As some of you may remember, I advised of my purchase of a Toro 15 inch Snowthrower, back in the Autumn. A few of you were skeptical (my husband was apoplectic!) Staunch East Coasters feared the worst

It is bloody great....it is a bit like pushing a child's buggy, and it chucks the snow right on top of the existing snow pile (here, that's pretty high). It has paid for itself and been a joy...three of my neighbours have since bought one too. If you have a huge property, don't bother, but if, like me, you have a double drive with a 100 metres frontage, and a deck that you'd like the cat to play on, get one. It works.

The last big snowstorm we had (I've lost count this year) my husband turned mid morning clean up, and said "this thing is bloody brilliant, and I did'nt think it would work"... job done...I'm right for once

My neighbor was using one this morning, first time he has got to use it, even went and did the other neighbors house too, I think he was having fun...lol

They look fun, I live in an apartment so the snow isn't something I clear, but if I did, and lived in a snowy place, I'd buy one, shoveling is a miserable experience.

Is it the electric one Millie? I was looking at those, wish I had bought one now if it is!

I clear the driveway twice a day, to get out, and to get back in again, using a Farm King 500. It works well and has been an extremely good purchase, without it we'd still be digging through the Christmas snow.

That's a big bit of kit!

Siouxie, yes, I got it from Amazon. I think those 'beam me up Scottie' big ones are amazing, but the are just too big for me, and I can never get that sort of stuff to start! I have set this one set up with a long lead, and I couldn't be happier (excepting a better climate). My back is not happy shovelling, and nor is my husband....this seems to be a good solution, and is not a major investment with regard to space or cost...and no I don't have shares in the company...yet!

We use child labour.

So did mine.

Glad to see it worked out for you Millie, I can imagine the skepticism
when you bought it.

There's a lot of snow.

I use unpaid immigrant labour (Iranian or Lebanese).

Renting one of these also helps enormously.

http://www.abrisgatineau.com/location-abris-auto.html

Oh dear heavens how do you even begin from that

I too quite like the child labour aspect, but they do tend to give up and shirk a bit, or my one does...I shall have to beat it harder

I had a snowblower when i lived in Edmonton..it came with the house i was renting..in 3 winters i never did work out how to use the damn thing..it was new petrol one bit like a lawn mower with a dual pull cord and electric starter..i tried numerous times to get the thing going without success..so i just kept shovelling..by the end of winter 2011 (snowiest for 40 years) i had shoulders and arms Arnie would have been proud of

That looks like my front garden. At least you have somewhere to put it. I'm running out of space.

At the front there's room. There's less at the back. The fence planks are 4' so the posts are five or so. As you can see, the snow is deep enough now that the dogs can just stroll over the fence. I think there's cause for concern that a thaw might result in sogginess.

We had that a few years ago. The dog could go take a dump in the neighbour's yard.

This issue is somewhat on my radar at the moment. The place we are trying to buy for my stepson comes with a not insignificant lane. I don't think much attention has yet been paid to the issue of ploughing it.