Keller @ Large: Stay Away Snow

BOSTON (CBS) - That was some rainstorm we got yesterday, and given that it was also December first, we were lucky it wasn't a foot of snow instead.

No offense to the ski buffs among us, but I'd just as soon keep the ground clear and squeeze in a few more rounds of golf before winter sets in. Wearing six layers of clothing appears to be helping my game anyway - not that there was anywhere for that to go but up.

But just the thought of what we might be looking at today if it had been about 25 degrees colder has me wondering if we are really ready for the potential onslaught ahead.

Cities and towns are already struggling to balance their budgets, even with cuts in services, and of course, no one ever budgets enough to cover the true cost of a winter of plowing and sanding. In this economy, are snowplow operators really going to work on the usual promise of getting paid, oh, by next fall, if they're lucky?

This would be a great winter to revive the seemingly long-lost tradition of kids going door to door shoveling people out for a few bucks, and seeing how scarce jobs are , maybe more than a few adults might start doing it.

Believe me, there's a market for that.

Newton is poised to become the latest in a growing list of cities and towns that will fine you if you don't clear a path down your sidewalk within 24 hours of a storm's end.

If you're prepared to hustle, you could make a nice piece of change off the homeowners who don't feel up to that task.

And of course, the biggest fear about winter here is the havoc on the roads from drivers who just can't handle driving in snow, even though we get plenty of practice.

I'm sure it won't be long before I'm offering my usual sarcastic tips on winter driving, but frankly, I'd just as soon skip it.   Let it snow in ski country; I'd be happy with three more months just like November.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.