April 25, Lisa's Musings (on loppers) and Every Day Life

I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself right now.

I did battle with a whole bunch of ratty, invasive, very evil tree-lets, tree shoots, nettles and a bunch of other bad, bad, nasty green things that grow on my property.

And I didn't go crazy and take out everything in sight -- whether I knew what it was or not.

I found out the hard way that some "good" growing things can start out looking like bad growing things, but then turn into something that I really wanted to have growing there.

Oops.

For the last few years I've been so busy that when I see these vile invasive things -- usually while mowing -- I vow to take them out.

While they're still young and easily whacked into submission.

But, when I'm done mowing, I'm tired and don't feel like doing more work.

Or, I find other (more fun) things to do with my outdoor time.

So, for the last few years, "they" have not only won the battle, but also the war.

Part of the problem is that I have an ancient pair of loppers that really need to be replaced because they are incapable of snipping through a trunk or stem wider than say 1/4 of an inch.

My loppers are dull, wobbly, and have seen better decades.

But, let's face it, loppers are one of those boring, but necessary, things that I own that I don't think much about.

Until I want to use them.

And when I want to use them, I want to use them right then; not an hour later, after heading to the store and buying new ones.

Subsequently, they haven't been replaced.

No, it's not like I have some attachment to these worn-out loppers, like I do to Old Faithful, the lawn tractor.

It's just one of those things I don't think about buying.

Probably because the hardware store is not my favorite place to go. It has all those tools that I can't name and don't know how to use.

So I have to ask for help to get what I need.

So I avoid doing it.

But after surveying what I could and couldn't rid from my property today, I came inside and added a new pair of loppers to the shopping list.

And that's like etching something in stone.

So if you see me in the Chelsea ACO looking lost, I'm trying to find the lopper aisle.

Feel free to take pity on me and point me in the right direction.

You'll be doing your good deed for the day and saving me the humiliation of asking where the loppers are hidden.

And, I'll invite you to the ceremonial retirement of the old loppers.

They've worked hard for it.