Double Take

When Trent and I were out last weekend running errands, I saw something I had never seen before. I actually asked Trent outloud, "Was that guy seriously shoveling... his lawn?"

Not even kidding.

I lived in Edmonton for 4 years. Snow piles and piles and piles all winter there. It never melts. I start tanning, before it's done melting. Yet I have never seen that before in my life.

But then I saw it again.

This time a middle-aged woman - shoveling off her lawn.

Granted the snowdrifts are still huge where the sun doesn't shine all day, but really people??

Apparently Saskatoon has a serious issue of snow mold when it gets warm out because the snow doesn't melt quick enough and the ground thaws, but the snow doesn't. Crazy right? So people shovel their lawns to disperse the giant heaps of snow more evenly and into sunnier areas so that it will all melt before July.

I tell you, it is a sight to see people shoveling their lawns. Still blows my mind.

But here's some random good news for all you who spent this winter endlessly shoveling snow:
Someone who weighs 180 lbs burns 250 calories per HALF HOUR of shoveling.
Someone who weighs 120 lbs burns 144 calories per HALF HOUR of shoveling.
Research has shown that shoveling snow for just ten minutes puts similar strain on your heart as running on a treadmill until you drop.
It’s that strenuous.

So despite the brutal winter we've had this year - at least people have gotten a solid amount of exercise. Maybe it's just God's way of trying to reduce obesity?