so, today,  after the Tai Chi lesson,  i go to alzheimery B's house. washed her just so recently fixed curved windows in her kitchen.  cleaned the kitchen, which i had not been able to do for almost two weeks because of the window work.  all the while, she is commenting about being hungry.  am I hungry?,  she asks several times?,  no, not really,  i answer several times till finally i say      do you wanna walk up to the Plaza and get a wienie from the Hot Dog guy?   enthusiastic response!!!!!  YES!!!!   so lick and a promise to both bathrooms and we are off.   slow going,  her balance isn't good.  couple weeks ago she fell and got a shiner.  it's still vaguely greenish.  so, slow.  and we notice the same things we have taken note of for the last couple years as this is the same place we're going as where the Farmer's Market is.  it's our route.  crumbling curbs that she doesn't approve of.  houses that look empty and uncared for (disapproval),  the place that takes salvage metal…, (an eyesore) .  but some trees are blooming and we check each for fragrance.  we talk to everyone and anyone on the way.  and we get to the Plaza, which is a circular center of town in any older place in New Mexico and TaDa, our first wienie of the season from the Hot Dog Guy who greets her  with gusto and we sit on the bench with our hotdogs, chips and drink.  there is a good wind today.  we have to keep track of our napkins and even chip bags.  weighing them down with stones.

all the while, in the privacy of my mind, i am mulling over the latest estimate for tree cutting up. i have three.  two from some previous years that have been just laying there and then my recently fallen Tree Husband/Lover.   some years ago, how many?, hmmm, i would have cut them with a saw.  i dont particularly like machine things of any kind.  but…that would take me days.  i'd rather be sewing.  so….thinking.

on impulse, i ask if she thinks she feels like walking over to the hardware.  yes.  so, we go and spend a considerable amount of time studying chain saws with the hardware guy and also a few different customers who had opinions to offer.  all of the gas saws require starting with that Pull Thingy.  the hardware guy who sold me my Weed Whacker says, yes, it's harder to start these chain saws even than that.  hmmmm.  by the time i start my weed whacker, which is a heavy duty Brush wacker, really, …..i am all worn out.  so…

003

it's electric.  

it's wimpy.  it's less than what i would have had to pay any of those guys to cut the wood.  and the hardware guy swears it will do the job.  and really……..to be totally honest, i'd rather be working on the Daughter Cloth than sawing sawing sawing for days.  so…i've                     Sold Out. 

 

 

 

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35 responses to “something has become of me”

  1. Susan Avatar

    Ha! It’s a surprise to check in and see a chain saw on here!! But coincidentally, my husband bought a chain saw several weeks ago and it has been sitting in our house – we have all been looking at it, talking about it – Brett has been reading about it. He has yet to use it – but we are working up to it. My youngest tells anyone who glances at it – “That thing is real, it is NOT a toy.”

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  2. nance Avatar

    thats a good thing to remember, grace… it is not a toy! don’t hurt yourself! they are scary to me. it might not be as big a noise though and that is good. and it is good to sew more. it will be useful, i think. good luck.

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  3. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    you write th best stories grace! i can see and smell and walk along wit you. No wonder your cloths are full of dreams and visions.

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  4. jude hill Avatar

    i also sold out. i have one too.

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  5. Jacky Avatar
    Jacky

    He hee…. sometimes we just have to give in…we need more time to stitch (for that is VERY important for our souls).
    I’ve just been reading through some old posts I’ve missed recently. Such wonderful cloths Grace…
    Jacky xox

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  6. Penny B Avatar

    B is lucky to have a gentle soul like you visiting her. It takes patience and love.
    Those “pull things” are impossible! I can’t even pull them all the way out let alone start a machine with the. Good idea going electric. Back to stitching quickly!

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  7. KaiteM. Avatar

    it was very relaxing walking to the hot dog man with you and B, very gentle.
    I have had 2 “proper” chainsaws in my time but not any more, the last one was a devil to start and gave me tendinitis. I bought a very good hand saw and if anything is too big for that i just get a “man” in.
    I’d rather stitch also.

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  8. deanna7trees Avatar

    about 10 years ago i was in your situation and went out and bought a circular saw. i sat with it for about 5 days and then went and returned it. it scared me to death. i paid someone to take care of the problem. i just do the light work these days. be careful.

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  9. handstories Avatar

    is it selling out? or just prioritizing? I think the latter…leaves more time for more important things, like cloth and slow walks to the hot dog guy. Looking back, which things will you be happier to have spent your time on? cloth i imagine.

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  10. deanna7trees Avatar

    i don’t think it’s selling out. there is a certain satisfaction in being able to do all that yourself and not having to rely on someone else. it took me a long time to get used to the fact that i didn’t have the physical stamina to do those things anymore.

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  11. Mo'a Avatar

    B is lucky to have you in her life. Your story is wonderful, I loved my walk with you and B.
    I go through the same things with my parents…my mother calls a couple of times a day and tells me what they are doing…same stories each time. My husband asks “What did you mother have to say?” I tell him in shorthand…the shell story, clover story, neighbors cars, dad feeling weak, etc. They are dears and I try to give them something to think about each day…being 88 and 96 certainly narrows your horizons.
    Now about the chain saw…WOW!!! I am impressed, you are some woman.

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  12. Deb G Avatar

    Well…true confessions. I bought a small hand held canister type vacuum. I need to be able to clean out around my gas fireplace better and got tired of having to borrow my brother’s vacuum all the time. There is a time to compromise. 🙂

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  13. Terri Avatar

    I have my dad’s old electric chainsaw in the garage. Used it a few years ago on some thick branches. I was astounded by the ease of it, like cutting through butter. I finally understood men and their tools. I used to get so mad at the Edison guys butchering the trees when they came around trimming for the electric lines. But once it was in my hands, I found it hard to stop. I ended up killing a peach tree I was supposed to be “pruning”. It was shocking. I’m a tree hugger. Only use it on dead branches now!!

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  14. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    i can just see that youngest of yours saying this…

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  15. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    a continuous surprise, how sewing is primary anymore

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  16. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    Elizabeth…thanks for coming along on the walk.
    i always feel that about your blog. you take me around.

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  17. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    i feel SOOOOOO less a reprobate then……

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  18. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    Jacky…XXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to you!

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  19. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    can JUST manage the Brush Whacker…i think i really
    couldn’t do it. a bummer to me, and hard to admit.

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  20. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    hmmmm…tendinitis…eeee. don’t want.
    a “man”, well, yeah, but i even prefer this electric
    thing… there is one really nice man…but he is
    always biZZy. the others just keep “stoping by” to
    see if there’s anything else i need.

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  21. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    circular saws are scarier than chain saws. more room
    for error. there needs to be two people for them.

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  22. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    cloth for sure, but….i made a vow a few years ago about
    electrical use….this is breaking it

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  23. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    i still can, just am so aware of how many hours a day
    there are….

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  24. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    this is great….shorthand…thanks for telling this.
    …it’s so universal, isn’t it.

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  25. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    another great teaching story!!!! that’s what i’m going to use this
    one for, but also, am eyeing the dead limbed one in the back…
    hmmmm.

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  26. handstories Avatar

    vows, commitments, promises, responsibilities…thinking about these today. wondering what they mean, are they possible, how much room do we have in them, and is there room for change in them?

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  27. KaiteM. Avatar

    TypePad HTML Email
    hmmm, yes i can imagine, ive had those stopping by
    ones too…..a good dog helps there.

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  28. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    big thoughts…
    and something i think about a lot. and two thoughts
    among many, are
    1. my needing to learn to say i will do the Very Best
    i can to fulfill an intention, instead of promising
    in an absolute way re: a certain specific un alter
    able outcome. because, we truly never know.
    2. going along with that premise, the you never know,
    being kind enough to make the effort to know
    when someone else is doing the best they can and not
    holding them to something they cannot do because of
    the unforseen
    ????????????????

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  29. deanna7trees Avatar

    isn’t the use of gas more detrimental to the environment than electricity? i have a battery operated mower and weed wacker.

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  30. handstories Avatar

    grace, how did you know? “being kind enough to make the effort to know when someone else is doing the best they can and not holding them to something they cannot do”…is exactly what i am trying to do today, and am not succeeding very well. but will keep trying. thank you for this.

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  31. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    in my world here, i committed to minimize the use of
    both as much as possible. and by that, i mean, as much
    as i possibly can, not just when it’s easy or convenient.
    it WOULD be the best to use a hand saw. and that’s
    my own personal “eco karma”.

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  32. deanna7trees Avatar

    oh yes, i understand. a hand saw and an old fashioned mower is what i used until i physically could not do that anymore. there isn’t anyone here, that you hire, that would be using hand tools.

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  33. helen lee Avatar

    You write so beautifully Grace. I too loved walking along with you and B to the Hot Dog Guy.
    What is the origin of the word wienie? We don’t use that over here..I first heard it on the film ‘The Straight Story’…and…I’m curious about the large boulder on your garden chair….
    Love that you live your life mostly unplugged, but are willing to bend ~ like a tree ~ when needed.

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  34. grace Forrest Maestas Avatar

    buzz…thanks for enjoying that walk. we do it every
    week if you want to come again.
    weinie???i have no idea, really. could be spelled
    weenie, too….oh…weiner…maybe from the german
    weinerschnitzle???? a sausage i think? i’ll bet that’s it.
    never thought about it before.
    the rock on the chair…i am not sure what it is. wanted
    to use it in the Diamond raised bed.
    Mostly Unplugged, for sure. very basic, bottom line here
    and any way i can try to make it more, i do. i am still
    having feelings about buying that elec chain saw, but…
    am happy that you came for a visit, i will look for you
    now. xoxo

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