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An unplanned amount of outdoor labor
Jul. 8th, 2025 09:27 pmWe had a heat warning for the day. (not as hot as a couple of weeks ago, but high of 90). My plan was to stay in the house all morning under the ceiling fan sorting through the piles of papers. That didn't happen.
There is a privet hedge between my driveway and the neighbors' driveway. We have a vague deal of taking turns to cut the hedge. It was my turn. I had thought to do it tomorrow, but we're supposed to have rain, so I decided to do it today, fairly early in the morning while shady. I am not tall enough to reach over the whole hedge with the electric trimmer, so it is much easier to do half of it from their side and the other half from mine. They are currently away with both cars, so that left me space to do it. My system is to plug the extension cords into a socket in the kitchen and feed it out the window and then under the hedge to reach over from their side. This morning I was making progress, and then absurdly cut into the cord (not through it, but enough to damage the wire inside the coating). I went to the hardware store and bought another one. That delayed my finishing time a good bit. Pouring with sweat. After I had swept the twigs, put everything away, and taken a shower, I ate lunch and started lounging around. Then I walked down to the farmers' market and bought a lot of stuff. Hauled it back in the backpack and put things away. Late afternoon I got a last-minute email saying that more helpers were needed for the Interfaith garden, so after grumbling a bit to myself, I changed back to the working with dirt clothes and walked down the hill. I only ended up weeding for a while* then went home, and took another shower. I had noticed a flyer advertising a concert this evening by one of the two teenage choirs of Village Harmony. I was tired, but it was nearby and I felt I should be supportive. Walked back down the hill and sat in the extremely warm sanctuary at First Parish. No AC, but there were six not very powerful oscillating fans along the walls. After the intermission the elderly couple who had been sitting near one of the fans left, so I took their place. Much pleasanter. The music was good. I knew some of the songs but in my head they were each sung by one person. It really sounded different. I reminded myself that harmony was part of the name... There was not a designated ticket price - the suggested sliding scale was $15-25. As far as I could tell, there were 20 dollar bills in the donation basket, no other denomination. Give somebody a scale, and most will pick the median?
* what's a weed? I was asked to remove lots of purslane plants from around the squash area, but on Saturday morning, more will be picked to take to the food pantry with the other produce of the week. On Tuesdays it's a weed, on Saturdays it's a vegetable. I am being deliberately obtuse - squash is a valuable foodstuff as well, and having it over-run by something else would cut back on squash production, I guess.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/purslane
There is a privet hedge between my driveway and the neighbors' driveway. We have a vague deal of taking turns to cut the hedge. It was my turn. I had thought to do it tomorrow, but we're supposed to have rain, so I decided to do it today, fairly early in the morning while shady. I am not tall enough to reach over the whole hedge with the electric trimmer, so it is much easier to do half of it from their side and the other half from mine. They are currently away with both cars, so that left me space to do it. My system is to plug the extension cords into a socket in the kitchen and feed it out the window and then under the hedge to reach over from their side. This morning I was making progress, and then absurdly cut into the cord (not through it, but enough to damage the wire inside the coating). I went to the hardware store and bought another one. That delayed my finishing time a good bit. Pouring with sweat. After I had swept the twigs, put everything away, and taken a shower, I ate lunch and started lounging around. Then I walked down to the farmers' market and bought a lot of stuff. Hauled it back in the backpack and put things away. Late afternoon I got a last-minute email saying that more helpers were needed for the Interfaith garden, so after grumbling a bit to myself, I changed back to the working with dirt clothes and walked down the hill. I only ended up weeding for a while* then went home, and took another shower. I had noticed a flyer advertising a concert this evening by one of the two teenage choirs of Village Harmony. I was tired, but it was nearby and I felt I should be supportive. Walked back down the hill and sat in the extremely warm sanctuary at First Parish. No AC, but there were six not very powerful oscillating fans along the walls. After the intermission the elderly couple who had been sitting near one of the fans left, so I took their place. Much pleasanter. The music was good. I knew some of the songs but in my head they were each sung by one person. It really sounded different. I reminded myself that harmony was part of the name... There was not a designated ticket price - the suggested sliding scale was $15-25. As far as I could tell, there were 20 dollar bills in the donation basket, no other denomination. Give somebody a scale, and most will pick the median?
* what's a weed? I was asked to remove lots of purslane plants from around the squash area, but on Saturday morning, more will be picked to take to the food pantry with the other produce of the week. On Tuesdays it's a weed, on Saturdays it's a vegetable. I am being deliberately obtuse - squash is a valuable foodstuff as well, and having it over-run by something else would cut back on squash production, I guess.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/purslane
