Tuesday, August 16, 2011

And again I say, a supportive husband is a wonderful thing

Future Berry Garden, Compost Bin and
Mojitos (notice mint in pots by fence)
My husband Allan retired from the Post Office last year after 33 years as a letter carrier. He is enjoying retirement more than anyone I've ever seen! Today, as a retired man, he is building raised beds for my strawberries. We couldn't find the eco friendly wood preservative in Sidney, so he got on his motorcycle and headed for Langford where they are holding a package of it for me. That is supportive to the 'n'th degree.
Last night I asked him to weedwhip around the veggie garden as it is a LOT easier to kill the grass around the edge with vinegar if it is super short. He brought me the weedwhipper and showed me how to start it. I asked him if I should have 'goggles'? I could see the barely contained laughter bubbling under the surface. So I grabbed the thing and just started 'whipping'. It didn't take long and I was surprised just how easy it was. Last time I used a weedeater (as they were called then), it was probably around 1979. The string kept sucking into the machine and I had to keep stopping and stringing it up. Then....oh the memories.....I was weedeating along the side of the house where Allan had his hangglider called an Icarus 5 leaning on the house. It was shaped like an airplane wing with dozens of thin steel cables strung all over it. So I am merrily weedeating, and it made the most awful noise and stopped dead. I had weed'ate' a steel cable. I tried for about a half an hour to extricate the weedeater, threw it down in disgust, went in the house and swore never again. Until last night. And now it's easy!!
I used this!!
I really feel like Allan gave me one of those "Give a man a fish and he eats today, Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime" moments. Thank you Allan. Now I suppose after 30 years, I should try mowing the lawn. I hear the mower propels itself. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

Okay Erin...baby steps, baby steps.

1 comment:

NHGarden said...

Here we call them "weed whackers" and I love mine!