What a difference a day makes.
Yesterday, the yard was a half acre of leaves burying long grass, my lawnmower was broken, and the storm windows--the big old heavy wooden ones--were still hanging in the garage. My resident staff had managed to de-glob the gutters, but otherwise have been busy attending to high school work (some of which seems to have involved chasing orbs around a haunted mansion downtown, but that's another story).
So when Idgy dragged me out on our morning walk, I was cranky. Instead of enjoying the breathtakingly beautiful if odd weather, I was plotting a trip down North Avenue, lawnmower in trunk, and wondering how long I had to sneak the leaves out to the curb.
But miracles happen. Near the corner, an industrious trio was taking control of a neighbor's yard. I approached the guy with the leafblower, figuring that the one with the power tool was probably the crew leader. Could they do my yard, too?
Yes, they could, and yes, they did. And yes, they were a bargain.
The male half of my resident staff was both impressed and challenged when he saw the transformation. So by the time I got home from work, the storms were up, too.
Now the house is cozy, the yard neater than it's been all year. I'm grateful for the kindness and hard work of strangers and my children.
Thanksgiving, all around.
