Tree No More

 When our house was built in 2017, two Red Maple trees were included in the landscaping.  Both grew fast and one became a problem.  It was too close to The Coop, our outdoor kitchen.  But erosion also started exposing the roots.  And the tree was sapping all the water from the ground, starving the grass and some hedges that we wanted to grow taller.

Our friends from Galveston, Lora and Darian, wanted to come to visit, and Darian said he would take the tree down for us.  Being so close to The Coop and generator, not to mention the fence and other plants, we were hesitant to say yes.  But he insisted that it would not be a problem.

By yesterday afternoon, the tree was down and all the limbs and the trunk were ready to to be taken to a burn pile tomorrow morning.  

It actually looks much better.  Here is a photo of the tree about five months after being planted.  The Coop is being measured for the posts.

This is the tree yesterday before and after being cut down.  Brother-in-law, Allen in shorts, and Clay the Coop Builder in the hat.

The limbs and trunk are headed to the burn pile tomorrow.  

Thaanks Darian, Lora, and Judy for doing all the work.

Birthdays

 Birthdays…

Interesting thing about birthdays – there’s no going back.  But there’s no reason to assume we have to feel older. 

I’m three days into being 83 and nothing has changed from being 82.  Or for that matter, being 79 or 75.  And the clothes that I wore at 75, and even 65, still fit. 

My brain is also functioning well, as evidenced by my continuing desire to learn, to create, to explore, and to be aware of the events going on in the world.  And most of all, challenge my mind with ideas, regardless of the subject or where they take me.  I find this to be one on life’s greatest pleasures:  ‘excitement,’ something I never want to lose.  And when mixed with ‘enthusiasm,’ life is wonderful.

Although it sometimes produces a strong emotion, I can review and assess the merits of complex legal cases before the courts, and form my own opinions as to the proper application of law and justice.  I adjust my opinions when deemed necessary to balance the misapplication of either law or justice, especially when an injustice is obvious. 

My only physical deficiencies are my fading eyesight and my occasional bouts with dizziness and balance.  But I can still see, and the dizziness and balance challenges are never permanent, or even a concern for very long.

I figure the accumulation of aches and pains is probably due to my not religiously performing all of the recommended and scheduled preventive medical suggestions, intaking the proper fuel, not going places and doing things, and being horizontally stationary far more than being vertical and in motion. 

Finally, I accept the fact that I’m on the short list of life.  But I like to think I have some control over when and how the end comes.  I will die with a few regrets and fewer apologies – the most notable being that I never learned to play a musical instrument, and I apologize to those who were forced to listen when I tried. 

As for the greatest of all human traits, Love is by far the driving force of a fulfilling life.  To love and be loved has no boundaries and encompasses everything important in life.  It is the measure of a truly wonderful life.

In other words, I’m okay being me just the way I am right now, and hopefully for a few more birthdays. 

I think my goal now is to simply enjoy the rest of my life.

 

y

I Just Turned 80 (for the third time)

 Yes, another birthday.  83 and a new record for me.  Or as I prefer to count it 70/13.  

Today is the second day of it and I'm as full as a tick from a high birthday lunch with my sister-in-law, Joyce, who was also celebrating her birthday.  Yes, May 8th, just ten years younger,  We both had big lunches yesterday as well, but in separate places.  We carry over birthdays anyway.

I could use a nap right now.  Birthdays wear me out.  All the 'eating' and doing nothing but opening cards and presents, you know...  

Yes, a nap it is.

Retainer Wall Needed for Landscaping Repair

 Even when you live on relatively level ground there's probably going to be some amount of erosion.  And it is not always due to the weather.

In this instance, the erosion is actually outside our property and is mostly due to the heavy and powerful lawn mower used by our HOA's lawn mowing service.  The weight of the mower, combined with the speed of rounding the corner, along with the uplifting power of the mower's blades, literally sucks the dirt out of the ground and blows it in every direction.  The mower's tires push the grass and remaining dirt toward the edge of the corner.  A 30' Red Maple tree will have to be removed because its roots are so exposed that the mower damages them to the point of killing the tree.

That said, we knew we had to do something to stop the problem from worsening, so I spoke to the mower company owner and he agreed to skip the mowing and only use his string-edger until we came up with a plan to fix the problem.

Our neighbor didn't think I should build the simple retainer wall I had in mind, and haul in soil and sod to fix it.  He and my Sweetie thought the work would be too much for me, given my age and poor health, so he decided to do it himself with the help of another younger neighbor but in worse health than me.  And he would pay the costs of doing the job.  Okay by me!  I like that plan.

But as all plans evolve, they change.  Neighbor One was having some pain n his back and legs, and Neighbor Two was out of action.  Another neighbor's wife reminded him that he has heart issues and wears a pacemaker.  So he too was out.

I stepped in, not only with my knowledge, experience, tools, and strength to help Neighbor One build the retainer wall.  And he decided it was best to pay a landscaping service to haul in the fill dirt and sod.  He was right about that.

Ten years ago and owning a pickup truck, I could have knocked out the entire project in one day by myself.  But now it took two old men and some good sense two days to do it.

I took some pictures.