Worth his weight in gold

And at over $900 per ounce, that comes to $4,248,000. Okay, so maybe not that much. Let me tell you why he is worth somewhere between that figure and $500.

In November, I figured it might be worth my time to investigate purchasing a snow blower. Since we were on track to go HD, I would have to settle for a used model. Cue Brian's keen eye.

Weeks later, he alerted me that one of his coworkers (Mark) has a neighbor who is looking to seel an old Ariens 5 HP two-stage snow thrower. That's right up my alley. The cost - $150. That unit would cost about $700 new, so I figured I would have a look at it. It took some starter fluid and fresh gas, but she started and ran and I bought it.

Brian once again helped me out by tearing apart and replacing the fuel line, primer line, oil and spart plug. A simple fix, but it's nice to have help. Ever since that work, she has ran like a champ. She has electric start, so there is no need to even prime anymore...

So, why all this talk about worth his weight in gold? Well, it's been the snowiest Chicago winter in 25 years and we've gotten over 14" of snow in the past few days. Without Brian, I'd be shoveling every hour just to stay ahead. I did that for the first few snowfalls this year before I realized a power tool was the way to go.

His value:
Snow blower - $550
Flooring labor - $2,000
Motorcycle tourgide - $4,000
Other help - $?,????
Advice - $?,???