Shovelling, shovelling, shovelling

The downside to an aluminum roof is that the snow will slide off when it warms up. We're used to it now, but it startles the cats. The problem is the side towards our direct neighbours. For some reason they insist on wanting to go out the garage man door, along the patio slabs between our houses, and into their back yard gate. From there they shovel a path to the gate in the back fence so they can take out their garbage. Why they don't shovel a path from their patio to the back fence is beyond me.

They're in their 80's now, and have a service that shovels their driveway and walk to the man door, but they won't do the walk to the back gate. Their service does a shitty job, just saying, but I know they are the cheapest that will come.

When the snow slides off the roof it sets up like concrete really quickly, so I try to get out and shovel as soon as I hear it go. The alternative is chipping through concrete and listening to the neighbours complain. Today I was out there 4 times, as the roof cleared itself a bit at a time. At least I didn't get any snow on me. It will do the garden good to have the extra snow on it. Perhaps that will see it through the inevitable spring chinooks that will fool the plants.

The other bit of chipping is a canal to drain the runoff. We do this or we get the sidewalk flooded.

The sunset tonight made me think of Jupiter's swirly clouds, and for a minute there was a big orange spot.

This morning swim was CSS, 300 m warmup , then 12 x 100 (1:45 on 1:55), just missing the interval by a couple of seconds over the last 2. Even though the pool was really busy for a Sunday what with a synchro swim competition, I had a lane to myself.