Friday, January 01, 2010

Two Very Different Ideas Of Fun

What a way to start the new year; covered in dirt and doing manual labor.

Today my mother, Ed and I worked on organizing the storage sheds in my mother's back yard. We have some of our stuff stored in one and she has her stuff stored in the other. We got a lot done. Ed thought it was "fun"; I can make a list of ten things I think are more fun than yardwork. What a miserable job it turned out to be.

First, because we're in Arizona, everything is covered in dust. It's one of the things I hate most about the west and southwest; dust and dirt everywhere and on everything. Second, although there weren't any rattlesnakes, there were lizards and one bee. Third, I'm happy it wasn't hot, but the sun seered my eyeballs anyway. I probably have a half-inch crease in my forehead from squinting.

But the dirt is what gets me the most. Your car gets dusty, your shoes get dusty, your feet get filthy if you happen to have on flip-flops (like me), the air smells like dirt, your skin has a fine layer of dust on it and if you wash your hands, prepare to watch mud swirling down your sink drain. I hate the way it smells, looks and feels.

Ed did most of the work, my mother came in a very close second and I did as little as possible, mostly re-organizing the bins, separating our business paperwork, creating a "gadget" box, throwing away stuff and preparing a box for the Salvation Army. I abhor working outside. Always have. When my brother and I were little, we'd have to split up the chores. I would trade any outside chores I could, to do the inside ones. I'd even take on two of my brother's inside chores just to get him to do one of mine.

So many people say, "Well, don't you love getting that much done? Doesn't it feel good to work that hard?" Yes, because that means less to do next time and Hell to the no, it doesn't feel good to work hard. Why the hell would I want to work hard? I have an excellent work ethic, but when it comes to work like that, I'd rather leave it to someone else. I wasn't built to do outside chores. I will clean the house, iron, do laundry and cook a feast for kings, but I'm not too thrilled about hauling boxes to the dumpster and sweeping dirt out of my shed.

As I type this, I have a headache and I'm ready for bed, and it's only eight o'clock. I might consider making a cup of tea and watching something on TV if I can keep my eyes open long enough, but it's not looking too good.

Ed and I were just talking about landscaping the front yard next time we have time off; fixing the foot bridge out front, spreading out some decorative rock, making nice edging for the little stream that flows through the yard. I love the idea. I even imagine myself helping with it. But really? It's just the creative part I like. I have no plans to shovel gravel anywhere.


Just talking about it has made me tired.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Caution: New Year Ahead!
2 YEARS AGO:
Fresh Dreams. Clean Slate. High Hopes. New You.
3 YEARS AGO:
Two Thousand Seven
4 YEARS AGO:
Happy New Year!

1 comment:

Gil said...

I think you should recruit you nephews for the front yard and you supervise them & Ed! I hate dust too, but it is better than a rattler any day.