Minnesota Nice

There's an expression here, "Minnesota Nice." It's a term for the common conception that Minnesotans are very hospitable and courteous to others.. and well, nice. The thing is, it's true. The people here are nice. Really nice. This coming from a Canadian.

Here was the view from my front door this morning:


Probably another foot of snow fell overnight (yes, that last picture is of my mailbox).

Today has been a day full of Minnesota Nice. First, our neighbours and their two sons have been shoveling the front walk and sidewalk for me since the snow began (WHICH WAS WEDNESDAY NIGHT). Then this morning my friend Shelly (of clog fame) called and told me her husband had offered to drive over from the other side of St. Louis Park and shovel my driveway for me. I actually didn't even know what to say, I was kind of overwhelmed by such a kind gesture. Then she offered to bring the whole family over to make it kind of fun shoveling (though I think we were deluding ourselves that such a thing exists).

Nice!

I accepted, but I had barely hung up when a neighbour from down the street called... I answered the phone and she said "It's your snowblowing angel calling." Angel, indeed. She said if I would just watch her kids while she did it, she wouldn't mind doing both our driveways and paths. I thought this was a great trade, and I agreed to watch her boys while she was out clearing the snow. Not nice enough for you? Well, she called back an hour later to say that she found someone else to watch her 2 and 4 year olds so that I wouldn't have to bother putting my girls in snowsuits and walking the 5 houses down to her place.

Nice!!

Meanwhile I looked out the window to see a man I don't know snowblowing my sidewalk for me. Maymuna and I waved and jumped up and down at the front door to express our thanks, but he didn't hear or see.

Nice!!

So there you have it. Nice-ness.

By the way, IT'S SNOWING OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW.