Monday, September 22, 2008

Touching Base

I should be asleep but an update is in order. If I don't do this now, it might not get done tomorrow. The sidewalks in front of and along side the house are piled high (as tall as or taller than I am) with tree limbs, branches and wood from the fence. Ike just blew it down and scattered it around like a box of toothpicks.

There is still lots more to do. The back yard looks as if it could very well take a good four months to get it right, more limbs need to be cut from the huge huge sprawling tree. Smaller trees need to be trimmed, pruned and made to look nice again. Leaves? Well, we'll be raking piling and bagging leaves forever. I've never seen so many leaves in my life.

The area between our house and the neighbor's looks terrible, the large limbs and branches have been removed but leaves and twigs cover the ground like a blanket of snow.

The front and side yard, the part that is visible from the street, needs raking again. The first go-round seemed to only take care of the large stuff. It still looks a mess.

So, first I'll dress in my camoflauge gear to try and hide myself from the mosquitoes. They have a way of smelling me as soon as I crack the door open, and they tear my legs up something awful. I usually end up rubbing (with alcohol) and scratching for hours after going outside with nothing on my legs. That means long pants, socks and shoes. . . uggghhhh...in this heat no less.

Once outside in all these clothes, it doesn't take long for me to "heat-up"like a hundred watt light bulb and within minutes I'm dripping with sweat. Can't take too much of that either. So I'm darned if I do and darned if I don't. I can either dress coolly and get eaten up by those humongous dive-bomber mosquitoes or cover up and sweat like crazy.

While it's cool in the morning (hopefully) I'll pick a spot and stick with it until I can see some progress.

Something Good
I convinced youngest son to come over Saturday for the afternoon since our power is back on, said we could cook and enjoy the day together. He came. Oh goodie! I cooked. He wanted shrimp so he went to the store and got them, peeled them and asked me how we prepare them. I explained how we do it, showing each step as he watched attentively.

With all the food on the stove simmering we played a few favorite cds, I pressed my luck and suggested he spend the night since his power is still not on yet. He thought about it for a second and agreed. Oh, goodie - again!! We popped a Netflix movie in the player and settled down to watch it. A little over half-way through the movie, Jordyn returned from rehearsal . We got to talking and missed the end. That's all good though, talking with them is better than any movie I know - even Coal Miner's Daughter.

He stayed until past mid-afternoon Sunday then left to go back to his place. What a great way to spend the week-end, with two of my "Reasons for waking up everyday."

Thanks to Ike he didn't have to work and had some free time to spend with us.

OH! I almost forgot. He didn't stay home long, said it was too hot (his power is still not on) so he thought he'd come back and spend another night... go to work from here in the morning. WOW! Life is good.

3 comments:

  1. Kids are forever in our heart. I wish that I could snap my fingers and have your yardwork all done. Mosquitoes love me, so I know how that is. Hang in there. Better days are coming.

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  2. send some photos of your yard...too bad about misquitoes, that could make a funny story or poem once you have some distance from the event. It's not funny while you are in the middle of it. hidden blessing is family togetherness. don't we take electricity for granted?

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  3. Well, you certainly have given a remarkable lesson in drawing blessings out of hardships.

    I remember a year we lived near some standing water and we had mosquite's the size of bald eagles that would zzzzzz overhead until they sighted some small spot of bare skin to land on. It was MISERABLE!!! I sympathize with you

    Take care...and keep that marvelous attitude of yours right where it is!!

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