These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Strange, but Good, Weekend

My weekend. Busy! I got outside on Saturday for several hours and did some big time yard cleaning. The weather here has been gorgeous, upper 50s to upper 60s, so I decided it was time to begin the task of clearing the undergrowth which has been here since waaaay before I bought the house.

I started with long handled pruning nippers to cut the scrub oak. It worked fine, but was slow going. I trimmed with those for an hour or so, and I knew I needed to do something more facile. Last summer I bought a weed eater that has a brushcutting attachment with a steel blade to cut through heavier growth like I have. I was frankly avoiding using it because I wasn't sure I could assemble it and get it running. I've never "built" my own power tools.

Therefore, because I was covertly avoiding that, I sidetracked myself into widening a concrete block walkway that leads to the under-house storage. It didn't take me a terribly long time. I think I had the blocks all reasonably level in a little over an hour. I took a break to replace fluids and rest for a while, but the nagging wouldn't stop in my head. I knew I had to put the machine together. So I assembled it, put gas in, and to my amazement (since I assembled it), it started right off.

I spent a couple hours and cleared a pretty good area. Boy, does that thing wipe out the shrubs! I hated to quit when I did, but I was feeling the muscle weariness of holding and swinging the weed eater. I used a whole tank of gas and started on a second one before giving up. I'm so glad I got that much out of the way. I still have four or five times that much to do, but I'm not "afraid" of it anymore. And since I won't delay until noon to start next time, I won't use up some of my energy lifting and placing concrete blocks, and won't hum and sing to make the voices in my head stop taunting me, I might even get more done!!

There is a lot of stuff to pick up and pile for the County to collect. I did part of it, but honestly, the bending and straightening was wearing on my body more than the cutting. I stopped. I'm going to see if I can hire a friend's teenage son to pick up the rest.

I was dreading how I was going to feel today. I mean, I was aching and feeling the muscle strain yesterday, so how could I not expect today to be a real challenge? I took a hot shower, took Tylenol, had dinner, and took more Tylenol at bedtime, along with a muscle relaxer. Even with that I had trouble falling asleep, I think I was worried about how today would go. But I woke this morning with only minor discomfort. Boy, was I surprised! This is a good thing. I know I can work myself reasonable hard and not put myself to bed for a couple days!

This morning's weather is extremely different from yesterday's. It is very foggy and cold. As I write this, it is approaching noon and the temp is still just 29 degrees. I was thinking last night about packing away some of my winder clothes, the heavier ones, but I guess I won't be doing that just yet!! I'd also planned to go outside and do a little clean up of the bushes today, but I won't. This kind of weather is not what you want with the muscle sensitivity. A dose of cold, wet air might just reverse all the good preparation I took.

The remainder of this is written after 7:30. As I was in the middle of writing it earlier, I suddenly had no Internet access. I did all the restart everything tricks, then called to find out what was wrong. Some guy named "Peter" who spoke with a decided Indian accent told me that there was a systemic problem that would be fixed ASAP. I left till just a bit ago,and indeed, it is back. And speaking of the practice of outsourcing ......




This afternoon I went to dinner at a coworker's house. I wasn't even thinking about doing anything for Easter, but since I was invited, you bet I'll go. Eating someone else's cooking if always a treat, especially when they are good cooks like this person and her husband. They always bring "his and hers" dishes to the potlucks, and none of us are complaining! It was a good dinner ... ham (of course), yams, sautéed asparagus, and pea salad (I love, LOVE pea salad!). A simple but absolutely delicious dinner. Oh, and it ended with some pumpkin tarts, a Klondike bar (Triple chocolate, yum!!), and a cup of AL's wonderful latte. sighhh. It couldn't get much better, good food, good beverages, and good company. Yeah ...

Life is beautiful!!!


BTW, the fog never lifted today and the high was, I think 33. The fog on the mountains behind my house was freezing in the trees, so it looked like snow on the trees, very pretty. And tomorrow will be ... are you ready for this? ... 64 and sunny!! Spring will be back, thank goodness!!

12 comments:

  1. The meal sounds DELICIOUS!! We ate too much today and I am officially stuffed now!!!

    Glad your weather is turning around. 33 and foggy sounds pretty miserable!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cheryl, it is miserable, especially after the nice days we were having. Can't wait for tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the videos you find!!! Whenever I call somewhere and it sounds like they are not from the US I ask what country they are in and how the weather is. That question always gets a good laugh from them.

    Sounds like you had an awesome meal. I wish my stomach had been feeling better this weekend so I could have had something other then soup.

    Happy Easter my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Caroline, I sometimes ask about their location and weather, too, but not always. It is interesting how far away they are at times. I usually do that while sitting and waiting for something they are looking up, whatever brings silent moments. Today's call was so short that I didn't even think of it.

    It was really good. Sorry yours was, well, unexciting. But you'll be back on track soon. :)

    Thanks, and you, too! Remember ... don't stay at work if you feel tired!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh you had a fruitful weekend. Good for you putting together that tool -- what a wonderful feeling that will have been when it "worked" -- did't you feel elated and intelligent?!?! I would have!!

    Glad you had no ill effects from all that exercise. Hiring a "young gun" to clean up the scrub is an excellent idea, and I know you are sensible and do only what you can as you can.

    Envying the warmer days -- even your cooler days are warmer than it is here just yet, but it's all coming -- we're just out of sync with moving clocks ahead early and Easter being right up beside Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Separate on the video. This is one of our very favourite Canadian political satire/comedy program -- "Air Farce" -- these clips are funny because they are all so true!!

    And Lynilu -- while you can undersand why Luba Goy is saying as she sits in her office in Delhi -- trust me...most of the time you haven't a clue what is being said to you...similar to you calling about no online computer.

    As for shooting the raccoon...don't I wish it were possible. We've got ANOTHER squirrel in the attic -- they just love this house and it's been a few years but they always seem to find a way in!!! ggggrrrr!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glad you had a good day and you truly amaze me with the things you do around your place.
    We have a freeze warning in effect for tonight/tomorrow morning then it's back in the 70's by weeks end.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sherri, I did feel proud of myself, but I also felt just a bit silly, because it was amazingly simple! Psyched myself for nuttin'!!

    My "young gun" is hired! He can't come this week because of some school events, but once those are behind him, he will be here to do the pick up. I'm going to continue with the cutting process in the meanwhile.

    This has been an unusual pre-spring season, hasn't it? Yesterday was so strange, sitting right in the middle of warm sunny days on both sides of it. I felt chilled a.l.l...d.a.y...l.o.n.g. Probably psychological as much as anything. When I got home last night, I gave in and pushed the thermostat 2 degrees for an hour before bedtime, and it helped.

    The video - I had no idea what it was, but a friend sent that to me the day before, and it was just too perfect for the moment!

    Your squirrel - it is odd that squirrels pick certain houses and will go to great lengths to homestead there, going around the barriers the human usurpers put there, yet they completely ignore another house! You might call your local animal humane society to see if they have "humane traps," And some pest control businesses will rent them. Or sneak to a neighbor's house at night and put a bunch of nuts in their attic, with a trail of same to guide the squirrels over there!! LOL!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Patti, thanks, but girl, it called "survival"!! When you live alone and can't afford to hire many things done, you figure out how to do 'em yourself!! I guess I could actually hire the clearing done .... but I'm saving that for my next road trip!! Priorities, ya know!

    I'm very glad our cold was just for the one day. Today is predicted to be 64. Ahhhhhhh. wunnerful!

    ReplyDelete
  10. LOL -- I LOVE the idea of leaving a trail of nuts to the house nextdoor, especially as we don't see eye to eye with those neighbours!!! Heee!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a great video! I'm afraid it's a little too realistic.

    You know, the hot bath or shower seems to do the trick whenever I fear that I'll be in pain the next day from overdoing it. I'm always surprised at how well that works.

    Your Easter dinner sounds mouth-watering!

    Hugs,
    Betty

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sherry, giggle! OK, if you get caught, blame in on the strange woman in NM!! LOL!!

    Betty, you're right about the hot shower. I forget how much it helps, too. Wet heat, wet heat, wet heat!!! :D

    ReplyDelete

If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!