Sunday, February 12, 2006
AMAZING PEOPLE - part 2
You wanna know what bugs me?
Badly cut lawns.
Back in the day my brother and I used to mow lawns. It's sad to think that two high school kids know more about grass cutting than professionals - but we did!)
Seriously, look at the work of a proffesional lawn mowing company sometime - they have crooked lines, missed sections, overlapping circles, lousy edging, poor clean-up, and just sloppy mowing. (Crazy I tell you - CRAZY!)
* * *
Dear 'ole Dad taught me how to mow properly. Everything from lining up the wheels (for straight lines) to cutting around trees. First he drew diagrams, then he had me draw diagrams, and then he set me loose on Mrs. M's lawn.
Mrs. M. is one of the litle old Mt. Greenwood ladies - but she almost deserves her own category. She lives right across from the park in a comfortable, happy house. One of my early childhood memories is being invited to her house for strawberry shortcake. (Her husband made it, and put extra whip cream on for me!!)
Mrs. M. is friendly, warm, gentle, and absoutely delightful.
She's had her share of lonliness and sadness, but she also enjoys and relishes being with people and talking.
Talking with Mrs. M was great
Even Andy talked to her (and he usually left the little old lady small talk to me!)
* * *
I think I know why Dad had me learn on Mrs. M.'s lawn (and not on his own).
He knew that I would cut Mrs. M.'s lawn properly, even if it was my first time.
He knew I'd concentrate and remember everything he'd told me.
He knew that Mrs. M.'s lawn would set an impossibly high standard.
I loved Mrs. M.!
* * *
Mrs. M. spent the last half of 2005 battling cancer.
And I didn't get to see her at Christmas, because she was too tired.
Today I heard that she had a stroke.
Details come slowly - but I am sad.
Mrs. M. has had an essence of mmortality.
Sure she was old and a little bit frail (but that was really just an excuse for me to hold her arm while she walked, or run an extra favor for her).
Thinking about Mrs. M. having a stroke (or worse) is heartbreaking.
You wanna know what bugs me?
Badly cut lawns.
Back in the day my brother and I used to mow lawns. It's sad to think that two high school kids know more about grass cutting than professionals - but we did!)
Seriously, look at the work of a proffesional lawn mowing company sometime - they have crooked lines, missed sections, overlapping circles, lousy edging, poor clean-up, and just sloppy mowing. (Crazy I tell you - CRAZY!)
Dear 'ole Dad taught me how to mow properly. Everything from lining up the wheels (for straight lines) to cutting around trees. First he drew diagrams, then he had me draw diagrams, and then he set me loose on Mrs. M's lawn.
Mrs. M. is one of the litle old Mt. Greenwood ladies - but she almost deserves her own category. She lives right across from the park in a comfortable, happy house. One of my early childhood memories is being invited to her house for strawberry shortcake. (Her husband made it, and put extra whip cream on for me!!)
Mrs. M. is friendly, warm, gentle, and absoutely delightful.
She's had her share of lonliness and sadness, but she also enjoys and relishes being with people and talking.
Talking with Mrs. M was great
Even Andy talked to her (and he usually left the little old lady small talk to me!)
I think I know why Dad had me learn on Mrs. M.'s lawn (and not on his own).
He knew that I would cut Mrs. M.'s lawn properly, even if it was my first time.
He knew I'd concentrate and remember everything he'd told me.
He knew that Mrs. M.'s lawn would set an impossibly high standard.
I loved Mrs. M.!
Mrs. M. spent the last half of 2005 battling cancer.
And I didn't get to see her at Christmas, because she was too tired.
Today I heard that she had a stroke.
Details come slowly - but I am sad.
Mrs. M. has had an essence of mmortality.
Sure she was old and a little bit frail (but that was really just an excuse for me to hold her arm while she walked, or run an extra favor for her).
Thinking about Mrs. M. having a stroke (or worse) is heartbreaking.