Monday, May 24. Acme. Sudden Rainstorm. Whenever I get ahead on my work, instead of staying ahead I begin projects that have been waiting in the wings, and I wind up losing all my buffer. And it's back to a deadline every minute, to quote the old UPI slogan. Today's extra assignment was getting the grass cut before today's line of thunderstorms came through. We are into that pattern now: clear in the morning, blazing hot by noon, mini-typhoon in the afternoon, and clearing and steamy as the day ends.
Mary Leigh is home with nothing to do. I asked her to cut the grass for me. Mary Ann thought that was a very good idea. Mary Leigh used to do the job gladly. But as soon as she got a real car the thrill of driving the little tractor ended. (This also happened to Jude, who I could barely pry off the tractor until he got his license.) She said she would, but the next thing I knew she and MA were leaving for lunch and shopping. So much for that. It took me a little over ninety minutes to trim everything.
But then, I kinda like doing it myself. There's something satisfying about cutting grass, something I felt the first time I did it, with an old non-motorized reel mower when I was about nine years old. I cut a lot of grass in my early teens, too. In our early years at the Cool Water Ranch, I did the job with a power mower that needed to be pushed. Cutting all of the two acres that we keep mowed took seven hours. I only did that a few times--the job was usually split over several days--but I can't say it didn't make me feel good.
The Marys didn't return until after the radio show. ML was up for the Acme Oyster House. We haven't been there in many weeks, and I was in the mood for red beans. I asked them to make a pretty plate of them so I could take a picture, since I'd never done so before. I learned that no matter what you do, it's impossible to make a photo of red beans and rice look appetizing.
