Exhilaration

Winston Churchill is reported to have said “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.” Luckily, I have never experienced that kind of exhilaration, but after the past week I’d like to borrow Sir Winston’s turn of a phrase to say “Nothing at my age is so exhilarating as to complete outdoor work without a trip to the Emergency Room!”

My husband, following in his father’s footsteps, wants to keep doing the major maintenance work, like this week’s raking and gutter cleaning, as long as he can. Of course, that means that I am out there helping even if it’s just holding the ladder and ducking to avoid debris hitting me from above.

I know, those of you who have already had to get out your snow blowers are wondering why we’re raking leaves in December. Here they have only just all come down and the fifty and sixty degree weather makes it the ideal time to work if there’s not much wind and several days without rain.

On Tuesday we raked and used the leaf blower. I walked to the top of the yard and promptly stepped off the hidden curb onto slick leaves and in an instant was on the ground. Luckily, I escaped without anything more than some bruises. Jim thought I should not try to keep helping, but I did it any way. He muttered something about me being my father’s daughter, then helped me up off the pavement. I must confess that when my stubborn wore off, I was pretty sore. But the yard and driveway looked lovely two hours later.

In Thursday, we cleaned gutters, me on the ground holding the ladder steady and Jim high over head. He likes my help then so the ladder doesn’t take a notion to travel!

The key take away is that we didn’t have to have any medical care beyond some ibuprofen and a little bourbon! Now, that is exhilarating!