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<DIV><FONT size=2>Yesterday, m</FONT><FONT size=2>y cousin George and his wife
purchased a new "John Deere" mower yesterday...only it's too wide to fit through
the regular yard gates. </FONT><FONT size=2>Which means that I had to
figure out another way to mow my dogs' yard where the grass is now almost as
tall as my knees. I got so frustrated with the constant repairs to the "DR
Mower" that I called up the local Ace Hardware store and ordered a "Push
Mower".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Yep, an old fashioned push mower! Doesn't have any motor
to go out; doesn't have any chain to slip off it's gear to make the wheels
turn; doesn't need gas or electricity to power it...just old fashioned
pushing. I'll go and pick it up on Monday and then tackle my dogs' yard -
that way when my Beagles explore the yard, I can see something other than grass
waving as they pass by.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>T</FONT><FONT size=2>oday was clean-up the yard day.
George's wife raked leaves while George toured around the yard on his new green
and yellow toy and cut the grass. I joined in and helped gather up
leaves. Then "The Head Chief" (George's wife) decided that it was time to
put a tarp over the kennels.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>First...we had to get the longest lengths of 2x4's and
4x4's to go across three kennels (from north to south), followed by
some shorter 2x4's to go across in the other direction (from east to
west). Such fun hoisting 8' and 10' boards on top of the kennel
:D</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Next we gathered every 4'x 8' plywood board we could find -
including one that had a triangular section cut out and two that were almost 4'x
5' long. These were hoisted to rest on top of the 2x4's and 4x4's.
"The Head Chief" wasn't satisfied with the way we - "the worker
bees" (George & I) were placing the plywood, so she got on top of the
kennels - trying not to step on the chain link covering the top of each kennel -
which would have given way and dropped her to the concrete kennel
floor.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Because we didn't have enough plywood, we cannibalized two
'dead' screen doors - dead cause we had left them out in the weather too long -
and placed them on top of the kennel as well. It took about two hours
to collect and properly place the boards and plywood with lots of 'expert'
advice from "The Head Chief".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Then came the bringing in of the tarp. This particular
tarp was 20' by 30' - double the length we needed to cover the kennels. I
attempted to suggest that it might be easier to fold the tarp up; put it on top
of the kennels and then unfold it. After "The Head Chief" tried to bring
the crumpled tarp in through a small 3' gate, she decided that folding the tarp
was a better idea.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Once the tarp was folded, "The Head Chief" climbed up the
ladder on the east side of the kennel and began unfolding the tarp.
Despite almost falling through the plywood and screen doors, we managed to get
the tarp unfolded and in place. Then "The Head Chief" discovered that
since the tarp covered the plywood, she didn't know where to walk and
being fearful of dropping through down to the concrete floor I asked George
to bring the ladder around to the west side of the kennel so she could get down
without mishap.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Once the tarp was in place, "the worker bees" went and found
shorter lengths of 2x4's, 4x4's and anything else that was heavy to put on
top of the tarp to keep it from blowing off - none of use wanted to redo any of
the work!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>By the time we had finished, it was time to feed the horde - 8
Siberian Huskies and 2 Beagles. Our 'clean up the yard day & put the
tarp on the kennels' had taken almost five hours and the humans were tired
puppies with aching muscles but the leaves won't gather in the kennels, the
Sibes will have shade during the hot afternoons and be protected from the
rain.</FONT><FONT size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Tomorrow I plan to sit inside and read a book - not do a d**m
thing at all - while I pamper my aching muscles!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Kathleen</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The Mountain Wolf Den (<A
href="http://www.mountainwolfden.com">www.mountainwolfden.com</A>)<BR>"Right now
I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten
this before."<BR>Proverbs: If everything seems to be going well, you have
obviously overlooked something.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>