Kids in Wyandotte County were busy building snowmen such as this one during the past few weeks, with two big snowstorms hitting Kansas City, Kan., within five days. (Staff photo)
From the Hill
When I was a kid, I used to love the snow.
I couldn’t wait for mom to get me dressed in my snowsuit, three pairs of socks, my galoshes, two sweaters, a muffler, hat and two or three pairs of mittens so I could go sled riding with my uncle or build a snowman. Or just make snow angels in the snow. And I didn’t seem to mind my fingers and toes turning red and achy. It was so much fun. I would come in soaking wet, and she would put my hands in a pan of hot water to thaw them out. But that was all part of the fun in the snow.
I remember one Christmas Eve, it had snowed, and I was out sledding. I noticed the street lights and Christmas lights shining on the snow, and it looked like diamonds – it looked magic. I was mesmerized. It looked like a wonderland and I could pretend I was in the middle of it.
Now, I look at it and see nothing but trouble. Yes. It is still beautiful, but when you know what is to come, it loses something. Like cleaning off the car, the driveway, the street, the steps and sidewalks. And at our age that is a big problem.
Floyd went out to clear the car off from the second storm, and as he was out there, a man, we will call him Joe, came by with his tractor and blade, and plowed the street for us so we could get our cars out from the old storm snow as well as the new storm snow. God bless him. He was having a hoot and really enjoyed helping the neighborhood dig out of this fortress of snow surrounding us. And we appreciated it very much. Joe, we wanted to thank you but you disappeared before we could say anything to you.
Joe, we’ll call him, runs a body shop here on the Hill and is very involved with us all. I know he does not want accolades for what he did, as it is part of his nature. So, if you ever need body work on your car, go to Joe’s body shop on Sandusky. He is really one of the best, and I know he is a good neighbor. Tell him Carole sent you. You will be glad you did. We had $6,000 of damage done to our car by hail, and he fixed it. You could never tell it was ever damaged.
So, thanks “‘Joe” for helping us out in our time of need here on Strawberry Hill. And thanks for being a good neighbor. Would that every neighborhood had a guy named Joe.
Remember when?
Riding double on a sled down a steep hill?
A fortress for snowball throwing and hiding behind?
Licking icicles? An igloo to hide in?
And of course, your favorite snowman? (with your dad’s hat on his head?)
Carole Diehl is the president of the Strawberry Hill Neighborhood Association.