daily life as life goes on . . .

Well, tonight we have “Christmas in August.”

My brother, his good wife, two kids and the wife’s sister are all here.  And our son dropped in as well (right off the boat!).  We’ve been out today viewing my father’s gravesite, visiting the local walking trail, the church and Tim Horton’s.  Further excitement has been booking motels for my brother for his path back to Georgetown, Ontario (which they are hoping to include a Milwaukee Brewers vs. the Chicago Cubs).

So, this should be great!  Turkey and all!!

Today I headed over to the neighbours to take out a stump.  On the way, I noticed another neighbour was working on their stumps.  I watched them try to chain saw the stump to the ground. 

Meanwhile, I headed to the stump that was sitting there waiting to stump me.  I dug, chopped and shovelled.  In less than two hours the stump was out.  And the other neighbours were over checking out my work. 

Their stump was still stumping them, and they still had another to go!  I volunteered to come over and help with the second stump they were just working on.  We dug, chopped and shovelled and in less than two hours that stump was out.

The neighbours were surprised.  Their first stump had taken almost twice as much time and was merely leveled to the ground but not removed.

Interestingly, I was seen as the expert (this is my fourth stump removal – that’s all).  I suppose the greatest input I had was to say, “keep going!”  Without having removed a stump the neighbours had no idea what it would take – and their previous stump removal had been contracted out to a backhoe and “big machines.” 

How could a shovel and axe take out an immovable stump??  Patience and systematic work!  And someone who really believes it can be done!

And so, two stumps in one day.  That’s enough!!  Time to hit the sack!!

I have volunteered to take out another stump.

For some of you who are stumped over this thought, let me explain.

In the spring one of our trees finally expired.  The demise had been gradual over these past few years.  With a bit of trimming and care, we had hoped for a better outcome.  But the end was not to be as we had hoped.

So, the tree was trimmed to a stump.  And then we decided there was a need to rid ourselves of the stump – we wanted to plant grass and not just create a “stick sticking out of the ground!”

The tree did not have a tap root, so one morning as my wife talked to our next door neighbour, I dug and cut and shook the stump until it moved under my feet!

With that triumph in place, I mentioned to our next neighbour down that I could remove one of their stumps.  I practiced at my daughter’s a few weeks ago.  That stump came out well, as did our neighbours stump.

And so, last night I talked to the satisfied neighbours.  Now, I knew that there was another stump, and I asked if they wanted that stripped from the ground.  They were more than excited to get this wooden monstrosity from their front yard.  So I asked if they were up at 6:30 in the morning when I would usually start working on the stump. 

Funny thing!  They volunteered that they would be away this weekend.  And I could come down when they left and work on the stump.  So, in a few hours I will once again work on a stump! 

Maybe this will be my new career (NOT!).

OK, some people have always thought I was a bit affected (for those who didn’t come out of the 60’s and 70’s – that just means some people might think I’m a little strange!).

But, using the word in more technical English, I thought I wasn’t affected by technology.  At least, not the way younger people are!

Think again.

Yesterday our cable/internet line was cut.  Accidentally by a telecommunications worker.  By the time we figured it out, the shops were closed at our local service provider. 

So, no TV channels and no internet.  We’ve grown so used to cable TV or on demand “NextFlix” that here we were – having to actually either pull out a DVD, listen to music or do something productive!

And wouldn’t you know it, we decided on a combination.  By the end of the evening we had enjoyed ourselves, gotten some work done that we hadn’t planned, and went to bed in good spirits!

Now, if we could just pull the plug on everyone . . .