Mornin, Mornin... WOW... There were tons of emails in my box after the last blog posting from you all... Think I hit a nerve on this topic... Mostly from women, but a few from men... Many remarking about the perception of women who are overweight, but again?... Some who recommended this diet or that one... One I am seriously thinking about trying is this one... The amount of dark green stuff needed might play heck with my Factor V problems, but you never know...
Many people commented on the belief that women who are overweight are lazy... Some commented that men don't carry this same misconception - true, True, TRUE~!!!... Statistics and studies point out that executives in top Fortune 500 companies are not discriminated against if they happen to be older AND overweight... In fact, it is almost expected... Younger successful men are perceived to be 'up and comers' if they are watching their health and weight, but the older guys?... Their obesity is overlooked... They are viewed as 'strong like oaks'... Hmmm.... Reverse discrimination at its finest!
I don't think anyone that knows me would ever think of me as being lazy... If anything, I can outwork and out-go both of my family members, hands down... I am SO determined to get something done once I have started it that I will practically work myself into the ground to get it finished... I tend to push myself beyond the pain warning signs that start going off inside of me, believing if I just put one more effort I will get it finished, ya know?...
Yesterday was a good example of my 'hardheadedness' or determined nature (as I prefer to think of it)... I have watched the apricot tree in the back for a few years now... It has ALWAYS been a PITA in regards to the pool, for it was planted too close and in the fall, dumps most of its leaves into the water for me to clean out (or Paul to clean out of the basket before it hits the filtration system)...
It has also completely ruined any chance of grass underneath of it not only because of the shade it creates (when it has them) but because of the massive amount of water it would steal from the surrounding areas... I gave up having grass within 6' of the base and put Desiree's old futon mattress up on a pallet for the dogs to sunbathe on each day... If you can't have grass close to the tree, you might as well use that space for something else, ya know?
Three years ago, only half of the tree came back... It was the year Paul was messing with the sprinkler system and we had had a few floods out back there... I'm not sure exactly what is going on with that aspect of the back yard, but I think (?) the roots of the tree are too close to a sprinkler head and he can't replace it, so the sprinkler system is turned off to avoid floods...
The next year, even less of the leaves on the tree came in once spring arrived... Of course, the side of the tree I would have wanted the leaves to be on was completely barren... The side by the pool was the one with the leaves...
And last year, only two big branches has leaves... Again, the wrong side of the yard and they fell into the pool when fall arrived...
So for two months I have watched other trees in the area bud and start their leaves... Nothing on the apricot tree... I kept walking up and snapping off branches to see if the sap was working its way back up into the branches... Eventually I decided the tree had finally just died and it was time for it to go bye-bye...
For a few weeks I have sat and looked at that tree, trying to determine how I would get it down... Two calls to professionals and one estimate ($500 plus $100 per 1/2 cord to haul away the wood)... Basically he told me to figure $1,000+ and he couldn't get out until the middle of April...
The second professional told me it would be weeks before he could get out to give us an estimate as they were in their 'prime season and a cutting down a single tree was not cost-efficient to do right now'... I asked how they would get it down without it going into the pool and he said they take it down, branch by branch....
One of the neighbors up the hill had a tree taken down last week... So I watched them do it through my kitchen window... The more I watched them, the more I kept thinking I could do this myself... Problem is, I have to watch going up on ladders around here when no one is home in the event I fall... And anything sharp? I also have to be careful someone is around in the event I cut myself for I could easily bleed out with the blood thinners by the time I drove myself the four blocks to ER...
Desiree said she was going to be home yesterday, and after listening to the wind howling throughout Saturday night and worrying was the tree going to crash into the house, I decided 'Today is the day that tree is going to come down - or at least get started!'...
Turns out, Desiree had plans that developed during the day, so she was gone but Paul was around the house... After dragging the 10' ladder out into the backyard along with the recycling bin, I started pulling down the small branches and breaking them up for the recycle bin...
Well, I eventually ran out of room in the recycling bin, but I got the tree taken down half way... Some branches I got down, but had to put on the other side of the fence until the bin is emptied tomorrow on trash day...
Once I get the small branches down, I am hoping Paul gets his chain saw back from the store with the needed tune-up, and he can get the big branches down and the wood cut into pieces that are suitable for the fireplace next winter...
As I'm pulling one branch down after another with nothing more than my SMALL rechargeable saw, I'm thinking about this whole process in a macro-perspective... Nothing in my life has ever seemed to be to overcome (with the exception of my illness).... I might be scared or a bit doubtful to take on something, but courage and hardheadedness always kicks in... I believe I can do it and so I do, ya know?... I've never been afraid to start cutting a piece of fabric, nor to try out a new idea to solve a problem... It might not work, but that potential outcome has never stopped me from trying...
I consistently show Desiree how to do this or that around the house... I hope that my willingness to take on all challenges that come my way rubs off on her... I hope she never believes that she has to have a man around to do these chores or tasks... But I do hope she has more patience than I do about waiting for days (weeks, months, years) for things to get done once you've asked someone else for their help... I keep trying to improve this defect in myself, but it seems my time schedule is never the same as anyone else's... Once I decide I want something done, I'm on it... I am sure I drive Paul crazy about this, but I do try and give him a heads up that I am trying to get something done...
The fine line between what a woman can do and is expected to do is slowly fading... We women know that we can do just about anything, even if we don't have the physical strength men have... I may have had to bring that tree done, small branch by small branch and then up the ladder again to bring down a bigger one they were connected to... But I have no doubts that were the chain saw working yesterday, I would have had that entire tree down to the point I was finished with the project...
Once the tree is gone to about 2.5' off the ground, I will make it into a umbrella holder so that I can control how much sun is on that area and how much is not...
I want to get another small tree out of the backyard - it is a miniature Palestinian lime tree that Paul has been growing for years... The tree has LONG spines on it that never fail to nick me at least once during mowing... And there must be barbs on the spines, because it not only cuts you, it stings and tears at the flesh...
The little birds love it, but it has caused me to lose far too much blood along the way... I can understand Paul's affection for it, but I am hoping he moves it to the front yard so I don't have to deal with it as much...
And then?... I would like to plant an orange tree and a lemon tree - more towards the center of the backyard than the two are now, but not too close to the back brick wall... I see a few of these growing around the area and with our climate, they stay with leaves almost the entire year...
I'm not so sure this will be a wise choice, but it is in draft format right now... I would be just as happy with umbrellas and thick grass, but the trees do add shade to an area that 'bakes' in the summer time... And with something back there, it keeps that side of the house cooler too...
Anyway, this just goes to show you that overweight women are not lazy for sure... Not by a long shot!
As Always,
The Lady
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