The Tavern

Spent the day doing yard work. It was a cold morning. This time of year low cloud cover through the morning is typical but due to oceanic upwelling and onshore breeze we've had substantial cover by marine stratus clouds which persists into early/mid afternoon and even results in some drizzling in the early morning once in a while!

Well, fortunately the clouds cleared by about one in the afternoon and it really warmed up, temperatures reaching the mid 60s F (high teens C) which allowed me to do the work I had to do comfortably, and in the sun.

I spent the first part of the afternoon hoeing weeds from a large patch of dirt behind the house, and then raking the weeds into piles before throwing them over a hill. We plan to cover this area with DG (decomposed granite) and a delivery truck showed up and dropped off ten tons (!!) of the stuff while I was working. Overall, it was a good job, and that side of the yard looks great. Hoeing weeds is pretty hard work, and, despite the recent drizzles, it's been a very dry year so the ground was extra hard.

This sort of yard work is very gratifying. It gives me the opportunity to get some decent exercise while doing something useful at the same time. Since Thursday is one of my rest days when I do not go to the gym, I was especially happy to get to do something that involves moving around.

Later in the afternoon, we were all sitting down for some tea when I realized that I hadn't actually finished the work I set out to do! In the same area, but further from the house we had just hewn some branches from a medium-sized oak tree which were hanging a bit too low and obstructing things. I dashed back out, having only enjoyed, a generous choice of verb, I must say, a single sip of tea, to finish my work. Even though daylight hours extend to nearly eight in the evening this time of year, the same marine layer phenomenon which causes morning clouds makes the temperature drop quite quickly by evening so I really wanted to get it done ASAP!

I proceeded to back a pick-up truck into position near the branches. Heaved it it full of boughs, all facing trunk-side out, and then jumped up into the bed to crunch down all the twigs and stuff so I could load more up. After all, the truck was filled to the brim and I had to hurl some branches onto the top of the pile where they balanced precariously. Then I took the truck over to a pull-off at the main road where our neighbors have been dumping brush, etc., because the local fire department has volunteered to woodchip it, for free!

Writing all this reminds me that I've got to make it out to the fireman's fundraising barbecue this summer. I missed it last time, but they really make some great tri-tip and all around they're just great guys and I want to show my support. Furthermore, and don't tell anyone I said this, but I still get a kick out of looking at the fire trucks up close!

Cheers,
n1000