... as my grandfather in Arkansas used to say when he sat down in his La-Z-Boy® at the end of an exhausting summer day of tending to cattle, chickens and two massive gardens. I have no cattle or chooks, but I did spend four hours in the yard and gardens early Friday morning, and I don't think I have fully recuperated from that.
I'm glad I got out there; the chore was highly overdue. The yard needed a major clean-up. Weeds and crabgrass had taken over in many places, and with the monsoons arriving, it will only get worse. I used Homer's weedwhacker to knock 'em down. I don't think I'd held one of those since I was a teenager and used one to help Dad around the house. Even with all the gym work I do, my arms freaked out.
In the gardens, much of the spring and early summer vegetation had done its thing and was turning seedy, brown and crispy. A good cleaning out was in order. Now it's a trimmer, leaner desert garden.
And now I need to catch up after too much grog and too many sweets the past few days. Independence Day weekend parties, staying up late, eating food unusual to my regular fare and all this monsoon mugginess have contributed to the weariness.
WEARY, a.
1. Having the strength much exhausted by toil or violent exertion; tired; fatigued.
2. Having the patience exhausted, or the mind yielding to discouragement. He was weary of asking for redress.
3. Causing weariness; tiresome; as a weary way; a weary life.
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
(Don't you love the formality of the English language as it was used nearly two centuries ago?)
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Yesterday was NPV. I forgot my camera, but Homer took his. I think I need to stay out of the sun for a while.
A few weeks ago at NPV, Patrick brought a yummy noodle dish that he said came straight from the trailer park. It brought back memories of a cookbook I'd once stumbled across, but I couldn't remember the title. On Brian's advice, I found a recipe by Jolene and the Trailer Test Kitchen and showed up sporting a Frozen Butterfinger Pie (which, in this heat, was difficult to keep frozen). Next time I'm making something a little less likely to induce a diabetic coma.
Today there's another pool party mid-afternoon, and then it's a journey out to the far, far reaches of the eastern Tucson desert to have dinner with Lani, Chuck and couple of other friends/colleagues.
Then I'm sleeping. All week.