The Day Off

Greetings everyone!

I had a particularly unusual day off this past Wednesday, and felt that some of you might find some of the details amusing in some small way. Therefore, what follows is a potted version of the events of the day.

At 8:31AM I awoke to the sound of my mother bustling about downstairs, and occasionally yelling at the top of her lungs to wrest me from the tender arms of slumber, which had previously enveloped my consciousness. As I ascended from the depts of my restful repose, I clambered into my dressing gown, and began the morning procession, from bedroom to bathroom, bathroom to kitchen, kitchen to bedroom, there to consume a hot beverage before falling into some assortment of clothing.

I knew that although it was my day off, I would have to put in some hours at work, if only to give my mother time to assemble an overnight bag for our friend, who has had a stroke and is currently in hospital. So as I gathered the pieces of myself from around my bedroom, and connected them together to form an apparent whole, I readied myself for the potential experiences ahead. I also knew I had a driving lesson, due at eleven o'clock, something I was looking forward to immensely.

Nine o'clock found me at the counter, preparing the ledger book. Several cups of tea, a gaggle of customers, a repair to the sashlock on our back door, and two hours later, saw me pacing back and forth at the door, eager to get on with my driving lesson. Of course, my instructor (a smashing fellow originating in the West Indies I believe) has not been less than ten minutes late for a lesson yet, and so when he arrived twenty minutes later, I was not in the least surprised. Since I am hardly the most organisationally adept human being ever born, I could not see my way to chastising him over it!

In any case, as we walked back to his car (he had come in to say hello to my mother), he asked me if I would not mind giving him a hand with a tree problem he was having, and since my instructor and I have become firm friends, I agreed immediately. The lesson itself went without a hitch, smooth gear changes, and good foresight carrying me through the lesson in good order. As the lesson came to a close, my instructor bade me drive to his home, that we might take stock of the nature of the trees which needed attending to.

As we stepped outside, the nature of the problem became obvious. Those trees belonged to his elderly neighbour, who had requested that he remove them for her, what with the lady being physically incapable of doing the work herself, and fiscally incapable of having it done by professionals. They were also at least the height of the houses surrounding the area. The trees were bare of foliage, not having quite gotten around to springing forth yet, and this was a great boon to us in our endeavour, allowing us to see what we were doing without having to peer through thick vegetation.

It was at roughly this point, that I was read in on the exact situation where these trees were concerned, and precisely what my role would be in removing them. Basically, my driving instructor, who is a rather vertically challenged gentleman to say the least of it, revealed to me that he has an abject fear of heights, and sheepishly asked me if I wouldn't mind being the one to climb the ladder, and making the actual cuts to its flesh. When I had agreed to this, he told me that what he needed us to get done, was to cut the top ten to fifteen feet off the trees. The rest, he assured me, he could manage himself at his leisure.

This meant that we had to get the long ladders out. They were possibly the heaviest ladders I have ever encountered. They were not unliftable by any means, but attempting to angle them against the tree at full stretch however, was a complete mother of ten bastards to do! When they had been erected, I clenched the dull side of a handsaw between my teeth, and clambered up the ladder like a pirate up the side of a navy galleon. Upon reaching the top of the ladder, at roughly the height at which the tree began to branch out, I began to cut away some of the lowest branches, so that I could work on the tree un-molested by errant twigs. Once I had gained access to the trunk (which was of at least ten inches in diameter) I cut through it, leaving one fifth of its thickness intact.

This was a bloody laborious process, mostly owing to the angle at which I was having to work.

In any case, when this had been done I tied a poly propylene rope above the cut, and demounted the ladder. Once on the ground, I tied the other end of the rope around my waist, wrapped a foot of rope around my wrist and hand to strengthen my grip, and had my instructor stand in front, and take up the slack.

We sidled round by a few degrees, so that we would be out of the fall radius of the section of tree I had cut, and then we counted once, twice, and upon our third count, we gave a hard tug on the rope. The trunk bowed, but did not break. I suggested that what was needed here was some sort of standing wave effect, where repeated pulls would cause the top of the tree to wave back and forth, flexing the small remaining connection between the two sections of the tree beyond its breaking point. The plan, upon its execution, worked perfectly, and five hearty pulls on the line later, and with an almighty crack, the top half of the tree came down with a THUMP, exactly where we wanted it.

Essentially, the next tree came down precisely the same way as the first, save for some minor differences in terms of accessing it, what with its being somewhat harder to get a ladder against, due to the proximity of bushes, fencing, and so on. In short, we got these two trees down to half their size in two and half hours, and my goodness did I feel like I had earned a cup of tea after all that!

Anyway, that little undertaking being out of the way, and having accepted my instructors generous offer of a free lesson next time, we set off back to my place so that he could drop me off. I was immediately collared so that I could cover more of the day at the shop. I worked through till four thirty, and then FINALLY, my "Day" off began!

Suffice to say, I am not well rested at this point I went out yesterday evening after all that, having well and truly earned it. Having missed the last train home, I also earned the two mile walk to the taxi office, and the ride home at half past midnight as well! I might add that today, I did less actual physical work today, than I did yesterday. My life is BACKWARDS!

Just when you think you can have a break, life has other ideas! I feel your pain buddy, I had a similar day "off" last week.

With that said, I have a tree in my garden which has "become a nuisance" and needs..."removing"... fancy it? I know you're experienced now!

Glad your driving is going well, Learning to drive was the best thing I've done, the freedom is beautiful!

a reply to: TrueBrit

Oh my, and what a weird day off it was! Nice writing, True. I've had a few of my own in a similar vein, where rest was replaced by muscle building. However such days do tend to clean out the brain's cobwebs and air out the place, don't you think? All the best with your driving lessons.

a reply to: Burk0

Well, I am never adverse to hard work, but traveling from one county to another to do it? That is a kind of tiring out I do NOT need!

originally posted by: TrueBrit
Greetings everyone!


Anyway, that little undertaking being out of the way, and having accepted my instructors generous offer of a free lesson next time, we set off back to my place so that he could drop me off. I was immediately collared so that I could cover more of the day at the shop. I worked through till four thirty, and then FINALLY, my "Day" off began!

Suffice to say, I am not well rested at this point

I went out yesterday evening after all that, having well and truly earned it. Having missed the last train home, I also earned the two mile walk to the taxi office, and the ride home at half past midnight as well! I might add that today, I did less actual physical work today, than I did yesterday. My life is BACKWARDS!

Yep, been there dun that, "My life is BACKWARDS!" too, except this side of the little pond it's called arse about face.
Keep up the good work.

a reply to: aboutface

There is certainly something to be said for pursuits such as those I was about yesterday. I feel quite energised by the exertion, even now!

Sounds like quite a productive day. Good deed done and a free lesson. Hope your neighbor who had a stroke is doing better.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: aboutface

There is certainly something to be said for pursuits such as those I was about yesterday. I feel quite energised by the exertion, even now!

I recommend then you join your local Lions club, they are the ones making a difference.

Good on you for helping out! Especially if you weren't grumbling on the inside while you did it!

Driving lessons? Are you learning to drive a manual? I have struggled immensely with that, and the last time I attemp it I made myself carsick

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: aboutface

There is certainly something to be said for pursuits such as those I was about yesterday. I feel quite energised by the exertion, even now!

There Definitely is something to be said about the tree work You did Yesterday True!! It gives One a sense of accomplishment, and job well done,and all that! Right? It Makes the time spent doing all that, more worthwhile! Sounds like You had a pretty good time doing all that too. So that makes it even more satisfying!!

A couple Summers ago, I spent almost the whole Summer at My Dad's place. (Step Dad, but I call Him Dad, as He raised Me from age 3 on up.) Anyway, We removed A LOT of Trees from His property! Probably about 2 dozen trees were cut down, hacked into small logs and piled up out by His Barn.

I was a Raving ChainSaw Massacre MadMan!!!!!! LMAO!!! I loved that saw. It was one Bad Ass Mother of a ChainSaw. The Saw was A Stihl that had a 20" Bar! Like somewhere around 120 CC's of Engine Power!! To say it ROCKED would be an UnderStatement!!!

Man I miss it bad. Missed it bad as soon as I was Done out there!! LMAO!!!

a reply to: smurfy

If reading this thread should have illuminated anything, it is how little of my free time I get to spend doing things for myself. I can understand that sounding like a selfish thing to say, but if I work the majority of the week, there is no way on Earth that I would spend what little precious time I actually get to pursue my own interests, on performing tasks assigned by a stranger.

Mark my words, when I offer my time to people, I do so free any obligation but the one I carry within myself. But I do not do more than I can, and to spend any more time in pursuits not my own than I do these days, would be to sublimate the very fabric of my being.

In short, I would have to have a different life, to have enough spare time to join up with an organisation as demanding as the Lions.

Next day off, I prescribe you run out the door at 9am and head to a dark movie theatre! Eat lots of popcorn and ice-cream, Turn your brain off, and only com out at lunch time when its too late for anyone to nab you.
Doctors Orders

Professor Zazz

a reply to: zazzafrazz

You know, I might have to vacate the building the night before my day off starts, if this crap keeps up!

To be fair though, I really enjoyed helping take those trees down. I might see if he wants a hand with the remaining stumps later in the year. If so, I hope he gets them finished up before summer, because to hell with tree stump digging in summer weather. To HELL I say!

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: smurfy

If reading this thread should have illuminated anything, it is how little of my free time I get to spend doing things for myself. I can understand that sounding like a selfish thing to say, but if I work the majority of the week, there is no way on Earth that I would spend what little precious time I actually get to pursue my own interests, on performing tasks assigned by a stranger.

Mark my words, when I offer my time to people, I do so free any obligation but the one I carry within myself. But I do not do more than I can, and to spend any more time in pursuits not my own than I do these days, would be to sublimate the very fabric of my being.

In short, I would have to have a different life, to have enough spare time to join up with an organisation as demanding as the Lions.

I don't believe that for a minute..you're hooked! your graphic OP says it all !

BTW, go and visit the lady again, she might just be happy enough to have got her Sun tan back

a reply to: smurfy

LOL!

You're terrible!





Well played!