jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I had my annual oil burner servicing today, and I was sorry to hear that the guy is moving to SC. He's very pleasant and talkative, and he also builds computers and is a licensed electrician. We had a lot to talk about. I'm not sure why he's moving, but it has something to do with his kids and his girlfriend. She's already moved to SC. Other service people from the same company come in, do the work, and leave. A little human interaction is nice - and unusual.

It's not like I've had bad service people in the past, but this guy is so friendly and easy to talk to.

waterwheel2 Loc: Simpsonville SC

Your service man is probably moving to SC because he is tired of shoveling snow.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

No, it's some sort of financial, personal thing. I didn't quite catch his explanation.

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

How can that be, who doesn't like shoveling snow?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You may have seen this -

Snow Shoveling

About this time of the year for the past several years when most people are snowed in I post this. I picked it up on facebook a couple of years ago. I think it's a hoot.

December 8 - 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I
took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge
soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses
Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every
inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more
lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've
ever had! Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy
again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the
snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the
driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow.. Such a disappointment! My
neighbor tells me not to worry- we'll definitely have a white
Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have
so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow
again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man, I'm
glad he's our neighbor.

December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to
-20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath
away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This
is the life! The snowplough came back this afternoon and buried
everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much
shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I
wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow
tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer.
The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think
that's silly. We aren't in Alaska , after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway
putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour,
which I think was very cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere.
Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to
stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to
irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit
it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm
freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20
Electricity's back on, but had another 14 inches of the damn stuff
last night. More shoveling! Took all day. The dam snowplough came
by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said
they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the
only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and
they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're
lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and
bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the
white crap fell today, and it's so cold, it probably won't melt till
August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel
and then I had to pee. By the time I got undressed, peed and dressed
again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plough
on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too busy. I
think the he’s lying.

December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted
me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she,
nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she
did but I think she's lying.

December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplough, I broke the shovel.
Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a
bitch who drives that snow plough, I'll drag him through the snow andbeat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he
hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then
he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all
over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing
Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy
watching for the damn snowplough.

December 25
Merry fricking Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn slop tonight -
Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate
the snow! Then the snowplough driver came by asking for a donation
and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a
bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch
"It's A Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to stuff her into the
microwave.

December 26
Still snowed in. Why the heck did I ever move here? It was all HER
idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14
hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $1,400 to replace the
pipes.

December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. My WIFE is driving me crazy!!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave
in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I
am?

December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plough driver, and now he is suing
me for a million dollars. The wife went home to her mother. Nine more inches predicted

December 31
I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving
me. Why am I tied to the bed?

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I started as a Service Technician and repairing and tuning oil burners was no fun. Customers should realize that they are being charged by the hour. This means that you will pay for the time that you had socializing with the service technician.

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

Yes, I have seen this before and can sort of relate to it but not the volume the author was getting. Four years ago I bought a snow throwing machine since I was tired of shoveling the stuff. The first couple years I had it I only used it once each year - that's how little snow we got, Nevada is the driest state in the country. However last year it got a good workout. We got a bunch of snow a few days ago. I got the snow machine out and got most of the driveway cleared but then the damn thing broke down. Called the repair guy and left a message but I probably won't hear from him until spring.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

We've been using the same local family run HVAC guys for 16 years.
They serviced the house for the previous owner.
They are very personable, helpful, and explain stuff well.
Last Fall we had to replace the dead 30 year old "no parts available anymore" boiler for the heat. They nursed it along for a couple of years. They installed a very nice system.
Maybe 5 years ago they replaced the dying A/C system (compressor kept tripping the breaker). Really efficient new system, very pleased.
They only replace stuff when it needs to be replaced, We trust them highly.
But mostly we just let them work.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

When I moved to New England I bought a house with about an acre of grass and a 150' driveway. I bought a used riding mower and it had a snowblower attachment. There is a natural law that makes the wind always blow the snow from the snow blower back toward the operator of the snowblower. It's the same law that makes smoke from your campfire blow toward you, no matter where you position yourself around the campfire.

After a couple years I got a tractor with a bucket. The bucket would shovel the snow and I could dump it somewhere downwind. The wind tried its best to blow toward me while I was dumping the snow but I was usually able to avoid it and the wind never picked up enough snow to be as much of a problem as the snowblower created.

After a few more years I got a plow for my pickup. Now I was inside the cab and the snow/wind could do what it wanted to do.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I pay with a $225 service plan that covers the cleaning and some repairs. The bill I received for installing a new whistle in the oil tank was for the job, rather than the time. Of course, with his tendency to talk, I'm glad I was the first house on his schedule (8:00m AM).

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Good friends are worth hanging onto. How about keeping in touch over the telephone? By the way, my son bought some land in Afton. He built a house on the land. Are you nearby?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

"Nearby" s relative. He's more nearby than my brother-in-law in CA, probably a four hour's drive.

The oil burner guy did a good job, explained everything, and he was nice to talk to. He's not going to become my bosom buddy.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

You don’t have to go out for dinner or do much else. For me, a glass of whiskey, a cigar and so good talk between friends.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As I implied above, he's a nice repair guy, not a friend.

I don't drink whiskey or smoke, although I do talk to people on rare occasions.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I talk to my oil burner guy regularly. He's a relative.