James and I did some yardwork yesterday at 20 Dixon.
We (Peter, the kids and I) completed leaf cleanup at 11 Edgewater in 5 hours today – a record.
This was remarkable because the weather was simply frightful: rain alternating with freezing rain, so cold that we could see the vapor rising from the compost piles at the Transfer Station.
It felt like leaf cleanup was late this year: the last day of November. It’s not just us, there were a lot of other insane people dropping off leaves today, and at least 3 of my neighbors did their cleanup this weekend as well.
I’d rented a big leaf blower on the assumption that we’d have at least a good morning to work. Fat chance. The boys and I opened the door to rain and sleet at around 9:30 this morning.
We worked out a system with the blower, tarps, bungees, rakes and shovels. I made 4 trips to the transfer station. If the wet leaves hadn’t been so compacted, I’m sure it would have been more.
Meanwhile, Peter was back at the house, consolidating leaves and hauling some to the back yard. The kids, who got to experience both venues, said that as back-breaking as it was to unload the truck at the transfer station, the work at the house was even worse.
By trip 3, Robert and I were exhausted because the leaves got heavier and heavier as the day wore on. I’m not sure how Emme, James and I managed the last trip, but the three of us and Peter, who by this time looked like the living dead, loaded the truck with the remaining piles from the front yard. We even made it to Sea Mist afterwards.
I got home around 5:30 and a half hour later, am finally warmed up. I’m watching the Patriots game and can well understand the surprising amount of ball-dropping going on now in Foxboro. We were working in the stuff they are playing in, and I feel sorry for both teams and even sorrier for the fans, who are not only sitting in the stuff but have to drive home in it.