I'll begin with a favorite photo:
As sandstone and shale succumb to the sea,
Our souls' erosion forms what we will be.
There are times when I am needed --when one appliance, waterpump, vehicle, toilet or another is churning in disrepair. My talent with such events is mirific. I excite wonder and astonishment among relatives. They mainly leave this hick alone. However, a wooden fence I built 40 years ago recently showed signs of wear. It ran about 90 feet down our lane back to the barn I built 35 years ago. Norma wanted to rebuild it. Because I too was churning in disrepair, I suggested she hire it done. She emailed her brother, Bill:"The fencers are here planning to fence all morning!"
Bill replied, "En garde!"
Geo, thanks for another enjoyable and satisfying post. You never disappoint. I was inspired to contemplate second-hand weather.....and was compelled to look up the meaning of "mirific".
ReplyDeleteThanks to you, I learn new things.
Take care and welcome to December.
Thanks, Jon, a most generous comment. Our birthday-month is beginning with my car battery conking out and I await the AAA guy in the freezing cold night. Luckily, the conking occurred in the driveway and I can go indoors to warm up. You take care too, my friend.
DeleteHooray for Bill! But kindly do not churn too much in disrepair, tis only your spirit asserting its right to shine, I believe. Sending fine yuletide wishes to you all :-)
ReplyDeleteYuletide wishes appreciated and reciprocated, dear Lisa. I do churn, but not so much as the washing machine when stuff gets all on one side of the agitator: things start banging and the whole appliance waddles off for new adventures.
DeleteUneven agitation warrants an adventure: good luck, washing machine, please bring the clothes back though!
DeleteWe ALL need mirific people in our lives. Lots of them. Being one of them sounds pretty awesome to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd hooray for Norma - and for Bill.
Hear hear! E.C., my dear --I've known Bill since he was 12 years old. He's 64 now and one of the finest, funniest and wisest men I've ever encountered. Norma has impeccable taste in kid brothers.
DeleteI like Bill, too. Such an excellent post.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Dear Janie, thank you. Bill is always ready with a gentle punchline.
DeleteEnjoy your new fence; it's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks, dear Duta. Fence even has pressure-treated posts, which is one reason my old work fell after a mere century or so.
DeleteThat is terrific, Geo, that your efforts over the years have inspired Norma’s family so much and now they are going to fix up your fence that has stood for forty years. My gosh, 40 years, so few things last that long but that is probably because there are fewer mirific workers today. They don’t build them like they used to.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Arleen, No they don't build them like I used to --good thing too! I built our first fence from scraps and salvaged palings from wherever I could find them. We had become frugal after buying property and a farmhouse with no back walls left. Yes, the kids cried when they 1st saw it. Now, hiring work done, with properly pressure-treated posts and lumber hand-picked from the mill by "Classic Fence Co." was a pleasurable way of re-impoverishing myself.
DeleteI, too, had to look up mirific and have learned that you are the person the word was coined for. "En garde", indeed. I like Bill, too.
ReplyDeleteDear Bruce, thanks. I hope we all pursue astonishment always. I should probably mention I've always looked up to Bill despite our age difference. I'm 5foot 11 inches. He's 6feet 6 inches. His high school basketball team included another Bill who stunned me at 7feet 1 inch. That Bill went on to the NBA and later coached the Chicago Bulls. In P.E., I excelled at fencing.
DeleteThat fence has weathered the 35 years better than I. Nice fence post, Geo.
ReplyDelete"Nice fence post"--I love it. Thanks Mike. You are remarkable.
DeleteI am unfamiliar with that word as well. The new fence looks great! Fencing (both kinds) are hard work. :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed, en garde, parry, thrust, reposte --all maneuvers
Deletethat ready us for handling power tools. Mirific is typical of words Norma finds and emails me from across the room. She does this 3 or 4 times a week. Nothing I can do about it.
We each have talents of our own. It is wonderful that you still have so much admiration for Norma.
ReplyDeleteDear Emma, as you say, we each have talents. I admire yours and sense a positive outlook. With Norma, I've felt that same perspective for over 50 years and never gotten her limits. Yes, there is wonder in that.
DeleteI hope someone things I'm getting better looking as lines build on my face like that cliff along the ocean. Nice picture. It looks like the Badlands have moved to California.
ReplyDeletehttps://fromarockyhillside.com
Dear Jeff, I'm no stranger to what time does to our faces and coastlines. We Californians are in the last timezone before national entropy runs out of land. At sundown we westcoasters look insane and dehydrated from what our continent has daily done. You're in the middle somewhere and should send us water, brains and new teeth. But, yes, admittedly you look quite handsome lately.
DeleteThe new fence is up! Norma is wise.
ReplyDeleteYes and yes, hurrah!
DeleteHi Geo, it’s me, Chicken. Maybe your body is in a bit of disrepair but your mind never seems to be. Do you ever look at the fence and wonder how you did it? I think if I was magically transported back to my 20s or 30s body, the sudden whoosh of energy I imagine experiencing would feel like, well, very strong drugs. I wouldn’t waste any time, though, I would get some stuff done. Fun stuff. No fences.
ReplyDeleteDear Consigliere, Yes, I'm regularly looking at things accomplished in the past and wondering how the heck I did them. I'd love to be strong, fast and durable as I was in my 50's even. But, alas, I'll turn 71 in a few days and 11 years retirement have not restored me. I too would get more stuff done but ...let's just say I can still prioritize some "fun stuff" and uh no*fence taken.
DeleteBill rocks
ReplyDeleteDear Jackiesue, I have always thought so.
DeleteIt would seem that Norma can also be described as mirific and Bill has a great sense of timing and humor. Congrats to you and Norma for your 50+ union and what a wise man to acknowledge that "she is always right. "
ReplyDeleteThanks, dear Beatrice. Bill does have a lovely sense of humor and great timing. When the WTC was hit, he noticed smoke and ash outside his conference room window. Meeting over! He found his rental car and raced for Long Island. I was at work in predawn landscape. His call and a crying jogger caused me to call my son in San Francisco. I thought the Golden Gate Bridge might be next. That dear boy had already collected his siblings and secured them to breakfast in Twin Peaks. Now that's timing.
DeleteThat is a nice fence! Bill does good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks Squid! Bill is above the best, especially in physical altitude. I have known him over 1/2 a century and he has never been naughty.
DeleteIt is a fine fence, brother in law Bill built. If his stands as long as your barn and old fence, you'll be a jolly old boy when he needs to build it again.
ReplyDeleteWhat seems to be more permanent is the wonderful team you and Norma have built.
Be well.
Dear Tom, Team? I just grab with both hands and try to hang on.
Delete