Once again my Time Killing is surrounded by my home being a job site. This time it's a team of landscaper/stonewall builders. We are having our walkway, patio and shed area fixed up. It's hot as hell and the men are working like dogs..I brought them some nice ice water and solo cups - a treat.
They started their project with our shed which is now edged with some very nice stone work - far beyond what I thought we were getting. I've left them alone since I can be of no help except being a water boy. I do peek out the window now and then (every 8 minutes) to see the progress. I did see something interesting as they started to whack the pieces of stone and jam them into place. While I was watching I saw our resident chunky rodent (ground hog/hedgehog) poke his head from underneath the shed. THIS is his home for years. Years ago we named him 4 o' clock Charlie since that was about the time (pm) he'd enter the grassy area of our yard to forage for food. I guess he wasn't sure if he was nocturnal.
At this sighting, 4 o'clock scampered into the woods. I don't think the workers noticed. OR maybe they're so jaded they just ignored it. I'm not going to ask. Hey, speaking of scampering into the woods, not one of these guys have used our bathroom. They've been here 7 hours so far. Heads up 4 o'clock .
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Pants on the ground
I was feeling I had hit almost all Time Killing issues this past year so there have been fewer postings. I read back on them and felt like I'd be in re-runs if I wasn't careful. Today, however, I had a little gem.
I had a dental cleaning appointment which went as expected. Lots of scraping and flossing and chatting. The hygienist is a very nice girl (she seems to be in her 20s but I could be wrong).. She's good with my aging mouth and she talks a lot. I rarely have a chance to answer with a mouth full of Allen wrenches and cotton. I try to recall my responses and speed talk them as she's in between processes. She's very interested in movies and was asking me if I saw Shutter Island (or is it Shudder?). I said no and told her I'd rent it so next time we can talk about it. She said good since she'd like the input of a professional!!! Yikes, a professional? I forgot I had mentioned I was doing some writing. She remembered that and I did give her an update on my top secret screenplay project. I guess that enhanced my status as a pro? Ah, what the hell. I felt good about that. No cavities and I have an identity at the dentist's office.
So as I said my goodbyes and exited the office I remembered I had loosened my belt before I got in the exam chair. No important reason - just more comfortable. I have to cinch my belt tight to keep my pants up. It's idiotic but part of my life. So as I walked out I could feel the looseness but ignored it thinking nobody will notice my saggy ass. I got to my car which was up too close against the neighboring Benz next to me. I had to go sideways to my door and I noticed a huge yellow jacket wasp in my rear wheel well area. I used my previously-learned tactics and ignored that damn thing. Not good. He flew right at my face and I started swatting like a mental patient. I slid my way from between the 2 cars to the small parking lot and I was in that wasp's cross hairs. I was fixed on not getting stung and in that moment my loosened pants slid to my knees..Oh shit.
As I shuffled back to the shelter of the 2 cars, a guy about my age had just pulled up and exited his car. I reached for my pants but I was limited with my zippy little dental packet in hand. Screw it. I dropped it and grabbed my pants and the guy asks me if everything is OK. I said yeah, oh yeah, just an aggressive wasp. We then had the oddest 2-minute conversation about wasps on his roof and his feelings about dental cleanings. The whole time I was holding my pants up by my belt hidden by a Silver E-class Benz. My dental packet was on the ground and the wasp continued hoovering toward the back of my car..
A good Time Killer blog entry I thought... Afterall, I AM a professional!!!!
I had a dental cleaning appointment which went as expected. Lots of scraping and flossing and chatting. The hygienist is a very nice girl (she seems to be in her 20s but I could be wrong).. She's good with my aging mouth and she talks a lot. I rarely have a chance to answer with a mouth full of Allen wrenches and cotton. I try to recall my responses and speed talk them as she's in between processes. She's very interested in movies and was asking me if I saw Shutter Island (or is it Shudder?). I said no and told her I'd rent it so next time we can talk about it. She said good since she'd like the input of a professional!!! Yikes, a professional? I forgot I had mentioned I was doing some writing. She remembered that and I did give her an update on my top secret screenplay project. I guess that enhanced my status as a pro? Ah, what the hell. I felt good about that. No cavities and I have an identity at the dentist's office.
So as I said my goodbyes and exited the office I remembered I had loosened my belt before I got in the exam chair. No important reason - just more comfortable. I have to cinch my belt tight to keep my pants up. It's idiotic but part of my life. So as I walked out I could feel the looseness but ignored it thinking nobody will notice my saggy ass. I got to my car which was up too close against the neighboring Benz next to me. I had to go sideways to my door and I noticed a huge yellow jacket wasp in my rear wheel well area. I used my previously-learned tactics and ignored that damn thing. Not good. He flew right at my face and I started swatting like a mental patient. I slid my way from between the 2 cars to the small parking lot and I was in that wasp's cross hairs. I was fixed on not getting stung and in that moment my loosened pants slid to my knees..Oh shit.
As I shuffled back to the shelter of the 2 cars, a guy about my age had just pulled up and exited his car. I reached for my pants but I was limited with my zippy little dental packet in hand. Screw it. I dropped it and grabbed my pants and the guy asks me if everything is OK. I said yeah, oh yeah, just an aggressive wasp. We then had the oddest 2-minute conversation about wasps on his roof and his feelings about dental cleanings. The whole time I was holding my pants up by my belt hidden by a Silver E-class Benz. My dental packet was on the ground and the wasp continued hoovering toward the back of my car..
A good Time Killer blog entry I thought... Afterall, I AM a professional!!!!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Attack of the dragon flies...bzzzzzzz
Summer - or at least the growing season - is in full bloom now. That means stuff grows and that means it has to be maintained. I think I mentioned in earlier posts that I canceled my lawn service since I thought I could do it myself. It also saves some money which is now more important. So far it has been a tolerable Time Killer. We have one acre of land. It's not all grassy but there are many jungle-like areas that need wacking or agent orange. Most times the yard job takes a minimum of one hour to twice that. I try to get it done when the thermometer is below 90. Today was a close call.
On this warm, overly-humid day I attacked the growth at about 10 am. I try not go make too much noise early which can disturb the neighbors.. HA..I think there's maybe ONE person at home and she's about 90. HER lawn service starts at 8 so I don't know why I care. Since it was so hot today I initiated my minimal one-hour treatment. Sounds like a spa doesn't it? I have many neurotic preferences as far as which way to mow, when to rest, when to change directions.. It's all too stupid to detail. Today I had a new variable to consider..
It's a buggy time of year. I've learned to ignore wasps - my #1 enemy. They will hover but leave you alone if you don't swat at them. I do most of my reading on the deck and have learned how to be wasp free even when they land on me.. I haven't been stung in 5 years. So, I feel kind of bold and only make squealy girly sounds when I am alone out there and a flying thing approaches.
Today I took all my bug knowledge and proceeded to do the lawn thing when in the back yard I was noticing there were many Dragon Flies. I remember as a kid we called them Darning Needles and we mispronounced that in many variations - Dyning Needles, Flying Needles. I recall that they weren't stingers so as their numbers increased I remained calm. They seemed to group up in formation and I was their main target. I kept my cool and could almost hear the freakish music from the chopper attack scene in Apocalypse Now. I estimate there were about 15 of these prehistoric bastards and they were swooping at me as I mowed. I was hoping I was right about their stinger less status. I think I was BUT they were flying into me - ramming me like they were working for Greenpeace and I was killing whales. I had to stop for a bit and let them return to the mother ship..
So I did finish and survive to write this account. I never got bit or stung but I did break the swat rule and tried to get them to shoo. I forgot my limitations and swung my left arm with the bad shoulder. It felt like electricity from my neck to my knee...Damn Dyning Needles...
On this warm, overly-humid day I attacked the growth at about 10 am. I try not go make too much noise early which can disturb the neighbors.. HA..I think there's maybe ONE person at home and she's about 90. HER lawn service starts at 8 so I don't know why I care. Since it was so hot today I initiated my minimal one-hour treatment. Sounds like a spa doesn't it? I have many neurotic preferences as far as which way to mow, when to rest, when to change directions.. It's all too stupid to detail. Today I had a new variable to consider..
It's a buggy time of year. I've learned to ignore wasps - my #1 enemy. They will hover but leave you alone if you don't swat at them. I do most of my reading on the deck and have learned how to be wasp free even when they land on me.. I haven't been stung in 5 years. So, I feel kind of bold and only make squealy girly sounds when I am alone out there and a flying thing approaches.
Today I took all my bug knowledge and proceeded to do the lawn thing when in the back yard I was noticing there were many Dragon Flies. I remember as a kid we called them Darning Needles and we mispronounced that in many variations - Dyning Needles, Flying Needles. I recall that they weren't stingers so as their numbers increased I remained calm. They seemed to group up in formation and I was their main target. I kept my cool and could almost hear the freakish music from the chopper attack scene in Apocalypse Now. I estimate there were about 15 of these prehistoric bastards and they were swooping at me as I mowed. I was hoping I was right about their stinger less status. I think I was BUT they were flying into me - ramming me like they were working for Greenpeace and I was killing whales. I had to stop for a bit and let them return to the mother ship..
So I did finish and survive to write this account. I never got bit or stung but I did break the swat rule and tried to get them to shoo. I forgot my limitations and swung my left arm with the bad shoulder. It felt like electricity from my neck to my knee...Damn Dyning Needles...
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