this story with my friend Joanne, to see if Del was pulling my leg. Nope, true story. I also got more advice, Joanne shared that not all snow shovels are alike, some have cheap handles and break, and you really don’t want the kind that forces you to lift the snow. Now, this will tell you something about people in North Dakota. Joanne then went out on her own time that weekend to look around to find the best deal for me. She found that the store that had the good kind was down to their last one, so she bought it for me. Thanks again Joanne! Here is a picture of our shovel, which is called a “North Dakota snow blade.”
Next on our agenda is a snow blower. I have also gotten lots of advice about this. My other friend Dennis advised that I don’t get one that is too big, otherwise Karin will have trouble handling it. Karin did not see the humor in this advice. My friend Lee told me to make sure I get heated hand grips, that sounds like excellent advice. From Rick, make sure the chute turns a full 180 degrees so you can blow it where you want to. Sounds good. From lots of people, don’t drive on new snow in your drive way, shovel it or plow it right away while it is light. Makes sense.
Probably the best advice was from my friend Andrea, who recommended that we buy a house next to a retired guy with a snow blower or mini-plow, as they love using them. I hope we followed this advice!
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