Hey New York, send us some snow

It hasn't snowed in Ireland since before Christmas. You might recall that Ireland was frozen solid for weeks before Christmas, with canceled flights, impassable roads and bursting water pipes. Since then, however, there hasn't been so much as a fleeting flurry.

In the same period, the northeast of America has been getting buried. Another big storm the other day; New York got another 19 inches. I know if you live in New York or anywhere in the northeast, you're probably sick of snow. Irish people felt that way in December.

But you know what? (I'm going to whisper this lest I alert a lynch mob...) I'd love a few inches of snow. Not a whole lot, just 3 or 4 inches.

Why? I'll tell you why. During our post-Christmas visit we went shopping at Wal-mart. While we were walking around the store my eye happened to catch sight of the snow shovel supply deep in a far-off corner. There were many snow shovels.

I wandered over that way without telling anyone where I was heading. There were some really nice snow shovels, the kind you'd have for life. (Okay, just go along with me here.) They were $40 or so, but I knew that it was no use because I could never get one home.

I walked further on to the $10 shovels. Not nearly as nice, but still better than any snow shovel I'd find in Ireland. They were the right kind of shovel too - more of snow pushers than a snow lifters, perfect for the showery light amounts we get when it snows here. And best of all, they were held together by easy to remove screws, which meant I could disassemble one.

I grabbed one and headed off to find the family. My wife could tell what I was thinking from 20 feet. Her first words were, "We can't fit that in any of our cases." I already knew she was right, but when I told her it would come apart she said the words I was hoping to hear: "If you can get that apart, I can get it home." {She does all the packing.}

And that's what happened.

Now I have my brand new snow shovel, but I can't go out and show it off to the neighbors (they will be very impressed - NOT) unless we get some snow. That's why I want some snow. I want to use my new shovel. (Okay, stop sniggering.)

So, New York, next time the forecast calls for more snow do you think you could ask it to head on over here? Just remember, don't tell anyone where the request came from.