Hospice has been hopping lately--probably due to the full moon--and I'm watching that ticker clock wind down to my first long vacation in what seems like forever, but has really only been 2 years. Finally. I know I just got back from a vacation, but that was only 3 days off work and not enough time to do too much. This time, I'll lollygag for ten straight days and practice life as a slacker.
Last night during a brief lull at work, my husband took me to dinner and regaled me with tales of Mr. Larger Than Life's annual obsession with leaves. Yes, it's that time of year again when the men in my house make themselves scarce in order to avoid hard labor at MLTL's house. This year though, my father in law has a new neighbor and now new owner of the tree that he hates most. As a way of introducing himself, my father in law said hello, then promptly asked the man to cut down his giant oak tree as a favor to him. Seeing as this is a modest neighborhood, I'm pretty sure that in the first place, this guy doesn't have an extra couple of thousand dollars laying around to do this, and in the second place, why would he want to cut down a perfectly good shade tree? The poor neighbor hasn't got a clue what kind of lunatic he has living next to him.
On our walk home from dinner, my husband made comment on our own littered landscape. The tree next door has been dropping chestnuts for two weeks now. The squirrels have cracked open the prickly shells and are leaving the detritus scattered everywhere. Walking up the steps, my husband told me how much he hates that tree and how tempted he is to rake that crap right back into the neighbor's yard. Oh-oh. Lord help me if this apple fell too close to THAT tree. I'll keep you posted if he asks her to cut it down.
I'm adding this music to remind my honey that no matter what, I still love him. Even when he channels his father.
Variations on Canon (played as our wedding processional song).
16 comments:
Ooh, I love that song, that CD (which I own) and George Winston. Have fun on your vacation. Picked out what knitting you're taking? Since you've finished the KAL in record time???? :)
Chestnuts! What good can I say about them? I dislike the sticker, I do not eat the nuts, however, my sisters and the horses love them.
Even though they are in the path from my house to Marcy's I shall endure them.
Bev picks up the burrs with tongs and adds them to the compost pile and they compost quickly. Marcy has roasted and stored many for their winter enjoyment.
Oh neighbors and trees a saga unto itself. I love that music. I am so glad you are going to get to take a real vacation.
QMM
I had to LOL when I read that the poor neighbor doesn't have a clue about the lunatic next door. I know that dealing with MLTL is probably very frustrating for you, but you always crack me up with the humor in your posts about him. Probably because I have my own version I'm dealing with, so I have to laugh about it. Mine is not quite as bad (yet), but the similarities are scary.
I think I have that George Winston CD. It's great! Karen
Oh how nice! A vacation....I hope it is totally relaxing for you both. Mr. Larger than Life would really get along perfectly with my neighbor. She has lived here for a little under 2 years and has cut down every tree on her property, and then goes to all of our neighbors telling them how to run our business on our property. Please let us move to the country...far away from neighbors!
There aint no apples falling from no trees!!!
I was kidding!!!!!!!
Unless I win the lottery or my ship comes in, I'll be having a staycation. That's OK though, there will be plenty to keep me busy. I plan on finishing 2 sweaters, 1 pair of mitts (special order), 1 pair of socks if Skippy ever emails me back and the start of a new shawl. Do you think I've overextended myself?
Anon-you were so convincing that I doubt you were playing.
Well, kind of. They are her chestnuts, why shouldn't she be clean em' up...OK! I blurted it out. Maybe I did mean it..I don't know! Maybe I need to talk it out...Oh, my!
You enjoy your staycation, doesn't sound like you will be getting bored anytime soon.
What is it about neighbours and trees, they always seem to be a bad combination
Wow! What a way to make friends with the new neighbor.
They do look awfully prickly though. I hope you enjoy your vacation, you certainly deserve it...ciao
Raking leaves. moan. It looks like it would be pleasant to do on a sunny fall day. Day. One. It becomes a pain in the ass when it continues into eternity.
I once lived in a small, cute, "cottage" (like a shack all spruced up) and it had a huge Hawthorne tree in front. Those things continually drop leaves. Year round. What looked like an ideal rustic setting at first soon became a big drag. "But the place is sooo cute!"
Counting down with you for your staycation...
hahaha, I had a good laugh "even if he channels his father." That scares me here at home when that happens with mine...
Frightening how they start to turn into their fathers over the years. You deserve a long break. Enjoy!
Hi Rudee I really liked that clip of Canon - very harpsichordy! (I have no idea if it was or not - should really check before commenting). Anyway your MLTL reminded me of our ex-neighbour (he emigrated, not to the great garden in the sky, just to the UK) and he was a proverbial 'mare as the kids say. He had a thing about our trees - ash - on our common boundary but definitely in our garden. So he asked could he cut 'em and we said no but agreed he could coppice them at about 8ft. So the following year when we next came home (we lived in Africa then) he had cut 'em to ground level and put stuff on the stump to prevent regrowth. He never filled the gaps and when our kids' balls went into his garden he gave 'em hell to not play ball. In their own garden! So that was the tone of our relationship. Pretty grim. So I can empathise with you. You can exercise your spin on hubby no doubt!
Good luck!
Catherine
Perhaps if you cook something delicious with chestnuts...?
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