What's the deal?

So today my doorbell rings. I go to the door, dishtowel in hand, to see who it was. Hmmm...this was the same man that wrote our ticket for parking in the two hour parking longer than two hours when we couldn't find any other place to park. Wait a minute. I didn't have a vehicle parked outside as Troll had it at school. What was he doing on my porch. Yes? "I'm the code enforcement officer and you have to do your sidewalk in front of your house as soon as possible. It is only going to get colder and this is ice." OK. I walked back into the house and then thought of the one hundred and fifty things I could have said. Like....the only salt I have is cooking salt, I can't take my kids out in this weather to WALK to a place to get salt, I don't have a vehicle to go BUY salt, I didn't even KNOW that we had to take care of the sidewalk and wouldn't a WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THIS IS OUR LAW comment have been allot nicer than "you have to do this immediately". Arrgghh!! I knew if I didn't do something I'd end up with another fine and at which point I would have crumbled into a heap and cried. :-) So I called one very trusty lady up and she left her job to come and personally deal with our sidewalk. Man, I love her to pieces!! I wasn't expecting that at all. I was just wondering what I was to do and she offered. Thanks, Sam, a million and one times. (I think I'm ready to move again!)