A Nice Day for a Mow!

by Pa Rock
Happy Camper

My sister, Gail Macy, and her daughter and granddaughter, Tiffany Burke and little Brieanna Macy Burke (we call her "Brie") came by Dad's house this morning and he took us all to breakfast at a place that he likes near Southwest City. The food was excellent! Brie is such a pretty baby! She was passed around quite a bit and never fussed - and she has the happiest little smile!

Gail had gastric bypass surgery a couple of months ago. She has lost forty pounds so far, and her diabetes completely disappeared!

Tim and I mowed the farm (Rock's Roost) this afternoon. The poor little farm is empty and looks so neglected. But a good mow restored some of its happy face. I had trouble mowing out next to the road - Old Pine Trail - because my old neighbors kept stopping by the talk. But I really did enjoy catching up on all of their news. The house across the road had been gutted by fire and has looked awful for several years, but neighbors Kevin and Ellen Arnold have bought it and fixed it up. It looks so much better! Apparently their son, Chris, will be moving in there with his lady. Times change so fast - I am remembering little Chris racing up and down Old Pine Trail on his small scooter. Now he is twenty-one and doing electrical work with his dad.

Tim started doing a task for me today that I have been after him to do for a long time. He is interviewing my dad - on tape - about his life experiences. I stayed out of the way. I would like to for it to be done from his and the grandkids perspectives.

Tonight Tim and I are off to a movie - or a bookstore - and then he is driving back to Kansas City late. He likes to drive at night. It has been great fun being around him for these two days. (Nick, my oldest son, and his son, Boone, were supposed to have joined us here, but Nick has the flu. Nick, Boone, and Tim will be coming to Phoenix next month for a couple of days - so we will catch up then,)

I expanded yesterday's blog a little while ago - check it out.

The Secret of a Successful Weekend

by Pa Rock
Procrastinator

As every working person knows, weekends are too short. Saturdays are set aside for relaxing and licking the wounds of the previous week, while Sundays are for summoning the strength to face five more days on the chain gang. One day of winding down, followed by a day of winding up. That's why it's damned hard to get anything done on a weekend.

I have been unpacking for a month now. Weekends are when it should be happening, but the pull of Saturdays followed by the push Sundays have contrived to keep my momentum firmly stuck in neutral.

But this Sunday was different. Today I didn't have to plan my activities around getting ready to go back to work - because tomorrow is a holiday. I will fret and panic tomorrow. Today I moved furniture, unloaded boxes, shopped for a mop, and had a very productive time of it. Today was a good day!

I also talked to my son, Nick, and his son, Boone. They were at my dad's house in Noel this weekend where Nick mowed the yard at my little farm on Old Pine Trail, and helped his granddad trim up his yard. Nick seemed to have had a very good time showing Boone the world that was his youth. They went fishing at the dam - the place Nick literally grew up - cooked out, played ball, and discovered a swimming hole. Nick is a wonderful dad!

Nick and Boone were able to get to Noel because they had a three-day weekend. And yes, having that third day is the secret of a successful weekend. All of the pressures fade away with that extra day stuffed into the weekend.

Barack, if you're reading this - and who am I to think that you aren't? - four ten-hour workdays each week would boost national productivity and be a wonderful way to live. Make it happen!