Being a military wife also means that, from time to time, I must tackle chores solo. Duty calls and takes Jason away; it’s just a part of how our lives run. Unfortunately, I’ll be soloing it for a while, so procrastinating on the chores (especially yard work) won’t really work. Stuff has to get done before winter.
On the agenda this past weekend was taming our unruly butterfly bushes … that had turned into tree height this summer. They had grown from being a focal point of our backyard to … well, mammoth bushes that weren’t so pretty.
So … picture if you will, me, a hotter-than-expected sunny afternoon, extra-tall butterfly bushes, 15 yard tools (just in case), a spool of twine, and two four-legged “helpers” who love to chew branches.
Quite comical – and I certainly took away 5 important lessons from the weekend’s circus (er … chore list).
Lesson #1: I really excel at trimming butterfly bushes back … perhaps too much? From 8 feet to 18 inches! Eh … they’ll grow back!
Lesson #2: I am not all that good at solo branch gathering. The kids next door had to pick leaves out of my hair – and I am really not sure why they were there.
Lesson #3: My “helpers” were better at dragging branches than I was. I finally got smart(er) and distracted them with kindling for the fire pit! Yah Me!
Lesson #4: I really, really SUCK at tying knots. Seriously stink, actually! (I know! I couldn’t believe it either!). Let me just say that I spent six years as a Girl Scout (four of those years in the back-woods of New Hampshire!). I grew up with boy cousins, boy neighbors and a brother. I am an Army Ranger’s wife and one of those girls who loves being outdoors – hiking, camping, boating, and heck, I have even spent summer vacations salmon fishing in Puget Sound! But this weekend, could I tie a knot to SAVE me? Hell no!
(And this, my friends, was a totally unanticipated challenge for me.)
I couldn’t even get the Square Knot to work.
Right over left;
left over right;
that’s what makes a Square Knot tight.
(Ya … I may have been able to remember that little verse, but getting the flippin’ twine to make a knot wasn’t working out so good.)
For a brief moment late in the game, I considered going inside to Google “knot-tying” but decided against it for fear of not being able to understand the diagram in my sweaty, dehydrated state.
Let’s just say, I got something resembling a knot to hold the branches together long enough for me to transport the branches from Point A to Point B – which, may I add, felt like 10 miles by this point!
Lesson #5: Dragging a shit-load of long-ass branches up a hill and through my yard on a 90+ degree afternoon kicked my ass. But mission accomplished!
Sounds like a scene from my house! I guess I’m not the only one talented at yard work with helpers that don’t quite help! Thanks for sharing it made me smile.