Random Wednesday Ponderings

I know I have mentioned Agent Longfork before, the longest fork in my drawer, often used for activities such as turning sausages.  He has become such an integral part of any cooking mission, that if I cannot find him, I proclaim him "MIA".  (Again, the whole Tom Hanks befriending a volleyball makes SO much sense right now.)

My dad had to install a chair lift for my step mom this year, who has been struggling with mobility from both hip and back issues.  One Phone Father Friday, my dad was telling me how he cannot resist using the stair lift when he comes home from the grocery store with groceries, or when he has laundry to carry to the laundry room.  He told me that he has limited himself to using the stair lift each day to 3 times a day.  It just entertains me to imagine him slowly slowly slowly climbing the stairs with a bag or laundry on his lap.  AND also that 3 was his limit.  Thanks dad, for sharing the story and keeping me entertained! (Now everyone around here thinks a chair lift is an EXCELLENT idea, although Thom suspects that no one would have the patience to wait for the ride to be over.) 

Finally, the 3 flat next door has been sold to a new owner (just to circle back and TRY to tie these ponderings together, the building next door was where my dad and stepmom first thought of the chair lift idea, as our neighbor who had lived on the first floor for decades had a debilitating condition that made a chair lift necessary.)  Now, when the new management company comes to shovel the snow, they simply pull a van up beside the driveway (never IN the drive), jump out and quickly shovel as little of the sidewalk as they can.  Mostly, just around the driveway and the stairs.  For so many days, I kept pondering, why are they stopping in the middle of the sidewalk?  Wouldn't that feel extremely unsatisfying to NOT finish the job you started?  Then I witnessed the whole heist-like scene of stopping the van, basically in the middle of the street, jumping out quickly, shoveling, jumping back in and going on their way and it all made sense.  Although, I still have some questions about the procedure, it is satisfying to have SOME answers.