Past memories of shoveling a driveway. (house, live, price)

[tarragon]

My husband is currently away on a trip and it snows. I do not have a clue on how to work the snowblower! Lucky for me, I have a neighbor that plowed me out. I was outside with my silver barn shovel cleaning up the snow and I had a flashback from my childhood. Back when I was a kid, I remember us kids shoveling out our driveway! The only plow that we saw was the town plow. I also remember my grandfather who lived across the road out shoveling his driveway. I never see folks shoveling driveways anymore. Is there anyone here that use to have to shovel their driveway years ago?!

[Bydand]

I shoveled mine out almost the entire time I lived in Aroostook County... right up until a friend of mine had a heart attack and I saw what his hospital bill came to. I went out and bought a snowblower, I figured that was going to be much cheaper.

I actually did a combination of a shovel and one of those big scoops. Still keep a couple shovels around just in case the snowblower gives up the ghost during the winter. A couple shovels + a couple kids = perfect solution.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I shoveled driveways for $2 in the 1940s and 50s. I shoveled a whole lot of driveways. Now I clear my driveway with a Kubota and a big snowblower and drive the snow 50 feet into the woods. Makes me smile.

[starwalker]

I shoveled when we lived in town in Wisconsin. Not a long driveway but I always shoveled a ways into the street, in the direction from which the town plow came, because (then and there, at least) the town did not send out the plows until the storm was over -- unlike here in Maine! -- and I was always first out. That kept me from having to go out again, later, and shovel the heavy compacted snow that the plow pushed into my driveway. All the neighbors saw me do it for many winters and even after I explained my "insanity" they all preferred to shovel twice and cuss the plow driver. Never did figure that out...

I shovel our long country driveway here in west Corinth as often as not, any time it gets too deep for the Subaru. Our plow guy, who got hired the first year we were here when he came to dig out the Subaru that K thought could make it (got high centered) moved after that year. He had been a coworker's boyfriend and they broke up.

We have tried a snowblower, but the one we have doesn't like uneven gravel driveways and this year, winter (such as it is...) set in before K completed work on the blower that we got to attach to our garden tractor so if it needs it, likely I will shovel again.

My biggest fuss is that I need a different shovel to do the deck and steps... something much smaller... but have not yet found what I want at a price I will pay.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I shoveled driveways for $2 in the 1940s and 50s. I shoveled a whole lot of driveways. Now I clear my driveway with a Kubota and a big snowblower and drive the snow 50 feet into the woods. Makes me smile.

I love your current style! ...Tractor envy.... tractor envy...

[namder1]

Ditto....tractor envy!! I have a snow blower but it is still work. I remember as a kid in the 50's and 60's it was my job to shovel our driveway. It was long and steep. Around 200 feet I'd guess. We had a push scoop made of wood and a steel shovel. The only plow trucks I remember were town trucks that would hide around the corner and wait for you to finish and would then zoom by and plug up the end of the driveway!!!

[pc-not]

The Cole snow scoop was in our family arsenal along with a standard aluminum snow shovel. The steel coal shovel was used for heavy snow or ice and was the best for making blocks for snow forts when conditions were right. Dad used to get upset when my brother and I would misuse the lighter aluminum one, as it bent and would never be the same after. Loved that Cole. Handmade in Maine. Got our first snowblower in 1965, I believe.

[Submariner]

I shoveled, and then I got a Massey-Ferguson tractor. I used the M/F loader-bucket a couple years, and got disgusted at the limit of how high it could stack snowbanks. Last spring we got a snow-blower on sale.

Now I am waiting for snow, enough snow to put my snow-blower in gear and throw that stuff 50 foot into the forest. Bring it on!

[halfabuck]

I thought that when I got to be this age I would not have to deal with the snow anymore. That hasn't happened but I do remember as a kid always shoveling the driveway at my house and then having to do my aunts driveway at the back of the house. I never got paid for anything and I don't remember seeing many snowblowers in those days. Anyone that had one it was amazing to watch and I was filled with much envy. I thought, someday I will have one of those machines. Well I have one now and it IS work. The kids are not interested in picking up a shovel so I am still out there doing it. This year the snowblower is all tuned up and ready to rock-n-roll but not enough snow to use it. And that's just fine with me. I also remember going out with a friend to shovel and making some money. No one seems to do that anymore because I would certainly hire them rather than do it myself.

[tarragon]

I don't recall snowblowers when I was a kid. I was a kid in the 60's -early 70's. When did they become quite popular, late 90's?