Having procrastinated over doing the garden for a while I thought that I had better get it done whilst the Old Girl is away so she will be pleased with me when she gets back (Nicola take note). No matter how hard I looked out the window it wasn't raining and didn't remotely look like it would so at about 10AM I made a start. Weeds had taken hold after a hot and wet period so I put the gloves on and dealt to as many as I could see at the edges of paths, in the lawn and in the gardens. I filled several barrow loads which I then lifted and tipped into the covered trailer I use. The first few goes at this is OK and I feel strong and manly lifting the barrow up over my head and tipping it into the trailer. As time goes on though I start to feel 'oldman'ly and start to move a bit slower. Next was the convulvulus, an almost aptly named invasive creeper that has started to strangle the flax and natives in the front garden. This took a couple of hours of pulling, tearing (which included clothes, muscles and eyes) to remove and put into said trailer. Having removed the creeper the exposed bushes and trees looked like they needed a haircut so I cut, trimmed, chopped and slashed until they got the message. The resultant debris went into the trailer. The trailer by now was full to over-flowing which mean that all of my 80 kilos was used to good effect jumping up and down on the mass to allow me to put a tarpaulin cover on. By this time it was past 2PM and of course I had stupidly been working through the hottest part of the day. No wonder sweat was streaming down my face, stinging my eyes and the many cuts and abrasions I had given myself. I hooked up the trailer and drove off to the tip. The tip near us is just a recycling area with large bins which for $13.50 you have the privilege of emptying your garden waste into. Getting the stuff out of the trailer was much more difficult than putting it in because some idiot had jumped up and down on the vegetation thereby entangling it and, that c**t of a creeper weed had tied itself to every large bit of tree, bush, thistle or weed that was in there. By the end of this I was drenched, cut, one-eyed (I managed to poke a stick in one eye which made reversing the trailer a bit of an ordeal) and tired. I don't drink much beer, in fact hardly ever, but on the way home when I stopped at the superette to pick up provisions for the falafel in pita bread I am having for my dinner, I bought a 6-pack of Beck's (the only 6-pack you are ever likely to have - ed). Now, after a swim and a shower and two bottles of Beck's I am feeling good. You know TSB that lovely mellow feeling you get when you are tired......
3 comments:
Lovely post TC.
Been there, seen the film, got the T-shirt.
The bloody creepers are worse than razor wire.
The amber nectar is best after hard physical work. Refreshing and reduces the aches and pains.
Well said, though I've no idea what the film, T shirt and weed is.
I did think he got of light paying 13.50 to get rid of a trailor load.
It cost me 12.50 just to empty my hatchback today!
Point noted.
Do you know a day spent in the vege garden is one of my most favourite days of all- being outside, knowing you are tending something and the satifaction that comes at the end of the day. Sitting down with a beer in the setting sun, dirt under my finger nails and the knowledge veges are on their way -perfect.
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