Stop Me Before I Rake Again
The little cardboard signs went up a few days ago. "No Parking This Street Monday."
Meaning that today the harbinger of winter, the big leaf suck-up, should take place here in the 'hood. Which is the least the city can do, given tax rates and abundance of mature trees.
So yesterday I raked. And raked, and raked. Got every last little fallen leaf into the gutter.
There was a wind in the night. More leaves. Again I raked, and raked, and raked. Now have two good-sized blisters on my hands.
Now, DIH hates raking leaves. In fact she hates anything connected with yards, gardens, anything growing out there. You think, Oh it's so nice to have something green around one's home! But I say, Feh. Every pretty little bud you swoon over in the spring will end up dead on your lawn in a few months' time, and you'll have to haul it away in plastic bags. Or hire someone else to do it. And given what teenagers are charging these days the odds are DIH will have to do it herself.
A few years ago a couple of boys turned up on my doorstep. "Want us to rake your leaves?" they said.
"Sure," I said. "How much?"
"Seventy-five dollars."
"Goodbye," I said.
I don't know when teenagers got so expensive. My mother has a theory that it all has to do with the price of video games. She could be right. Domo arigato, Nintendo!
So yesterday I raked. I got my daughter to rake, too, as well as her little visiting friend. "I like having a job to do," said the little friend. Stick around, kid, thought I.
I wonder how good that child is with a snow shovel?
Meaning that today the harbinger of winter, the big leaf suck-up, should take place here in the 'hood. Which is the least the city can do, given tax rates and abundance of mature trees.
So yesterday I raked. And raked, and raked. Got every last little fallen leaf into the gutter.
There was a wind in the night. More leaves. Again I raked, and raked, and raked. Now have two good-sized blisters on my hands.
Now, DIH hates raking leaves. In fact she hates anything connected with yards, gardens, anything growing out there. You think, Oh it's so nice to have something green around one's home! But I say, Feh. Every pretty little bud you swoon over in the spring will end up dead on your lawn in a few months' time, and you'll have to haul it away in plastic bags. Or hire someone else to do it. And given what teenagers are charging these days the odds are DIH will have to do it herself.
A few years ago a couple of boys turned up on my doorstep. "Want us to rake your leaves?" they said.
"Sure," I said. "How much?"
"Seventy-five dollars."
"Goodbye," I said.
I don't know when teenagers got so expensive. My mother has a theory that it all has to do with the price of video games. She could be right. Domo arigato, Nintendo!
So yesterday I raked. I got my daughter to rake, too, as well as her little visiting friend. "I like having a job to do," said the little friend. Stick around, kid, thought I.
I wonder how good that child is with a snow shovel?
Is she like this at HER home? Sometimes, she just cleared the table and asked if I could have sibling #2 clear her own plate? Apparently, clearing #'s 1,3,4 &5 were simply enough for her. She can come anytime, put her to work! Another Bible Babe
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