 |
| Half way home! |
Today was one of those days where I just let myself do what I wanted. What I wanted was to sew and sew and sew all day long and that is what I did! After more than 8 hours sewing this is what I have to show for it. All those partial seams take some time and planning, but all in all I am very happy with the end result. So check #1 today, I stayed focused.
I did spend sometime pondering my yard though and my yard is one of the things in my world that made me think I needed to (1) simplify and (2) get a grip and focus or give it up. So I gave it up, but you see I don't really see myself as a quitter. Quitting would be a bitter pill to swallow, so I gave it to Jeff to do. You see Jeff is my ever so reliable yard/plow/odd job doer! You gotta love it when you've got yourself a reliable guy like that around. I tell ya, you have to thank your luck stars even if it costs a buck or two.
Anyway, I was saying #2 - get a grip and focus or give it up, after all I am just one person and there is only so much I can do (even though there was a time I was convinced I could do it all and with a smile to boot). So this year I decide to let go and let Jeff, of course this came after much soul searching and tractor repairing. This the tale of my summer adventures with my tractor and my car and darling little mice. Basically, the driving force behind The Focus, Focus Project.
Early in the season I did well at keeping up with the Joneses, better known in my neighborhood as the Roberts, Lees, Parlins, and etc. I was getting my lawn mowed fairly regularly and achieving some rather fantastic feats in my yard. Early on I cut down the extremely over grown yews in front of my house so, my daughter and I could see out of our studio windows, I limbed up the blue spruce that was dead on one side, and I dug a 4' x 8' bed that would receive my beloved Siberian iris divisions or at least some of them. It was looking as if I might get some major catch up done this year and keep the lawn mowed to boot! Yay, Yippee!!!!
BUT THEN...
 |
5 baby mice I found in my shed after the second and final attempt on my tractor's wiring! |
After a rainy few days, maybe even a week or more I went out to mow. I felt fantastic, because of the rain even my neighbors with the regular mowing schedules were a bit behind. I am still not behind!! Yay, Yippee!!! I pulled the tractor out of the shed and proceeded to mow with a vengeance. First the backyard, affectionately known as the ledges. Then the side yard, known as, well the side yard. Ya just gotta laugh, because just then - BANG - COUGH - CHOKE - BANG - SMOKE - LOTS AND LOTS OF SMOKE! CRAP! There is smoke every where, rolling down the street and out comes my neighbor! Obviously, concerned! Well we opening up the hood and there it was! Mouse nesting material sticking out everywhere! Fortunately, there were no mouse parts sticking out, that may have been too much for me to handle. Well, Neighbor said "It doesn't look too bad, have it cleaned out and it should be fine. Do you know someone who can do it?" "Yes" I said, more than a little shaken and perturbed. There goes any idea of keeping up, CRAP, foiled again!
Just about that time - maybe even the next day, POP, on came the engine light on my trusty, dependable, old car. Not a problem I thought to myself, it's due for an oil change anyway and my trusty, dependable mechanics will surely be able to fix that right up. And they did, after a fashion.
The problem is that the cars these days have computers that give just enough information to send you in the wrong direction. Well, Mechanic says "the plug wires and plugs are original and the car has 187,000 miles on it, sooo that is most likely it." "Fine, wonderful" I say, "Let's fix it!" So when we went in for our next oil change old dependable got a tune-up, there fixed!
Well I have decided what to do about the lawn, call Jeff, and the conversation goes something like this "Jeff can you mow my lawn until I get the tractor fixed? Oh you can, wonderful! No hurry, just when you get to it." Because at this point I am way behind and give it up for a lost cause, better luck next year. "Hey you know I fix tractors" Jeff says "Really" I say pondering the $200+ I just put into the car that week. "I'll pick it up when I come to mow and fix it right up for you." "Great" I say with just a little cringe.
Well at least the problem is fixed with the car.... Oops, not so fast, there is that engine light again. No problem (I hope), I'll call the boys and they can see what's up - maybe a faulty sensor? Slightly larger cringe, "we'll see"? So I drop old dependable off again. Now this is about three or four weeks later and old dependable is doing just fine a little sluggish maybe but it keeps on keeping on just like the trooper is. After another full day in the shop, just a little Argh! Frustration. My very dependable mechanics let me know as gently as possible that old dependable has a weak valve and it has to be replaced. Now for those of you who know a little about cars, this can be a pricey repair, time consuming, and a laborious bit of mechanical work and it can't be done for another week. Please don't drive it more than you have to they say! Okay, but - My job - is driving, but okay I will do what I can or can't or whatever. Can you say STRESS? I can.
Now just in case you aren't keeping up, the tractor was down and repaired and the car is on it's last leg. So, I guess I better get out there and mow before I fall behind again... CRAP, CRAP, CRAP - there is another mouse nest in the motor! Okay, now I can do this, I will just take the top off the mower and clean it out! After all it hasn't gotten all through the motor this time and caught on fire, I can do this. And do it I did! I was proud of myself, I knew I could do it and I did! However, the @#$^&*%$#@ mice had chewed the wires again......REALLY BIG, ARGH!!!! Just then I knew, I knew it was not meant to be, Me and Mowing don't get along and so when I saw Jeff I said "the mice are back and I think I will give this up" and Jeff said "don't worry about I'll fix it and mow the lawn again" I said "thanks! no hurry" with much less enthusiasm than usual and a really huge Cringe.
So to bring this tale of woe to an end, this morning Jeff dropped ofF the tractor. I went out to greet him and to ask if he wanted to make a deal, swapping the tractor for mowing and plowing, and guess what? Before I could say a word, he said "how about if I take the tractor....." I gotta tell you, that's Karma for ya! So the story has a happy ending after all , Jeff has a tractor and I don't have to deal with mowing or paying for plowing this winter.
As for old dependable, it has a bunch of new valves and is very happy for it. Whew, now the moral of the story is "if it has tires, it is going to give you trouble, but hopefully not for a long, long time!".
 |
| It doesn't look so bad when you look at the tomatoes. But... |
 |
| Don't look past them! Argh, more catch up. JEFF can you? |
 |
| These phlox and hydrangea are quite lovely, until you turn the corner. |
 |
| This is hiding behind my beautiful phlox and hydrangeas. I think I can handle this one. |
 |
| A little past their prime, but nice and tidy, until... |
 |
Mass hysteria right next to the tidy bit! Next year....maybe? |
So after all is said and done, it is best to keep your head down and your hopes up and just keep sewing, just keep sewing....FA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment