Anything to Keep busy

We got home from Tomoe's parents house in Nagoya two days ago. We were supposed to come home today, but we left early because of the fuyugata winter weather patterns closing in, meaning a likelihood of heavy snow here in Sakae. Unfortunately, we only got about 50cm. The snow stopped a few hours ago, leaving the old workaholics of the village with an itch that can't be scratched.

Every day they are out there shoveling 10cm of snow of their drive as if it was a matter of life or death, while we skip shoveling in favor of taking a sled out to a nearby hill for some fun. I am sure we already have the reputation as the laziest people in the neighborhood.

In the old days, I'm certain that daily shoveling was a necessity - without gas-guzzling snow-plows, people had to take turns clearing a path in the street. Without daily shoveling things would come to a standstill. Everyone had to help out. Everyone had a role.

Now, with the snow-plow, thirty villagers' worth of work can be done with two people in an hour. The villagers are suddenly left with nothing to fill their time. Even the lightest snow is an excuse to get out there and shovel areas that will never be used. While I am glad that the people still have something to keep them busy, its sad that they are being kept busy with work that need not be done. I myself wish that I could get out there and flex my long-neglected muscles, shoveling snow that needs to be shoveled. As it is, however, most of the snow around my house bothers noone, and I have to choose between doing work simply for the sake of doing work, or doing something else that may (or may not) be more productive.

The photos are of Tomoe and her niece in Nagoya.