Sunday in NH without George

[magid]

I went to NH Sunday to do yardwork in the heat. As with most chores that aren't mine and done in a group, it was fun. Hot, too hot, mostly, but I tried to stay in the shade, and got a lot done. Not as much as had been hoped, I think, but the heat was brutal (all the water I drank apparently went directly to sweat). As it was, I got to help friends and exercise, too; what could be better?

I don't know why it's so satisfying wielding clippers and cutting plants, but it is. And that had me under the trees most of the time, which was good. I could've done without the pricker bushes that made it through my workgloves, and the mosquitos that ignored everyone else to feast on me, but there's always a fly in the ointment*.

The most impressive part was helping move a huge boulder using boards as levers, bricks as fulcrums (fulcra?), and logs as rollers. I'm so glad we had technology, in the form of a Jeep with a hitch, a motorcycle tie thingy (that's a technical term, don't'cha know?), and rope. There were lots of jokes about pyramid building; I can't imagine how they managed. It's hard work, even with a motor.

Also of note: finding a tiny strawberry, barely the size of my smallest toenail, eating it still warm in the sun. Standing in the cold spray of the rotary sprinkler to cool off, and jumping each time the water hit. Seeing rainbows in the spray. A lovely lunch. Trying the see-saw method of raising boulders. Hearing woodpeckers. Seeing the variety of two-wheeled vehicles on the highway at the end of Bike Week.

I was exhausted by the time I got home. I'm glad I had leftovers and could fall into bed early.


* OK, I just can't help it. Pig medicine = oinkment.

Comments

[coorr.livejournal.com]

thank you so much for you help on sunday. There is a lot of work to be done up there and we appreciate all the help. We wouldn't be nearly as far along in all this without your help.

At least I know who to call the if I need to move any half ton boulders in the future :-)

[magid.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Really, it's a win all around (especially since I didn't have to do the long drives!); I get to hang out with cool people and play with tools, you get yard stuff done.

I'm putting in a request for future boulders to be more conveniently shaped, however :-). (I'm still a little surprised that we moved that without anyone getting hurt!)

Half ton, eh? Hm... estimate the boulder as being an squished-oval cylinder, find the specific mass of a likely type of stone.... There's a word problem in there...

[(Anonymous)]

Sounds like a childhood summer day. How nice to be able to experience this as an adult.

[magid.livejournal.com]

It was rather like that, though I don't remember any summer yardwork days being nearly as nice when I was younger. (I've always looked for the shadiest paths, preferred to be inside reading a book to outside on the beach in daylight, overheated easily. Summer has always been the hardest season for me, despite the fresh food and long light.)