Late Bloomer

I guess it's probably because I have three brothers. And also because Mom likes to be outside. It may have something to do with my aversion to having dirt under my fingernails as well. Whatever the reason(s), I found myself this afternoon, at the grand age of 37, being taught how to run a weed whipper...by my grandpa. Yes, despite the contrary opinions of my neighbors (according to the local gossip), I happily let Grandpa mow my lawn. He's willing. He's experienced. He does a good job. And he has a lawn mower! (He is also 86 years old...and supposed to take it easy.)

I'm not a lawn fanatic by any stretch of the imagination, but between the grass height, the green growth spewing out of my window wells, and the baby Maple trees sprouting through my wooden porch deck, it was beginning to look a bit destitute around here. So Grandpa came to mow. A bit later all was too quiet outside. After walking the perimeter of the house, I decided he must have just decided to go home...without saying goodbye. And then he drove up in his truck...he'd taken the mower home, and returned with a weed whipper and a shovel.

I got shovel duty first. Surprisingly, those nasty bits of grass and weed that seem to crop out of every available sidewalk crack, came out much more easily at the end of a shovel than my normal 'tug and grunt' method. It was even fun...at first :). Grandpa ran the weed whipper till he came to a patch of my volunteer trees...then he requested the shovel. Being the patriarch of our strong, Germanic, Lipp work ethic, he couldn't have me standing by watching--instead he handed me the weed whipper and said, "You know how to run this don't you?" In less time than it has taken me to type this sentence, I had completed all the lesson in 'weed whipping' I was going to get and been turned loose with a 'power tool'!

It's clear from looking at the end result that I could use some practice. There's a few stray strands by the cellar door, I completely missed going around the garage, and yes, there's even a a couple of ragged places at the front of the house. This place is not going to make it on the cover of 'Home and Garden' anytime soon :)! But, I learned something new today. The yard looks vastly improved. And, I got to spend time with my Grandpa. It was well worth waiting 37 years for an afternoon like this :)!