Sunday, May 06, 2007

Manual Labor

I have slowly begun doing more work around the house, though I still feel acutely anemic. Over the past year, my nephew has taken up the slack for me on the mowing, but now I'm taking it back, whether I want it or not! Twice over the past weeks I have mowed and trimmed the lawn, though each time was an ordeal and I only worked at it in half-hour increments (if that). It takes two days to do the job when you do it that way, assuming the weather permits me to work the second day.

Yesterday a giant rotten limb fell out of the oak tree close to the road. The limb, about 30 feet long, laid across a flower bed, a water-filled ditch, and nearly into the street. I trimmed it some and dragged it out away from the ditch to where I could work on it with the saw, etc. After many breaks I had cut it into sections and put it in the burning barrel.

By the end of the day it was gone. So, nearly, was I. Over the past year I've been so weak that just putting the laundry in the washer or removing it all from the dryer and hanging it up made me tired. The most candy-assed job imaginable, and I can barely handle it. So, it takes a violent act of will on my part to make myself try these other things. The lawnmower is heavy and so is the weed-eater! My feet (with neuropathy and aching ankles) are generally okay if I can stay on level ground, but woe is me if I try to work on an incline, such as a ditch.

I am inclined to be a sedentary Internet lobster, whether sick or not; I might say I enjoy it, if I had that much energy. Lord only knows how hard it'll be to mow the grass when the real heat of Texas summer begins! If I were rich, I believe I'd go north just to escape the worst of the heat. At present, it's still moderate, but it's coming, and it's no fun to anticipate.


8 comments:

  1. Take it easy. It would be sad indeed if you were to inadvertently deprive us of your unique wit and perspective.

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  2. I feel for you my friend...and can have some empathy. Since my shoulder operation I have longed to do the things I used to do. I have even seen a few dips into depression from living with the pain and weakness so long. I'm over it - but yet it lingers.

    I hope you regain all your strength and become more pain free soon. I know it's no fun, especially when there seems to be no end.

    I know I brought mine on myself and that's who I blame...I know if will be some time before I chose to have the left shoulder done.

    Get well...stay happy.

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  3. Manual labor is good for the body and soul. Good to hear you're "working" at it, even if in small increments. It's when you don't or worse yet can't work at that I'd really start to worry!

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  4. masterq, did you desert your blog? Drop me a line and say it isn't so.

    Mushy: by the time I regain all my strength, it'll be time for Social Security. So it seems.

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  5. Do what you must, but be sure to be enough of an Internet Addict to continue your blogging. Best wishes! :)

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  6. Take it one day at a time and do what you can. :)

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  7. Stuff the yardwork, who cares? If anyone objects, let them feel free to come in and do it. Preseve what energy you have got for doing what you do best, my friend. Sharing your wit and 'cussed observations on life, and making our world a little warmer for having read them.
    It's horrible to be prevented from doing every thing you want to do, and with your temperament, dammed frustrating, too, I'm sure. Just hang on in there, big guy - and for heaven's sakes, take it easy. xx

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  8. Where's all these great friends when the yard has to be mowed? Oh, well, nice to hear from them, anyway.

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Abandon hope, all ye who enter here! (At least put on your socks and pants.)