Today my heart (and my sympathies) lie with the folks in the DC area where they have been bombarded by snow, snow, snow.
But a little piece of that sympathy lies right here at home with ME. Why? Because I'm not an outdoor kind of girl. BUT, with my DH laid up for a few days (he had scope surgery on his knee yesterday to repair a torn meniscus) that leaves the 'man' chores to me. Let me tell ya. I found out this morning that I'm not much of a man.
Thanks to old man winter (I get it now why it's old MAN winter, not old WOMAN winter) dumping another 8 or so inches of fresh snow on Iowa overnight, my first order of business this morning was to scoop enough snow to get the back door open and get out of the fenced in yard. Forget about getting my car out today. It ain't gonna happen - probably WON'T happen until dear DH is back on his feet again and can get the little Bobcat (Bob - another man name - are we sensing a theme here?) running. Later today, I WILL attempt to wade down to the big garage and get the 4-wheel drive pick-up (and yes, I'm developing a whole new appreciation for pickups - another MAN toy) out to drive into town to get milk.
Okay. I digress. Snow scooped. Check. Now the MAN chores await me. There are 5 hungry horses and a dozen barn cats all wondering why they weren't fed 2 hours ago. Yep. Hubster is generally up around 4:30 (INSANE) and outside taking care of the critters by 5:30. It was 7:30 before I managed to bundle up into my mukluks - (okay, I don't have mukluks so I have to wear a pair of his heavy boots - a whole other story in itself), my heavy coat (and jeez, I forgot what a stocking cap can do to initiate a truly BAD hair day) and begin my long, arduous trek down to the barn. Right. It's only about a 100 yards away but when you're standing knee deep in snow drifts and can barely lift one foot over the other, it seems like a journey of a thousand miles.
To my credit, I only fell twice but by the time I'd trudged around the barnyard, scooping grain, feeding cats, and pitching hay, my red chore coat was decidedly white and my ankles were freezing because there was about three inches of snow packed inside my boots.
Can we say inept? I've got to tell ya. I was not only frozen I was exhausted by the time I bumbled back to the house and my little heart was beating like a kettle drum.
Conclusions:
1) Men are great! Especially my DH because he can effortlessly do all sorts of cool things that I don't want to do and do it well.
2) Men are nuts! Especially my DH who has been dealing with this snow (seriously, I walked through snow tunnels that were over my head to get to the barn) since early December all for the love of his horses.
3) Horses are pretty to look at but a LOT of work.
4) I am in lousy shape. I should be forced to go through this very same exercise EVERY morning until I toughen up.
5) As DH recovers, I will BE going through this very same exercise EVERY morning and night for the next several days and I hope I'll toughen up. My secondary goal is to not fall in a snow bank next trip out - which will be tonight. (I see a nap in my future so I can rest up for the big event.)
6) I am spoiled. I take for granted that the DH is going to be out there, shoveling snow, clearing the drive, feeding the critters, making my life easy.
So, in conclusion, hat's off to the men in our lives. Be they hubbies, boyfriends, brothers, sons, fathers, neighbors, or friends.
And to you I ask, have you experienced anything recently that reminds you how much the men in our life do for us? Or are you the self-reliant type (unlike me) but occasionally wish there was a man to help you out of a tight spot?
