Lawnmowers and Kids
You ever get a couple of acres, most of it grass, you had better get good lawn mowers. And you'd better have enough money to pay someone to take care of it.
For five years I've been out there pushing a mower almost daily from April till October except when I'm in Peru and then raking. Raking and raking. I mean 25 wheel barrows each time I mow the lawn.
And now my stomach's bad. The kids, 22 and 19, were going to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, they tell me they can't get the small tractor to run. Forget the three lawn mowers or the edger or the weed-eater. Forget the machetes.
So I'm looking at three weeks of lawn, the worst in Texas, and no one is responsible.
So I'm going out with a machete and I'm going to do it.
And I might just take the kids' cars away this week and see how well they do walking 30 or 40 miles daily. I'm just in that kind of mood.
I don't think all of you will understand, but I'll bet there are some of you with lazy teens who will know just what I'm talking about. You know, plenty of time to party and plenty of time to get 20 bucks from dad, but not one minute to keep the place up.
And then, just 10 seconds ago, when I told Madeleina to get her butt out to the yard to do something--play with the goats, kick a soccer ball, rake, put bird food in the feeders--she said "you jerk", under her breath as she left.
I'm sure I am, but how the heck am I gong to get a cover story done, a new part of the shamanism piece finished and more school-clothes-shopping done for her by Friday if I don't buckle down? And how am I going to get everyone fed tonight if I don't have a little pitch-in from the troops.
Problem is, mom left without notice for a couple of weeks yesterday to see her boyfriend halfway across the US. And that's my fault for being such a lousy husband that she left. And the kids have to take it out on someone. And I get that. But I still have to deal with the reality. And my reality says you cannot have six Brigs-and-Stratton motors all under a year old, all die on you the same week.
Ahhhhhh......Why didn't my father clue me to some of this?
4 comments:
When I was younger I couldn't stand doing that sort of yard work.
Now though... it's pure fun!
Building a fence for my mom today - and love bustin' down the old one and raising up the new one. Through blood and mud and rain and all.
as for grass cuttin' - it always seems to make sense to me to let some wild grasses grow, wildflowers and the like. Then you've got a nice wild area and less grass to cut.
I remember one of the "then came Bronson" tv shows where there main character tells his companion..."no work, no eat...". That got her working.
Like Bernie Mac says, "BEAT YO' KIDS !"
Seriously though, don't worry about the lawn until you're better.
& BEAT YO' KIDS ! :P
sorry Peter...my dad didn't tell me either.
Where I live there are plenty of hard working Mexican's that would love to have the work. At least long enough for you to recover. The kids?...that won't change. After all, "you're the one that wanted the lawn Dad!".
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