The plowing is complete.

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I didn't do it.  But I helped getting the chains back on.  Neighbor was at it.  The chains on one back tire was off completely, the other was terribly twisted, worse than being off.  I brought light, and hands.  As well, a couple of handwarmer packets and a few dollars for a hot cocoa or broth if he has time.  It is cold out there.

He didn't think putting on chains, which required deflating tires, unwinding one, getting them on in the slush and cold, sounded like a reasonable project for 5:00 in the morning.  I absolutely concurred.  Even helping seemed unlikely.  Yet there we were.  I didn't tell him, but that is... much of life.  If you can't always enjoy it, I would have like to have said, learn to bear it with heart, a smile, and humility.  Yes, fake it until you make it, with the goal of not having to fake it.

Today I let him have his sour.  It was mild, and not putting him off his labor.  I merely acknowledged his mild grief and enjoined in his efforts with a smile of my own.  He is a good man with a lot of work, failure, success, and time before him.  None of that is even as it is plainly stated.  Even nephilem and angel, as monks and nuns, priests, kings, and prophets, we all eventually understand how thin our greatest grace.  Even our salvation is a gift.  No due do we earn, only bow to accept.  If this is also no beggary.  Even in that the Christ covered our naked humility, if... we might earn some of that back, if we seek beautiful humility as He showed.  Amen.

It was good to help, on such a dark, cold, early day.  I need more salt.  This slush we are getting is ridiculously nasty.  I was only going between 35 and 45 when out yesterday.  If I drive slow, nobody should be driving.  The only reason anyone was out, save your fool truly, was they were caught out.  Although I have been starving a goodly while.  They salted, etc, wonderfully.  But the weather was extreme.  Luckily they know how to do it, ignore enviro earth firsters, and did it.  Even so, there is only so much you can do.  Yeah, I want salt, and a shovel.  I'll go to my new hardware store soon.

A fatted hot tea, see about the drier load, then the duckles out in an hour.  Later.