TheBanyanTree: Achey Back

[Pam North]

I am *incredibly* lucky to have such a healthy body, even though I
continually try to abuse it....  But right now, my backs a little
achey...  If I sit up straight it's better, but it's easier to slouch
in this chair at home, but it's harder to type.... sheesh!

When I got off of work today, Charlie had already gone with his dad,
and Molly was off with a bunch of friends who'd also missed school
today for "Junior/Senior Skip Day", which always proceeds the day of
the Prom around here.

So that meant I had no reason to rush home.  Though I did need to come
by and pick up a check that needed to be deposited before the banks
closed.  Meanwhile....

When you  live in housing on base, you put yourself in a position to
have your home life a bit more regimented as well (as work).  For
instance, if your grass is getting a little high and you figure you'll
wait 'till the weekend, you might find yourself getting a 'note' left
in your door from the housing authorities telling you to mow your lawn
now!  This is what happened to my SSgt Tuesday.

Unfortunately, the man is almost overwhelmed at work and hasn't been
getting home until 7 or 8 o'clock at night!  And his wife is home with
three kids everyday!  The SSgt is finding every challenge imaginable
in this job.  The young Marines need nurturing, leadership, and a firm
hand.  Though they've had one or another of those things through the
years, they've *never* gotten it all in one person.  Until now!  This
guy is my hero!!!!  He prays about every challenge to ensure he
handles things correctly and he talks to me a lot about the squadron,
and past "Gunny" experience.  But he is constantly bombarded with new
challenges and issues, and every time he thinks he's going to
accomplish some task start-to-finish, something jumps up and changes
his plans!

I have offered to do whatever he needs to be done... My job is *not*
full-time for me.  (Some could tell by the amount of time I spend
writing them during the day?!)  The office on the other side of the
hallway - which he is also NCOIC of - houses the admin/logbook section
which I am also pretty proficient in.  But I've always tried to stay
of the chaos that lurks there, and so I'm way under-used.  I already
have logbook signing authority (which gets used once-in-a-blue
moon) in case nobody else is around.  There is a LOT more I could be
doing for him.  So now he's thinking on it.

Meanwhile, after I got off of work - and left him there since only
civilians get the "privilege" of 8-hour days and going home - and I
had a brainstorm!  There *was* something I could do for him - and his
wife Vienna!  I could go mow their lawn!  So I came home, got the
check, loaded up the mower and weed wacker and my mowing shoes, and
took off.

Not that you care, but I actually made a huge circle through town from
when I left work on the base until I went back on to his house.  Which
wouldn't even rate mentioning normally except that they have closed
the main gate here for construction, and the traffic is a bear!  We
ain't used to all this!  We are very small-town-ish.

Anyway, I drove back into housing and tried to remember where his
house was.  I had to turn around once and do another drive-by until I
realized I was on the wrong street, and then I found the place.  I was
thinking I could do this in 'stealth' mode!  So I parked, got out and
unloaded the mower, changed shoes and went to work.

I was picturing a lawn full of knee-high grass, but all I saw was a
basic yard with some weeds pretty high around the edges, some 'onions'
growing here and there, and a LOT of dandelions scattered about!  I
had a hard time even seeing where I had mowed already it was so NOT
tall!!!  Obnoxious housing authority.....

So I mowed and got it finished.  It was hot and I was just getting
ready to switch to the weed wacker and find a spigot to get some water
when Vienna walked out.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm baking cookies!"

(Anybody else every see *that* commercial??)

She asked why and I told her that the SSgt needed a break and a chance
to come home and hang out with his family and *not* worry about the
yard.  She asked me if I didn't have a family of my own or something
better to do and I assured her that my kids were off and about and she
was doing *me* a favor letting me mow her yard and keeping me
occupied.  She said, "Well, at least you'll sleep good tonight!"

(I have mentioned to my SSgt that I have issues with 'stuff' and
getting to sleep at night, , and doncha know that he and Vienna have
spent their own time praying hard for me....)

At this point I did cave in and go inside for a couple of glasses of
water, but that gave me a chance to talk to the boys, admire Noah's
new car (that he received as a 'prize' for earning 14 out of 14 green
happy faces in school today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and I got to admire the
baby's two new top teeth!!!!!

I was almost finished weed wacking the back when the SSgt himself
showed up.  He said, "Don't you think you're taking this 'gardening
stuff' a little far?"  After getting another glass of water from him,
I wacked a little more, and then stopped to try and work whatever dirt
had flown into my eye, out.  All I got out was the contact.

So I knocked on the door to go in the rinse my contact off and
re-insert, talked with Vienna for a minute and then realized....

Oh.  My.  Gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was 5:15 and I was pretty sure that
the alterations place  closed at five or 5:30.  And I had forgotten to
pick up Molly's prom dress for tomorrow night... and they weren't open
on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!   EEEEEEEEEEKKK!!!  BAD MOM!

But when I called the owner reassured me that I had until six!!!!!!!!!
Oh happy day!!

Anyway, I finished up, swept down the driveway, reloaded and went to
get the dress looking like dog-meat!  I had been wearing jeans - which
were covered in dirt and grass - and my "I don't think you act stupid,
I'm sure it's the real thing" t-shirt that I used to mop my brow a
LOT, and I was NOT pleasant to look at.  But Bless that woman's
heart.... she took my money, gave me the dress, and I came on home.
Okay, I didn't.  First I stopped at the drug store to pick up some
detergent to run my dishwasher, and found another surprise!  I was
rewarded!!  In their picnic supplies that were blatantly displayed, I
found a really cheesy plastic tablecloth for $.99!!!!  Alright!  So I
wasn't that excited about the plastic.....  but I *WAS* thrilled
because it came with a set of those doo-hickies that hold the cloth
down in the wind!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YIPPEE!!!!!  Cripes, I can use the
cloth for painting and STILL have the thingies I need on the porch!!!!

And to draw this all to a close, I came home and edged by whole
driveway and sidewalk which is considerable, and now my back is a bit
achey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go ahead... ya'll all mop your brows and go, wshew!!!!!!  "Didn't
think she'd EVER get through that story!!!  Go ahead... it's OK!!!!
:-D

Pam, done typing now and going to go read for awhile....