Count by Three

After my happy birthday, things returned to normal. The intense heat has been awful. I seem to have a sick headache every afternoon. The morning chores that are generally pleasant enough have left me drenched in sweat after only a short time outside. No matter how hot, the mowing must go on!!

My grandmother used to always say that things happened in "threes". If a celebrity died, sure enough two more would follow. I am not sure if her theory had anything to do with it. Maybe we just noticed the coincidence. But, it always seems to be true ......

The heat spell broke last night and it was lovely and cool this morning when I went to take the dogs out. The gangly puppy, Smoke, who does not realize how big he is, is usually waiting at the door to pounce on the unsuspecting animals eager to relieve themselves. I stepped out with my dogs and we all looked around. No puppy came running from the dog house or from the far corners of the yard. 

I was clad in my nightgown, in my own backyard, surrounded by a privacy fence, tentatively calling out to the absent puppy. You will recall that He Who builds fences did not install a gate to the back yard. Instead we only have access to the outside via a doorway that leads into one of the many Fred Sanford shed structures (you feel me Hillbilly Mom?). Okay, so, I am the one who loosely constructed a temporary gate of sorts with materials I found on hand. It was a frame of some sort and I screwed a piece of lattice to it. The "temporary" gate has been in use for going on 3 years. It has no hinges. You have to pick it up and move it to one side and then secure it in place with a long piece of conduit.

This limits your privacy. I know this because a young man approached me, coming through the Fred Sanford collection of useless items to ask me where the coffee was. Store does not open on weekdays until 11 am, and it is barely 7 and I am still in my bedtime attire, and my attitude has not yet been altered to face the public. I was barely civil, but I told him to try a convenience store.

The missing puppy was outside the front door , barking and ecstatic to see me. He was leaping about and nearly bowled me over, then went on to step in the dog food dish and spill the contents onto the floor, along with the water. I finally fed all the livestock and changed water dishes and grabbed a cup of coffee. I am much nicer after coffee.

I was all set to head out the front to grab the mower and take care of the dog park ....... there was a man peering into the store with his hands around his eyes. I nixed the mowing idea and sipped my coffee while I watched the news. Finally the peeping Tom left and I was able to get started on the dog park. I like to start the mower and mow my way to the dog park. I hit some spots that the zero turn can't get close to and finally made it to my destination. 

There I was, earbuds in place to listen to a mystery novel and just mow. I like to outline my mowing area and then start a diagonal line in the opposite direction from the last mowing. I was walking along pushing my mower, in a happy place when I stepped in fresh dog poop! No longer happy, just determined to get the job done, I pressed on, all the while cataloging the people I had checked in the night before and wondering who the culprit was. 

Sometimes I get inspired to do something truly artistic when I am mowing. I like a nice chevron look and will do that, but today I was annoyed. The grass was super thick, thanks to all the rain we have had and it was slow going. At 9 o'clock I was about 2/3's of the way done when I saw a big 5th wheel coming in. Reluctantly I turn the mower off and head up to the office. We don't open until 11am. No need to, really. Pool opens at 11 and check-in is not until noon ....... what with check-out being noon. It is a reservation. I have a standard speech I recite when taking a reservation. It includes the information about the time of check-in. I would have been less annoyed if they were just some travelers off the highway, never having heard my speech.

To add insult to injury, the site I assigned them had a truck parked in it. The owner of the truck in the site next to it was not there. I have had an on-going problem with this guy for the last 5 months. He seems to think he is entitled to park anywhere he chooses. He is sarcastic and rude, always late with his rent. He Who considers me to be too harsh when dealing with the scum of society, expressed his desire to let him "handle it".

I trudged back to my mowing, more determined than ever to complete my task. Two campers and their dogs were in the park. I half-heartedly offered to come back later. One man told me they were about to leave anyway, that they were just having a smoke and letting the dogs run. He went on to tell me that the dogs only peed, that he was prepared with a bag, but didn't even need it. Me thinks thou dost protest too much. He was the poop leaver, I am sure.

Mowed two strips and ran out of gas. I trudged back to the Fred Sanford main building to procure the fuel. I am no longer cheerful or determined. I finally complete my task and return to the spot behind the main building and shave that grass down to my liking. I come back inside to find that another reservation has checked in. It is now just after 10. I suggest to He Who had the lights on to lock the door and I head to the shower. 

Excited now, because in the mail is my new computer!!!! I throw my clothes on and give my wet hair a quick comb-through. I still have 30 minutes of me time and I plan to introduce myself to this computer ........ when here comes check-in number three, all before I even open up for the day! Hmmmm, maybe she was onto something with the number 3.