Guess what are three most useful tools without which no proper Ottawa household can exist ? Snow shovel, snow pusher and car window ice scratcher. If the number was 4, the next would be snowblower. Up to yesterday, our family was in safe position being equipped with several shovels, four or five scratchers and one pusher.

Then disaster stroke: my son broke the pusher while moving away few cube meters of snow we removed from the roof. In case you do not understand - removing snow from roof is another favorite winter leisure time activity in Ottawa: almost everybody is doing it. Not that it would be so much fun, but because of the dreadful consequences - avoid it and you may end up like this guy.

Especially in year rich on snow, like this one. And this winter - despite beig warm and cosy, only few days of -25 and below - it is snow-wise very likely a record year. The previous record winter happened (fortunately) long before I set foot on this continent: in 1970-71, we had 444 cm of snow during winter. Right now, it is about 415. The weather forecast for next week mentions possibility of another 50 cm. Ouch.

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The shoveling is no fun at all. The back garden is full of snow, with top of the snowhill well over 3 m high. Another mountain in front of the house. I can hardly imagine where we do put another 50 cm, and most importantly HOW. Because the darn pusher is broken.
Now if you think that in modern market economy it is just a matter of driving to next store and buying one, think again. This is what I did today, just to discover that full Garden and Outdoor section is filled with barbecues, rakes, seeds, lawn movers and other completely ridiculous tools :-). No pushers at all. Only small pack of deserted shovels set aside. I bought one to make the trip worth the time ....

I guess I will have to BORROW a pusher from neighbor :-(. What a shame to admit I am pusher-less ...

Out of desperation, I have decided to share my experience with the public in the following book:
Snow Shovelling