"Sure we'll come down. It won't take long!"
We wanted to help our friends take down a tree. Well, my husband did but that was because he would get to use his beloved chainsaw and trusty axe. We packed up the chitlins and the gear and drove right on down. We wore nothing that matched and most of it was whacked-out flannel and plaid. It doesn't get any more vogue than that I tell ya. Do you HEAR the tinkling of the duelling banjos in the back of your head? "Bair-nairnair-nair-nair-nair-NNNAAAIRRRRR"? If I'd have been able to, I'd have stopped to buy a goat to stuff in there and drag along. Maybe not, it could have been fumes from the gas.
We arrived and unloaded all our toys including the chipper/shredder. This piece of machinery is probably thirty years old (on the conservative side), loud, belches smoke, and grinds up SMALL branches. Did I mention it has a mind of its own? Of course it has warning lables stuck on every surface about putting your hands anywhere other than the handles. We gave 'er some gas, yanking her little pull-cord until our shoulders burned. Eventually, she decided to participate. She made it known that her preference is dry, aged wood as opposed to new (much like some of us prefer our wines?) and if you try to sneak something past her, she will shoot it from her "jaws" faster than a bullet and nick your shin. Then she will stop, pout, and refuse to restart until you apologize. She even refuses to give up her cord! What a *itch! (It sadly reminded me of when I used to cut up the kids' dinners and try to coax them to eat creamed spinach.."Here comes the choo choo with wagonsfull of YUMMIES! Wooo Woooo!") We had to prune all the eentsy weentsy stuff,feeding them in slowly while she belched and fussed. As my girlfriend and I tried to coax her into munching all the twigs and such, the boys scaled the ladder, tied ropes and cut the trunks. We found this MUCH more entertaining so while they sweat it out in twenty-six degree weather, we poured wine, watched and gave instructions. Such women we were!!
It was truly a sight. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll add the photos so you can judge for yourselves.
No one was hurt~seriously (except during the opening of beer bottles...THAT'S safety!)
Thanks for stopping in. Come back soon.
