Not a Typical Sunday

Sunday morning we received a phone call that our church was cancelling services.  I was kind of glad because we were not going to make it anyway.  At least now I wasn’t going to miss anything!  I was not going because I had been sick for the past two days and still not feeling that great.  Wally was not going to make it because he was looking at hours of snow plowing and shoveling.  Yes, finally we were going to get some snow!!.  I had even received a message on my cell phone of a blizzard warning for Sunday.  That’s a first!  

Wally was already in snow removal mode on Saturday.  He called to reserve day laborers to help shovel…we are responsible to hand shovel snow from the driveways and sidewalks of 125 residents.  Wally also checked the Kubota to be sure it was gassed up and that there was plenty of diesel on hand for refueling.  He plows the visitor parking spaces and the parking lot at the clubhouse.  Our main streets are contracted out. Then the continual checking of the forecast began.  I think Wally got up every couple hours in the night to see if the snow had begun yet…honestly, our forecasters have not been very accurate this year at all.  But this round they got it…

This is Wally’s assistant, Nathanael.  He fills in for Wally if he is ever gone but he is also on call to assist in the snow removal.  His main job is to oversee the hand shovelers.  Nate has done this since we took over but this was his last week with us.  He has been going to school and seeking a career in law enforcement and it is time for him to move on.  Wally has said numerous times how much he is going to miss Nate.  I will too.  He always has a nice smile and laugh going on.  He is a hard worker and very dependable!  Tough qualities to replace these days. 

We usually feed our day laborers.  They come form all walks of life and we never know when they may have eaten last.  Twelve men arrived about noon and started in shoveling.  They worked around the circle until about 4:00 and then I had a crock pot of chili and a pan of hotdogs ready for them.  I also made these lazy day cookies, which I found on Pinterest.  (I found them when I was surfing around on my sick bed.)  So easy and so good!

The snow and wind were still falling and blowing.  So the guys went back out and re-shoveled the neighborhood.  They finally quit about 8:00 and we had some Papa Murphy’s pizzas for them.  Five of them came back on Monday to shovel yet a third time!  That’s a lot of shoveling!  Wally said we got about 12”. The news said 9”, but they were inside!  And the moisture will be so good! 

I have to say I’m glad this isn’t a typical Sunday.  I missed going to church.  I missed the great music and I missed our Pastor’s teaching.  We are just getting acquainted with people at this church and I missed the fellowship we have been finding there.  I also missed the rest of the day.  And it makes for a long week!