winter: embrace or escape?

I admit I may have complained a couple of times about the lack of snow this year, fully recognizing that such complaints might bring on a blizzard (yes, it seems I do have that power). It just felt wrong to see grass in December in Timmins. Well, now the snow has arrived, in an enormous dump that overwhelmed most of the city's snow removal strategies, except of course the sidewalk plow, which is the curse of our existence.

I know, I know. The sidewalk plow driver is simply doing their job, and making it much easier for everyone to walk. It just seems that the driver lurks somewhere just out of sight, waiting for us to clear out our driveway, then guns it down the walk just in time to refill the driveway with snow. I'm not saying they actually DO lurk, or that they have a complicated notification system where they radio/text each other the moment someone finishes their shovelling, but it seems to happen too frequently to be complete coincidence. Anyone else?
     Next time, if I continue to live in a snowy place, I will not buy a corner lot, which necessitates snow clearance on three sides. I will also avoid fancy winding stone front steps which are difficult to shovel and completely disappear whenever there is a north wind blowing the snow. I will avoid a gas-powered anything (in this case, the snowblower), since it seems I am too pathetically weak to ever start something with a pull cord; after multiple attempts, using my entire body and both arms to pull and twist, I abandoned the stupid snowblower in the garage and went ahead with our big scoop, pushing the snow piles past the driveway so that the the plow would not be able to push them all back in again (fool me once, fool me twice etc).
     To be truthful, however, even though I produced enough sweat to water a garden and then had to wear my damp coat to work, I enjoyed the purposeful workout. I appreciate the beauty, the whiteness, the sparkle on the snow's surface, even the sun dogs yesterday afternoon (which only occur when it's cold enough for ice particles in the air). I love to snowshoe and ski, play road hockey, go sliding.
     Every year, it's a balance: loving the snow, especially in early winter, but hating the shovelling, the car scraping, the endless layers when dressing and undressing. Loving the activities but longing for warmth. Loving a ski trip but also craving some sun that gives off actual heat. Will I ever become a "snowbird?" Likely not. I do, overall, love having winter. I was unimpressed with the pouring rain over Christmas in Southern Ontario. I must remind myself of these positive features of winter, especially when I get those vengeful feelings toward the operator of the sidewalk plow.