forced rest

[click on image to embiggen]

It is not easy to keep a nice lawn in front of the house, but I love doing it. Yesterday, the doctor expressly forbade me from mowing the lawn. He smiled, like he thought he was doing me a favor. There are times when we all must accept help, but I really enjoy taking care of the front lawn myself. There is a sense of accomplishment, when I see that the grass is happy and has straight edges. Some you will get it, but most people think I'm weird... that's okay.

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This week, I will need to trust someone else to cut the grass for me. He will probably not cut it diagonally, the way I like it. I alternate angles between mowings. He will probably not take extra care around the edges, and there will likely be scalpings along the mulched edges. (wince) Sometimes, when I ask my kids to cut the grass for me, it does not get done on the same day. If so, I must wait. I hate taking too long between mowings.

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Thanks for letting me vent. (sigh) I need to think about something else. Who knew that resting can be such hard work?!

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Btw, that dandelion shot was done with a macro setting, using flash and a polarizing filter, in case anyone wanted to know.

looth tooth

One of the kids had a loose molar. This child is not usually aggressive about pulling it out on their own, and I usually try to have them do their own baby-teeth extractions.

I don’t like pulling teeth. They’re scared and I do not want to be associated too much with pain. But when they could not do it on their own, the kids have come to me as if I’m some kind of family expert in this field. What a dubious honor to have bestowed upon you!

So, after making the obligatory jokes, I try to convince this child that the psychology of fear makes the pain seem great, when it’s really not so bad. I tie the floss, give a hug, and somewhere in the midst of the subsequent patter, I sneak a quick tug, and voila! The tooth is out!

Rinse, then hug.

Again, I do not enjoy pulling teeth, but you know what? When Mrs. Craver asks the kids, “Do you want Daddy to pull it for you? And they say yes, it means they trust me. They have confidence in my help to get past the fear and pain. I like that.