2014 Thursday May 15: a Work Day

It didn't start off as a Work Day.  I slept until 7:30 this morning.  That is later than I like but maybe it was meant to be because I worked my buns off today, later on.

We didn't bother with breakfast this morning; it was catch as you can.  I ate tuna salad and I think Himself had a bowl of cereal.  Then we loaded up and drove out to find the Amish Store.  The New Amish Store.  Yes!  I don't have to drive all the way to Jamesport anymore! 

The Amish Store is over by Modena.  (Modena didn't even come up on the GPS.)  But take the road to Modena after the "S" curves, go to the top of the Hill.  A phone call to my hair dresser mid drive when we hit Mt. Moriah because I hadn't found the landmarks.  "Go back, take the Modena Road, the Variety Store is closed on Thursdays but go on past there and the Greenhouse is open".  So we did and we found it.  And wrote a nice check and brought home fine flowers from the Modena Amish family that used to live at Redding, Iowa. 

Oh those flowers are beautiful!  and different than what Wal-Mart has to offer. 

Well, so much for our nice morning drive to the Echo Valley Greenhouse.  The title of this post is "Work" so we'll get on with that!

I have signed on to mow Vi's yard this summer.  She made big noise about paying me well.  I have mowed three times, as of today.

The first time I just plain mowed.  There were no extras.  No weed eating, weed pulling, leaf blowing.  she paid me $20.  The next time we mowed, trimmed and primped.  I expected $25 and got $20.  Okay.  I know exactly what happened.  Vi's Great Depression upbringing made her wig out, cheap out.  She meant to pay the $25 but couldn't do it.  Shoved a twenty dollar bill at me. 

Last time Lanny mowed with the rider and I push mowed and used the weed eater.  This time I pushed the whole thing with Vi's self-propelled mower and then cleaned up with the weed eater.  Vi paid me $20 again.  Now, you know, Vi is 80 years old and I would mow her lawn for free but she was vocal and vain about paying someone to mow for her so I am taking her $20.  I am taking it because I go above and beyond.  I pull her weeds.  I 'leaf blow' her sidewalk to get rid of Maple Tree helicopters and grass clippings.  I pick up 350 sticks and put her dog out on the leash when it is appropriate. 

And besides, mowing Vi's Missouri Lake Lot is the best work out ever!  I am building stamina and muscle and getting paid to do it!

Meanwhile, Himself mowed all the lots and lawns today that he possibly could.  He did not mow Craig and Traci's because 'Pegleg' did yesterday.  Pegleg is like a Benji wannabe. 

We are both tuckered and stiff and sore today.  We figure this is just the way it will be, here on out.  Our muscles don't stay toned liked younger folks so we are always in the process of building muscle. 

We will have plenty of Work Days.  We will have plenty of sore and tender muscles. 

a Wednesday, May 14

We are at Too.  The weather is unseasonably cool.  It only got up to 59.8 degrees today -- but who is counting?  Even this cool, we worked outside today.  Himself cut trees and firewood and I helped him carry and stack wood and then we hauled the tree tops to the burn pile below the dam.  We also helped Craig's neighbor George clean up his old wood pile.  It had been there so long it was just purely rotted.

It has been cool, cloudy and damp all day.  That is good for working outside once you get the number of clothing layers figured out.  You go out feeling cool so you usually have on one more layer than what you need.  The way I work it, I go out and work in my layers until I'm sweating, then I strip the top layer off.  It would be better for me if I would go out and work a little cool and not work up a sweat. 

We are sitting inside now, at 8:00 pm.  Himself is watching "The Hummingbird Wars" outside our living room windows.  I have been sewing (cross stitch panel for Virginia -- I will be so relieved to have it done.  I have 1-1/2 flowers to do and then that is it!). 

While taking the tree branches to the burn pile, we saw a flock of Bluebirds.  We have never seen that many before.  There must have been 100!  We doubt that they will all stay but I hope a few do! 

 

Here is a pair of Eastern bluebirds, photo out of the internet. 

 

Guess which is female? which is male?  Tisn't fair, is it?

Week Day at the Cabin

It wasn't a work day.  It was just an ordinary weekend day.  We got up early; I had things to do in  Princeton and I just plain want to get up early so I can sleep at night.

Himself did some mowing today.  I did get to town to get my bangs trimmed and to pick up groceries and mower gas.

Later I increased the size of my garden by 100%.  I increased it by using my right foot and a spade. 

If I doubled the space dug up, that is an increase of 100%, isn't it?

There is a method of gardening called 'The Ugly Garden'.  Mind you, I said 'The Ugly Garden' not 'Gardener'.  This is a good example of Ugly.  I hope to make this 3 times bigger and it won't be ready for gardening until next spring.  We will just have to ignore it or learn to appreciate ugly until then.

Himself did a little mowing for the Lake, I visited Vi and then a 4-wheeler ride around The Lake and Marie.  Now time to sit on the porch and read about Shantyboat life.  A River Way of Life by Harlan Hubbard. 

2014 May 6

We came to The Lake today; we hadn't been for a couple of weeks.  We knew we would need to mow.  So we did.  I rode, he pushed and trimmed.  With two of us working, it takes a couple of hours.  Before we got this big fancy rider it would take two of us three hours or more. 

We have a nice John Deere zero turn mower with a 48" cut.  It is nice.  and fast. and modern.  and I can start it all by myself (while reading the directions printed on the fender : )

The push mower is a different story.  It has lost its 'pull' handle and Himself has attached a stick.  The pull rope no longer rolls back up by itself so after he pulls the rope to start the mower, Himself has to manually turn a pulley to rewind the rope.  If it doesn't start the first pull (or the second or the third) he has to rewind that rope manually before pulling again.  Also, there is another manual adjustment he has to make before it will start but he told he I needn't pay attention to that maneuver.  Evidently it something he doesn't want me to attempt.  Evidently I will never have to start this mower on my own.

The push mower is a 1966 Lawn boy.  It was Dale Gibson Hofmeister's, bought new in Prescott.  Lanny bought this icon at his folks' Prescott sale. 

It is a relic.

He will not give it up.

It is light weight.  It is two-cycle which means it keeps running while mowing banks and ditches.  The oil and gas is mixed so the mower doesn't die if it isn't level.

It is not an attractive thing but it is useful.  It is more than useful; it is a necessity!

I have taken on a mowing job this summer.  I will mow Vi's steep, lumpy lot.  Himself will have to start the push mower each time for me.  He tested me out today to make sure I could use it properly without maligning or abusing it.  I think I passed the test.  I believe he will start it up again another day and let me push it up the hill to mow for Vi. 

I am one lucky girl.