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22:40 - 03.07.05
Travelling
The mosquitos have grown to the size of Hummingbirds. All that rain grew some surprising things, don't you know. The grass/weeds in my yard were hip high in places. I slathered on eucalyptus oil to repel those insects, in preparation for going out to cut that growth down to size. In places a machete wouldn't have been too extreme a tool; certainly an old fashioned scythe would have worked well, if I could have found one lying about.

This is the first real weekend since early May that there has been enough of a break in the rain showers to cut the grass without damaging it or oneself. Electric lawnmowers and water not being user friendly together. As I had mentioned earlier, I had asked the neighbours with the gas mower if I could borrow it and had even learned how to pump gas in order to ensure the tank was filled. As it was, they never seemed to be home or available until today. They left the mower out front on our sidewalk on their way out this morning, but we couldn't figure out how to get it going even after finding an illustrated manual on line for instruction. I think maybe that one spark plug had got too wet to operate. Number three son had offered to bring over his Dad's mower, but I suspect his Dad didn't think that was such a good idea, so that option fizzled too. I finally remembered that a friend at the other end of the alley had an electric one and called her begging for mercy. Now that the alley is paved, there isn't such a risk of damage to the blades nor does one have to try and negotiate a busy public sidewalk to get the machine safely to one's own yard. She replied in the affirmative when I explained about the robbery of my mower a couple of weeks ago. Good thing. I was starting to get paranoid, thinking that the universe and my neighbours roundabout were all conspiring to grow hay on my property.

When I went to pick up the beast in question, the one question my friend had for me was what I thought of that extremely controversial legislation that was just passed by our federal government last week. It was almost as though the universe was demanding that I answer the sphinx's question, before I could continue on my pastoral journey. Oh wait, that's part of the Harry Potter book "Goblet of Fire" too. Classical and contemporary mythology together. I swallowed hard, because I've almost had my head bitten off several times trying to explain my position on it. The neighbour I rode to work with got so angry when she brought up the proposal I thought she was going to cause an accident; nearly frothing at the mouth she was. I've mentioned the little staged discussion that occurred at work last week already too. My friend is devoutly involved in one of the churches that forcefully opposed it, but she is also my friend and I won't lie to her. I swallowed hard, thinking I was never going to get my lawn cut at this rate if I angered her so much that she changed her mind. I spoke my piece and was pleasantly surprised to hear her express strong approval for my comments. I should have known better about her and underestimated her badly, I guess. She practices what she believes down to the letter. "Judge not" Matthew 7 was her take on it. Phew.

It took a very long time to get all the work done. I was wearing my knee brace because the ground was soggy and uneven in places and I didn't want to risk twisting it the day before yoga classes start. It seemed as though the neighbours roundabout were sitting at their windows watching me struggle, but it was likely just that they were attending to different chores too and found my travails enough to break up their monotony. My youngest helped me move the wishing well and some of the other heavy bits around the yard and he did the weed whacking of the garden. By the time I was done, my feet were so sore I could hardly walk. Considering I danced for several hours only a week ago without too much discomfort, I can't figure out why that effect. Doesn't matter I guess, since my goal was finally achieved. Took the mower back to my friend's house and stood talking for a while. Just catching up on work news for both of us. She asked about my change over from the last agency and supervisor to the current one. Again her understanding, when I explained what had happened, was very soothing. Some times it seems as though I can't get anyone to understand what happened. She knows some people in the company I am assigned to now and noted that she had heard really good things about it from all of them. I confirmed that too. She is not very happy where she is in life in several ways, work or personally, and I feel really badly about that. She deserves much better. We agreed that we would meet for lunch one day in the next couple of weeks, so maybe there will be some thing she says that will allow me to help in some way. Hope so. Right now time for bed though. Bus service is quite unique in summer so I need to have my wits about me tomorrow morning.

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